The past week has been spent trying out a few ideas, the mock up below being one of them.
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In theory, and on paper I rather liked the idea, and I was really looking forward to getting started.
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So I threw caution to the wind, cut the first track base, and made a start on track construction. I also juggled around with some buildings, and the allotments to see how they might look, but the whole idea just wasn't working for me. The bridge was my main concern, whilst the real thing looked really attractive, I felt it was giving the scene an urban, rather than rural look, in the space that I had available.
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The signal box and cottage grouping, which looked just right on the old layout failed to have the same impact, so I downed tools, and returned to the drawing board. At the most I've wasted a day, half a sheet of cork, and a few lengths of sleeper strip, it could have been worse, so I count myself lucky.
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I wasn't aware that this photo was going to be used in my recent article for MRJ, after all I hadn't even submitted it for publication! But it threw a real spanner in the works, because it served as a timely reminder of how Llangunllo was originally going to look,
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I also feel that this scene was just too good to ignore, even though I say so myself. It just does something for me, and judging by the lovely comments that others have made, I'm not alone.
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So I found myself returning to the scene around the level crossing, which still survives, and asked myself how I could use it again, it might just end up as a diorama? But first I'll be trying out a few ideas..........
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Whatever happens the allotments will be used again, and probably remain in the same location. Due to some damage the backscene will need replacing, and for what I have in mind it would also be extended. I would use the same scene again as I feel it captures the look of Mid Wales rather well.
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The section of layout beyond the 'Toad' brake van no longer exists, but the baseboard frames do, and they have been reduced to their original width. So whatever arises from the ashes, will be the same size as Penhydd. The photo above shows what the old layout would have looked like in its narrower form. No doubt you will be wondering what I now have in mind, well this time next week I might know myself. Currently I have two ideas floating around in my head, I'll be plotting those out full size over the coming days. If they don't work then I'll probably make a few dioramas of my favourite subjects, and all thoughts of another layout will be abandoned.
In theory, and on paper I rather liked the idea, and I was really looking forward to getting started.
So I threw caution to the wind, cut the first track base, and made a start on track construction. I also juggled around with some buildings, and the allotments to see how they might look, but the whole idea just wasn't working for me. The bridge was my main concern, whilst the real thing looked really attractive, I felt it was giving the scene an urban, rather than rural look, in the space that I had available.
The signal box and cottage grouping, which looked just right on the old layout failed to have the same impact, so I downed tools, and returned to the drawing board. At the most I've wasted a day, half a sheet of cork, and a few lengths of sleeper strip, it could have been worse, so I count myself lucky.
I wasn't aware that this photo was going to be used in my recent article for MRJ, after all I hadn't even submitted it for publication! But it threw a real spanner in the works, because it served as a timely reminder of how Llangunllo was originally going to look,
I also feel that this scene was just too good to ignore, even though I say so myself. It just does something for me, and judging by the lovely comments that others have made, I'm not alone.
So I found myself returning to the scene around the level crossing, which still survives, and asked myself how I could use it again, it might just end up as a diorama? But first I'll be trying out a few ideas..........
The scene beyond the level crossing could be opened up, and the river diverted so more of it could be seen. There would be no buildings acting as view blockers, some decent trees would do that job this time around, and the bridge that I have recently constructed could replace the old one.
The section of layout beyond the 'Toad' brake van no longer exists, but the baseboard frames do, and they have been reduced to their original width. So whatever arises from the ashes, will be the same size as Penhydd. The photo above shows what the old layout would have looked like in its narrower form. No doubt you will be wondering what I now have in mind, well this time next week I might know myself. Currently I have two ideas floating around in my head, I'll be plotting those out full size over the coming days. If they don't work then I'll probably make a few dioramas of my favourite subjects, and all thoughts of another layout will be abandoned.