BS: I am amazed (minature cities)

Subject: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: gnu
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 05:46 PM

http://www.castanet.net/news/Offbeat/68019/Largest-model-railway

I just don't get it. Maybe the creators figured they could make coin from charging people to see it? Maybe they do.

In any case, I am amazed.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: bobad
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 05:55 PM

It is quite impressive. I think it is nothing more than a hobby for some people - fulfills the creative urge.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: gnu
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 06:02 PM

"I think it is nothing more than a hobby for some people..."

That's not my point but I will refrain from making that point for a while to see if someone else's comments in a like manner to my thinking.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 06:14 PM

It is obviously a commercial exhibition. The announcer said it was an exhibition.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Paul Burke
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 06:14 PM

Very interesting. It reminds me of a model train set that my father took me to see in Manchester about 50 years ago, all bustle and action, and controlled by ex- Post Office Strowger units and relays. Though I prefer the more reflective atmosphere of British "light railways"- a bit like US "short lines", but a lot shorter and smaller. Like this..

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Bert
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 07:30 PM

I have always liked miniatures, much to the disappointment of my Dad who was a ship repair man who like big things.

I used to get into trouble when I was a kid 'cos I'd buy postcards of n-gauge models at our local junk shop. I'd cut them out and build the tiny little trains, despite tuts of disapproval.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 08:44 PM

There is a Twin City Model Railroad Museum right here in St. Paul, MN. I used to go there with my son quite frequently when he was little—that would be 15-20 years ago!—but I haven't been back there for a long time. I used to think it was pretty impressive—until I saw the video of the one in Hamburg.

There ought to be a directory of all the public layouts in the world, but I wouldn't know where to find such a thing. Every major city must have one worth visiting.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 09:34 PM

what an amazing site - overshadows the few I've seen. I love miniature stuff from dolls houses to villages.

I found their website Miniature Wonderland - English & have been enjoying the pics.

Australian miniature village & trains

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Dec 11 - 05:11 AM

I am reminded of a book I read once which divided people into two groups - those who got involved in layouts, and those which preferred miniature houses. These were then related with those who wrote and read adventurous stories covering large landscapes, and those who wrote and read novels like Jane Austen's. There was an obvious connection between the two groups and the two sexes.

I am seriously impressed by that layout. It clearly has a high order of story teling in it. And world building, down to the geology.

I have often wondered whether model railway enthusiasts would make a better job of running the railway system in this country.

I remember visiting a society exhibition where they also had a bus layout, and told me that when the Conservatives privatised the buses, they made it a condition that successor companies should not adopt the same livery as the old companies, except in London. Peculiar mindset.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Bert
Date: 31 Dec 11 - 05:27 AM

Then there's Bekonscot

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 31 Dec 11 - 11:40 AM

I think I clicked on Bekonscot an hour ago - it's wonderful, thanks for posting it, Bert

it's 3.40am on New Years Day, I really must get to bed!

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 31 Dec 11 - 11:48 PM

I sent the Bekonscot links to a railway modeller friend who loved it & had the same reaction I did when I visited the Australian miniature village a few years back. Fantastic buildings & trains but spoilt by giants wandering around.

................
Bloody brilliant. Pity about all those giants wandering about the place. I can't imagine how the locals cope with them.

What's really nice about this one is that the scale speed makes it absolutely believable, except for all those giants looming over the horizon.

I think my folks took me to Bekonscot when I was a microbe, probably about 6 yo or so. I seem to remember topiarised plants and thatched cottages, but seeing it from this level was much more interesting.
..................

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 01 Jan 12 - 06:21 AM

I too was taken to Bekonscot as a small child in the early fifties. I was totally thrilled and remember it clearly. But it was a lot smaller then, certainly not one-and-a-half acres! By the way, I don't suppose anyone who lived in Middlesex in the early fifties remembers the Peter Pan Railway at Heathrow Airport? (Called London Airport in those days) Just in front of the newly-built Queen's Building, it was a miniature railway for children to ride on. Each carriage was named after a character in the Peter Pan story. (Tinkerbell, Wendy and so on)

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 01 Jan 12 - 08:55 AM

I too love miniatures that are done well. Now I want to visit that Wunderland place.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 01 Jan 12 - 12:29 PM

Here we have dirty old North London in 2mm/ft scale. Made by the members of The Model Railway Club at great danger to their eyesight and sanity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZji6qDlh0A

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 12 - 03:23 PM

An at Bourton the Water in the Cotswolds there is a One Ninth Scale Model Village though no piccies on the website

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Bobert
Date: 01 Jan 12 - 06:59 PM

Definitely not your grand fathers train set... Very cool...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 Jan 12 - 08:03 PM

keep adding those layouts, I enjoy looking & send them all on to my modeller friend

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 02 Jan 12 - 07:36 PM

Wow! And I always thought the huge layout at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago was impressive.

I've been married to a railfan/modeller (first husband) and have friends who are addicted. I've got an interest, but I keep it under control.

Thanks for sharing this!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: gnu
Date: 02 Jan 12 - 08:24 PM

The links are amazing. The detail is stunning.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Jan 12 - 10:08 PM

Here's a link to The Model Railway Club (of London). See its "Links and Affiliations" page for links to lots more sites in the UK.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 07:18 AM

Bert, I refer you to my web site www.millimodel.co.uk

I should have some on sale on ebay again in a while.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 07:58 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vURNhldkEss

This one is not as large as some, but I have to see it one day as it's one of my old stamping grounds in real life - Ambergate in Derbyshire. This layout has the lot - the old lime kilns, the Cromford Canal, the triangular station, the original station building which went many years ago. I've actually stood where the loco is at about 0.25!

A lot of the features depicted in this model have gone so it's a little historical document in its own right. For modellers over the pond, it's 4mm/ft scale, same as most British commercial models, but with the track gauge at 18.83mm instead of the incorrect 16.5mm which we Brits have endured since about 1930.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 08:27 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXoQJYqL4kw

This is a good intro to the eccentric world of British scale modelling, from arch eccentric Bob Symes. Here, Bob features John Ahern, one of the pioneers from 70 years ago, and the late Roye England, the driving force behind the wonderful Pendon Museum. I met Roye once - he was an unlikely Australian; very shy, softly spoken but with Antipodean determination. He used to nip round Berkshire on a bike getting details of old buildings which he eventually modelled for Pendon. Second half of the film also on YouTube - also Pendon has an easily Googleable website.

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 08:58 AM

I met Roye England a couple of times when I was in my teens. I made a few trees for him to evaluate to see if they were good enough for the museum. I rather think that they were made of materials that were not stable enough and would have disintegrated by now!

The Madder Valley layout, which is also at Pendon, was a real inspiration for many modellers, myself included and is the first well-known scenic landscape to have reached a wider public attention. There are several bits of humour there to spot, such as the name of the estate agents in the main street, "Quibble and Cuss".

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: darkriver
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 02:22 PM

I like Penny S's comment about storytelling. From what I've seen over the years, the best model layouts (whether or not railroad) have had a theme or story (sometimes buried) involved. One of the most interesting was a local narrow-gauge RR for a mine in the mountains of Mexico--extremely imaginative.

And then, in a class by itself, there's Marwencol.

Doug

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 08:14 PM

From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler - PM
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 07:18 AM

Bert, I refer you to my web site www.millimodel.co.uk

I should have some on sale on ebay again in a while.

.................

website didn't work as there was a little typo (only 1 model?) & http:// was also missing so the blickifier thought it was a page in mudcat.org, but it isn't so here 'tis - www.millimodels.co.uk

check out the instructions!! and the links

congratulations, Black belt caterpillar wrestler

Subject: RE: BS: I am amazed (minature cities)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 08:32 PM

I couldn't get to Darkriver's link to Marwencol (400 Bad Request
Request cannot be handled by the server. Reason: URL has unsafe spurious path elements. Cannot continue. /http/www.marwencol.com/about/)

so I put marwencol into google & found the site

"Marwencol" is a documentary about the fantasy world of Mark Hogancamp.

After being beaten into a brain-damaging coma by five men outside a bar, Mark builds a 1/6th scale World War II-era town in his backyard. Mark populates the town he dubs "Marwencol" with dolls representing his friends and family and creates life-like photographs detailing the town's many relationships and dramas. Playing in the town and photographing the action helps Mark to recover his hand-eye coordination and deal with the psychic wounds of the attack. When Mark and his photographs are discovered, a prestigious New York gallery sets up an art show. Suddenly Mark's homemade therapy is deemed "art", forcing him to choose between the safety of his fantasy life in Marwencol and the real world that he's avoided since the attack.

"Marwencol" has won over 25 awards, including two Independent Spirit Awards, Best Documentary of the Year from the Boston Society of Film Critics and Rotten Tomatoes, and the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary at the South by Southwest Film Festival. The Los Angeles Times calls the film "an exhilarating, utterly unique experience" while the Village Voice says that it's "exactly the sort of mysterious and almost holy experience you hope to get from documentaries and rarely do."

----------------

the gallery is amazing

sandra