Monday, April 03, 2017

Giving away your babies

The sharp eyed will have noticed that in my Ally Pally post on Saturday, I mentioned that I had arreived with two layouts but left with none. 

Layout in a box


It's true, first the N gauge in a box model went to it's new home with our competition winners who were delighted to take it away. We have a suitable presentation photo for the magazine with representatives from both Gaugemaster and Graham Farish who provided materials for the project.

Owen's Bridge has also left my care.

Owens Bridge

It's gone to live with Bachmann who need a layout to showcase the 009 WD loco and rolling stock. 

I was asked if I was sad giving them away and thinking about it, I'm not. Both have gone to good homes. Left with me, they would simply be stuck in storage and gradually deteriorate through lack of use.

As it is, they are being used. Owen's Bridge is especially pleasing as I really didn't know what I would have done with it. We've extracted all the mileage out of the project we can so the model just becomes a lump either with me or at Warners store. Neither is a good thing. This way it has a new and useful life. 

Obviously, there is a little bit of me that would love to gather all my models and show them in a nice warm and dry room. I put a lot of me into any model and so like all modellers, I produce highly personal layouts. Since I don't own enough space to set them all up, or indeed any of them most of the time, I need another way. 

All this is far better than breaking up a model, something that I very rarely do. Chucking all that work in the bin seems such a waste. Not sure why, years of doing work on-line has taught me that most of what we do is ethereal but I suppose that producing physical objects is different. 

Now all I need to do is clear out a few more projects and I'll have more space to fill up all over again!

3 comments:

Bill Newstead said...

I like your trees on Owen's Bridge. Could you say something about the materials used please? Thanks

Bill said...

I was lucky enough to see Owen's Bridge at the 009 Society AGM and exhibition at Rainford last Saturday. If anything it looks better in the flesh than in the photographs. It was a worthy backdrop to display all the prototype Bachmann WD Baldwins which looked superb. The only problem will be deciding which of the four to buy. Thanks must go to Bachmann for supporting the 009 Society by allowing Steve Purves to bring them, and to Steve for spending so much time demonstrating and answering questions. He looked to be besieged all day.

Phil Parker said...

Trees are from the Hornby Skalescenics range with added flock and scenic mattting. Sadly, the armatures aren't available any longer although you might track some down on model shop shelves.