Midsomer

[Zephyrus52246]

The Ploughing Engine is an impressive looking piece of machinery.  The scenes are coming out great, Mike.

Jeff

[PRR Modeler]

Beautiful modeling Mike.

[postalkarl]

Hi Mike:

Beautiful modeling as always. Much enjoy your modeling.

Karl

[madharry]

Thanks Jeff, Curt and Karl. The last board is giving me some trouble but I think I will get there in the end.

The ploughing engine is just superb. It still exists today and the model is just perfect.

Mike

[madharry]

The last board is finished. The scenic side is 3ft wide by 1 ft deep and it hides the fiddle yard / off-scene area from the public.

It features a gray narrow boat appearing from the left under the canal bridge which has been given "the water" by the lock keeper to enter the lock. A coal barge is waiting at the lower level for this boat to pass before being raised. Wildlife includes  a trio of grebe and a pair of swans. A carter has arrived with his horse and cart and after a swift pint in the Kings Arms he will transport the empty beer barrels back to the brewery.

Modellers note:  the canal bridge, lock, row of cottages and pub are all "enhanced" Scalescenes downloadable kits. The toilet block are outhouses left over from a couple of Petite Properties kits. The horse and cart are by Bar Mills. The narrowboats are resin kits by Mountford.

Mike

[madharry]

And a couple more.
Mike

[PRR Modeler]

Beautiful work Mike. I watched the 2 part video that Kathy Millett  (spelling) on English modeling and train shows so I understand now how everything works together. I wish I had a trip to the UK in the future to enjoy it in person.

[deemery]

Very nice! 


dave

[madharry]

Thanks very much Curt and Dave.

Here is the trackplan of the layout which goes to its first exhibition in less than 2 weeks time! This layout build was started on my birthday  back in January. Despite a busy schedule of exhibitions with Red Hook Bay it is finally finished, if a layout is ever finished......... Now I need a bit of a break before starting another one?

Mike

[GPdemayo]

Great job Mike.....love the scenery and detail you packed into a small area. Well done track plan also. 

[tct855]

Mike,
         Ha-ha!  What a fun pictorial!  Nice job all around, what fun to see so many things happening.  Thanx Thom...
https://youtu.be/vYEXzx-TINc?t=7     

[madharry]

Thanks for your comments Greg and Thom.
Mike 

[zodiacboy]

Hi Harry,

I have been off to the side reading about Midsomer, or what it gets called eventually, it looks sensational!
I'm in Southern Florida, although an ex pat of now 32 years. I am currently building a layout that has Magnorail as a feature, in fact that comes first, then Faller Car System with the trains bringing up the rear! I  developed a Magnorail layout in 2004, using a slow geared motor, nylon roller chain (not cheap) L shaped aluminum for the track to hold the sub-carriers with magnets and then the vehicles were pulled around by hefty neo-dimian magnets through an membrane of Formica! It was extremely heavy with an angle iron frame, and half inch ply (I had to hold the thing together, some how, also so it didn't warp)! Well here we are years later, and having been through a divorce and retired and forcibly downsized, here I am again at! This time with Magnorail (much easier to build than thinking of it all yourself), this time no angle iron frame, quite the reverse, I am using polyurethane sheet.
Hopefully you'll be premiering your layout at the Exeter event this weekend, if so you'll be rubbing shoulders with my friend Tony Hill from Folkestone, he'll be very interested to see Magnorail in action.   

Great work,  love the buildings and the use of Scalescenes too, one thing ... I believe the Ford/Fordson tractor (the blue and orange one) is a little bit out of the era you're modeling, that would be 1951 onward!
What did you decide for a name of the Layout?

Robbie

[madharry]

Robbie,

Thanks for your comments. The layout has been called Cheffley. This weekend I am at Weymouth with my American layout "Red Hook Bay". Cheffley's debut will be at the High Wycombe show next weekend - 4th November.

Well spotted on the tractor. I had tried to bury it inside the shed to disguise the fact. I am on the look out for a correct era one all the time and it will be eventually replaced.

By the way I was only exhibiting at the Folkestone show the other week!

Mike

[MAP]

Really nice work Mike.