I've dug out the mallet for the October BRM TV session - the baseboards for Selly Oak are built (OK, one of them is) right in front of your eyes from a laser-cut kit.
Some people will consider paying for boards wildly extravagant, but if you are going to spend money on your layout, a firm foundation for the model will provide better value then another locomotive. Dodgy boards will be a constant source of frustration, so if you are as rubbish at woodwork as I am, it's worth paying someone to help.
Staying with the laser-cut world, I found a nice kit for a mid-century bungalow. There are loads of houses near where I live that look just like this - but how often do you see them on a model railway layout?
Finally, we stay with new(ish) technology with a pair of 3D-printed locos designed to fit on the Hornby 0-6-0 Pecket chassis. Both are simple to assemble and offer something different to the industrial locomotive enthusiast. I liked them both and since they don't need modifications to the chassis - if you use the same livery on both, you can swap them over to suit your mood.
2 comments:
You make an interesting point about a baseboard kit being a sensible use of money.
Although you offer one reason for this, another possible reason strikes me as equally credible.
When you're commissioned to build a layout or diorama - either as a magazine project or for an external customer - there are costs other than any parts / materials you purchase for use in the build.
There's also an element of "time is money" - building a similar baseboard from sheet materials would probably involve spending a significant amount of time, measuring, cutting and trimming the various pieces.
This could easily be an issue in a workplace where there are already time pressures. Although I, personally, have never worked for a magazine, I've also never heard anyone who has complaining about not having enough work to fill their working day.
For a magazine project, there is sometimes a good reason to build the board from scratch, but for commissions, time is money and the extra cost of the cutting over suitable quality wood isn't that great.
My main point though, is that a quality baseboard is a much better investment than another locomotive. You never regret having a good quality foundation.
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