OllyG: Great Northern Railway

[ollyg16]

Hello Ladies and Gents

I have been lurking in the pages of this forum for a while now. I feel now is the time to say "Hello!"

I had a simple layout as a teenager: 2 loops and 2 sidings. I loved it. Last Christmas I decided it was time to introduce my son (Code name HTango age 8 ) to model trains and bought him a "Smokie Joe" to test the water. Thankfully he loved it! It was time to get the old trains and track from the attic.

We started with a 8X4, which soon became 8X8, then 10X8. Luckily I have a big tin shed (but, boy, it gets cold in there).

We had a family "break out session" (yeugh: office speak) and found out that my daughter (code name Kanna) wanted to be part of the operation too. SUPERB!

The layout needs to be slightly different to the traditional. Son wants to run trains at full speed. Daughter wants a scene to play with: houses, schools, stations etc. Dad wants to have fun.

We want to make everything ourselves, bridges, fences, stations, houses, tunnels etc. Nothing is too specific: just trying to paint a scene, and something that can be played with.

The design we are working toward should combine all this. I thought that I had it sorted, but the bigger engines and wagons did not like running at two points end to end. We are in the throws of redesign. This is not an exact science.

I have loved teaching the kids (and learning a lot as we go along) things like using a jigsaw, hammer, drill etc (under close supervision). Everything takes 3 times as long. I will never forget us all covered from head to toe in wallpaper paste as we prepared the papier mache tunnel. All the paintwork is done by the kids in their own colours and style.

Take a look. Sorry: the ability to put a picture directly on this site has escaped me. I hope you will take the time to follow this link, if it works.

Short linky to my photos

You are all such an inspiration, and a fund of knowledge: thanks. Our offering is humble compared to some of yours!

Enjoy.

OllyG, Htango, and Kanna

[mumbles]

hi gang welcome on board
great stuff, you got a nice amount of space there. you've done a great job on the hills, looks like you've been having fun.
i'm sure you'll be coming on leaps and bounds with 3 of you at it
happy modelling
michael

[pointstaken]

Nothing is too specific: just trying to paint a scene, and something that can be played with.

Our offering is humble compared to some of yours!

Enjoy.

OllyG, Htango, and Kanna

Hi gang, and welcome to the forum

That's what it's all about - having fun, and learning at the same time, and pleases YOU !!
(Your comment about wallpaper paste reminds me of the old song "When Father papered the parlour " )

Dennis

[Class 60]

Welcome to the Forums Guys and Gals,

nice plan you got already, will look forward to seing it progress in time
Are you modelling in any particular era or do you just run anything you like?

[ollyg16]

Thanks for your interest!

We have no era or agenda as such. We take our ideas from things around us. Our mountains are supposed to be the Mountains of Mourne (Highest Point in Northern Ireland), the cliff overhang represents a point near our local beach (Cushendall), and the bridge is Birchenough Bridge in Zimbabwe, where I grew up.

We run a mixture of trains: anything we like. I suppose we are recreating familiar things, and linking them with a train! Maybe not a "perfect" model in the "pure" sense, but good fun.

I am controlled by the kids: they see something and we try and recreate it. We are planning an exact replica of out house garden and shed: but that is too far off.

I am under pressure to get the track completed again. the kids need running trains! We seem to spend 90% playing and 4% demolishing and 6% modelling.

I have a plan to spread the points out a little. I think they were all too close together and the faster and larger trains could not cope. Is this a common problem? I could not bring myself to buy 8 express points.

Hopefully get something done tonight, when the helpers are asleep! I need the therapy: who invented "Sales Targets"?

Olly

[Infrontcat]

Nice one. Always glad to welcome new members

Cheers

Tim

[mmurnin900]

Another Irish man. Good stuff there. Where do you shop?

[ollyg16]

Good to hear from you!

I guess I am an Irishman by default: I married into it! How long before I am true Irishman???? You need to be 3rd generation here in Ballymena before you are considered local!

Mainly shop online, but Maine Models in Cullybackey have proved very useful. A fantasitc shop, stuck on top of a shed (rumour has it that he has a fantastic layout underneath). A huge Aladdins cave of stuff. Helpful too. He seems to do it part time, so best to phone ahead, to make sure they are open.

Where do you get your stuff?

[mmurnin900]

a little shop on queens street, very good customer service and stock. Some excelent models as you walk in. It's called The Model Shop. Where are you from originally. As with most Irish sports teams marry in and your automatically Irish!

[ollyg16]

I was born and bred in Zimbabwe! Came over for an adventure, and was lured into the promise of matrimonial bliss! 17 years later and all is well.

Yippee! Can do pictures now! I feel like I have split to atom!




Olly

[mmurnin900]

My mates family moved here from there. Honours even in the big grudge match then. Thats a good looking job so far. Nice hills. The bridge could do with another coat.

[ollyg16]

Point taken about the bridge. I came home one day and that was what had been done! I have a pot of silver that will do the job 100%, sometime.

The hills now have grass! Looking better now. Still need a little tidy up though. I needed to see something nearly completed.

Will have to get the track finished next: I have put it off too long.

Olly

[tinsleytmd]

its looking good that love the big bridge its ace.

[random man]

looking good

Your kids have a brilliant and generous dad

wish i was able to have a layout like yours

[ollyg16]

Hey, Guys, thanks for your encouragement.

I managed to repaint the suspension bridge silver last night and make an attempt at the water under the "metal" frame bridge. It looks VERY blue this morning, but it might a good contrast.

The good news is that I am off tomorrow, so it looks like a dash to town for supplies, then 3 or 4 hours ALONE! Yippee!


Olly