Inspiration needed

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philipy
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Inspiration needed

Post by philipy » Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:22 am

One of the advantages of a railway which is essentially freelance with no allegiance to any particlar prototype or period is that it allows the construction and operation of anything you fancy. On the other hand, one of the disadvantages is that there is no particular reason or incentive to build anything specific.

I find myself out of inspiration at the mo, has anyone got any suggestions? Don't mind what it is, freelance, prototypical, a building, loco, rolling stock, scenic, you name it! Set me a challenge?
Philip

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-steves-
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Re: Inspiration needed

Post by -steves- » Mon Mar 08, 2021 11:25 am

What gauge do you run to know what would look good?
The buck stops here .......

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Peter Butler
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Re: Inspiration needed

Post by Peter Butler » Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:02 pm

You know I have the same mind-set about mix and match stock, so anything goes. So,..... how about a useful piece of equipment to support your railway maintenance?
You have your printer to help with making things like a crane jib, so how about a travelling crane?
Or possibly a gantry crane to stand outside an engine shed?
Cherry-Picker wagon for overhead repairs?
Items of machinery to act as wagon loads?
Transporter wagon?

When you have finished these, please call again!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

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Re: Inspiration needed

Post by philipy » Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:13 pm

Thanks chaps.
Steve, it's 32mm.
Philip

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Andrew
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Re: Inspiration needed

Post by Andrew » Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:26 pm

I like this game...

How about:

A lineside industry like Rik's - a quarry or factory (a brewery?) with stuff going in and out, and distinctive architecture and rolling stock etc?

Or a tramway section, like the one that went through the town at Welshpool, all road crossings and backs of houses and soot-covered washing?

Or a good solid station with an overall roof, like the one that was at Corris, which I think also incorporated a carriage shed?

Or some cool but tired-looking railcars of the sort found on Mediterranean islands and French branchlines?

Or a working slip coach?!

I'll stop now - as you can see, I have the opposite problem: Modelling a prototype means my mind wanders to all the things I might build if I didn't generally focus on Welsh Highland and Ffestiniog stuff!

Cheers,

Andrew

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Re: Inspiration needed

Post by -steves- » Mon Mar 08, 2021 1:47 pm

How about an unusual Peckett?

Image
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Re: Inspiration needed

Post by metalmuncher » Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:36 pm

If you are a member of the 16mm Association, you can download issues of 16mm Today back to 1985, perhaps in a flick through some of those you will find something you really like?

There's also the index, where you can look at a list of drawings from 16mm Today and get a link to the issue that includes a drawing that takes your fancy. Having a drawing to trace will really speed up your CAD work if you're going down the 3D printing route.

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Re: Inspiration needed

Post by ge_rik » Tue Mar 09, 2021 8:26 pm

As Andrew says, when I'm running out of ideas I think of adding another lineside industry. For example, when decided to add the sand quarry I ended up .....

* Deciding where the quarry would be best sited
* landscaping the area
* Creating new trackbed and laying new track
* Building a rake of nine sand hopper wagons
* Designing and building three loading hoppers
* Casting a new embankment in concrete for the feeder line
* Making some Binnie skips for the feeder line
* Making a short timber trestle for the feeder line
* Making a new loco for the quarry traffic
* Finding a way to incorporate quarry traffic in the working timetable
* Making videos of the new traffic in action

It sort of kept me busy for a while

Rik
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philipy
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Re: Inspiration needed

Post by philipy » Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:02 am

Thanks for all your replies chaps, I really do appreciate them all.
I think Richard's suggestion is the most helpful in many ways. I haven't been a member of the Association for several years but I do have a stack of old SMT's which I've started trawling through, that was where I got the information for my "Quintus" build which some of you may remember from a few years back.
I found a loco drawing yesterday which I've looked at a couple of times but can't decide if it's too big/complex so I'll keep on looking.

I like the idea of lineside industries etc and also Andrew's ideas around station infrastructure but with the geography of my garden coupled with planning restrictions and the recent acquisition of a self-propelled bulldozer who was never taught the difference between lawn and flower beds by her previous owner, I think that would be on a hiding to nothing!
Philip

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