Camas Orainn

[Bilco]

I've just come across these Gn15 layout photos on Flickr - I don't think it's been on this forum - anyone know more?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairlightw ... otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairlightw ... otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairlightw ... otostream/

[grombert]

The fellow in the second picture is Ian Roberts; the builder. He is a master of improvisation and can turn the proverbial sow's ear into a model of anything you would never have thought of. He has been known to make a layout out of a cardboard box in the course of an evening (almost). This particular layout is based on a Scottish island from a former life when he lived in the area. He is relatively new to exhibiting, so hasn't yet got over the urge to say 'yes' to any invite. Regrettably he isn't yet a member of this egroup. If you have any messages I can forward them to him - he lives within wellie chucking distance from me and also belongs to the little coven of us who meet once a month in Groombridge when the moon is in the right quarter.
BTW I am sorry I haven't yet kept my promise to provide moving pictures of my Emmett stuff yet. I have been visiting foreign parts and in the garden during the summer, refurbishing my 16mm track after 14 years. Much Pottering will be at Croydon this weekend (2nd/3rd Oct) if you want to see it in the flesh.
Laurie

[Bilco]

Hi Laurie - many thanks for the background. I came across the photos through following some links on another site, and wondered who it was. Perhaps you could encourage him to join us and post some more pictures?

[skylon]

I'm with Bill on this one, looks like my kind of thing.

[Matthi205]

I never saw that layout before,but it seems to be interesting............VERY interesting....

[Ian Roberts]

Thanks to Grombert for his generous introduction and now I've taken the plunge to join the group. I've found the website really helpful over the last few years so I hope I can add something to it. In due course I will post some more pictures, but in the meantime I thought I'd give you some more information about the layout. It was built as a coversation piece for the group of narrow gaugers Grombert referred to. The layout is based on a "might have been" estate railway on the fictional island of Kiloran. This was the island that the Characters in the 1940's film "I know where I'm going" were heading to but failed to arrive. It's their present day decendents who run the place and Camas Orainn (St Orainn's bay) is the northern terminus of the railway. The main features are;
Scratchbuilt scenery - using card, paper, wire, fur fabric and synthetic steel wool - and so on.
Scratchbuilt rolling stock - most of the engines use the Bachmann 08 diesel shunter chassis. The four wheeled varieties have the centre wheels removed. The reason for using this chassis is because of the way the flywheel helps slow running. Most of the wagons run on coach bogies from the same manufacturer.
Figures - some are from kits and some from castings in a well known oven baked polymer clay.
Loads - After its last outing I replaced the last of the bought-in items with scratchbuilt ones. Cartons, vegetable boxes (and their loads), fish boxes (and fish), creels, oil drums and peat loads are all home made.

So why? Because I'm retired, I have the time, but not the money! Also doing everything yourself gives a cohesion to the presentation, I think. Mostly though, because I enjoy it.
Hopefully, more later.

[Bilco]

Hi Ian - Welcome to the Gnuthouse! Thanks for the background on your layout. If you can put up some more, close-up photos that would be very much appreciated - and will probably generate some questions

[chris stockdale]

Hello Ian,

I have seen your pics on Flickr before so great to have you in here too.

That film looks interesting, I note this comment at the end of the Wiki entry:

'The film critic Barry Norman included it among his 100 greatest films of all time.'

- so now I guess I need to watch it.

Looking forward to more from you in due course.

bestest

[chris stockdale]

I have seen your pics on Flickr before so great to have you in here too.

Nipped off to Flickr to remind myself - THIS

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairlightw ... 163726106/

photo is just GREAT. I reckon if J. M. W. Turner were alive today that is exactly the sort of photo he would want to take.


cheers

[skylon]

Hi Ian, welcome along.
Looking forward to seeing more photos, looks excellent from the teasers already linked by Bill!

[Ian Roberts]

Just as a matter of clarification for Stockers, the pictures on Flickr were taken at a recent show where I was exhibiting. I'm grateful to Fairlight Works for their photos but I have no connection with them apart from admiring their handiwork.

[chris stockdale]

Oops - thanks for the correction.

cheers

[Willow Creek Traction]

because I enjoy it.

There ya go, that's pretty much the sum total of the whys and wherefores right there.

[Ian Roberts]

Thanks to Grombert's help, I have now have some more pictures. This is a test to see if it will load properly.



Well, how about that? more to follow.

[Ian Roberts]

And some more











Cheers

[Bilco]

Hi Ian - many thanks for the photos. They confirm the impression I got from the Fairlight Works photos I first saw, that it's a cracking creation.

Of course, and as threatened, it raises some questions! Such as, what did you use for the basis for your locos and rolling stock. Also, knowing what this lot are like, what's the guy in the kilt wearing underneath it

[Willow Creek Traction]

Man, that lobster wagon is really something else!

[Ian Roberts]

Hello Bilco

If I can answer your second question first - modelling opens up all sorts of ethical, moral and philosophical issues! In the light of curiosity from my operating crew and some visitors to exhibitions, I have erred on the side of safety and Torquil sports a pair of black painted Fimo boxers. This is highly irregular. I notice that similar questions are never asked of the young lady who is talking to the Laird. (Probably because she is made of Fimo, too)

All the locos, apart from the Lister, are based on the Bachmann 08 chassis. The Simplex and the two Rustons (I think there's only one in the photos) have the centre wheels removed which turns these into 2-2-0s! Being driven on only one axle means they aren't very powerful, but they can take the normal load of three wagons. The Albion (fictional) yellow diesel is the straight six wheeled 08 as is the steam loco. The Lister runs somewhat erratically on a Tenshodo bogie. It has offcuts of G Scale rail as added weight and the engine is carved from balsa.

Most of the wagons are Bachmann coach bogies (Cheap!) with thick plasticard chassis. Some have card bodies and others use wooden spills (lifetime supply from an educational supplier) as the flooring and sides.

Hope this helps

Ian

[Ian Roberts]

Re Lobster Wagon,

Kiloran's lobsters are caught in the Caolas (the straits between the islands) and are kept in large plastic cisterns. The one on the wagon is just a plastic box I had to hand. The "water" is packaging plastic with stippled acrylic medium, which dries as ripples. I made the lobsters by first making a body and a set of two claws from Fimo. When baked, I made moulds from these originals, again from Fimo and cast a dozen or so. I glued them together using Superglue and the legs and the "feelers" are wire. All very fiddly but they look good. As to size, they work out at the larger end of the breed. In captivity they have rubber bands around their claws to stop them injuring themselves. In this case it's a strip of painted paper.

I should add that other island produce is from Fimo. Cabbages are little roses sold in material shops (my wife quilts). These are painted and look good as G scale cabbages.

[Bilco]

Hi Ian - many thanks for the information!

My last question was a cack-handed way of asking about the origins of your figures. There is one I think I can place in the Italeri Truck Accessories kit with a new head. How about the others - the Laird before he took up the tartan, for instance. Are they modified with Femo or entirely created by you?

A gentleman would never ask the question of a lady, of course, and I only framed it in the form I did because I know there are some rough types on this Forum to whom this sort of humour appeals

[Simon Andrews]

Missed this thread before Nice layout

Simon.

[Ian Roberts]

Hi Bill,

The figures are a mostly some of the cheapest unpainted Preiser figures with heads and various other parts swapped about and Fimo additions. The young lady is an attempt at making an entirely home made figure - except I haven't got faces and heads sorted yet, so she has a Preiser head. My plan eventually is to have as much as possible on this layout homemade. There are also one or two figures from other kits and I can't remember which as they have tended to get moved about the 3 different layouts I have.

You are right about the Italieri figure. His "Cowboy" head was swapped with a train passenger's after a young lad at an exhibition asked what a cowboy was doing in the North of Scotland. Well, now he's definitely a tourist!

Incidentally, I have almost completed two scratchbuilt Fimo male figures, but I still have to work on faces.

By the way Torquil's tartan is my take on the MacNeil, which is Torquil's family name. (see "I know where I'm going")

[Ian-IoM]

Hi, and a rather belated welcome from me - I like the layout, and great work on the figures - they fit the scene well .

As for scratch built G scale lobsters! - most impressive

p.s. As an ex-pat Scot and occasional kilt wearer I've been asked that question quite a few times - my favourite answer is "Nothing worn madam, everything's in perfect working order."

[Ian Roberts]

Thought you might like to see the Rustons




As mentioned earlier, these locos, like the majority on the layout, are based on the Bachmann 08 chassis as the flywheel drive just makes them glide along the track. The bodies are plasticard and based on 1/24th plans from various publications. You might notice from the driver of the blue Ruston and the yellow Albion that the Estate Railway is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

(Thanks, Ian, for your welcome and for your ps.)

[trefor]

Lovely. I love the lobsters. The wild plants are great, I've got to try some for new member new layout.
Can you give us any info on how you made them

[urlhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/fairlightworks/4914069086/in/photostream/[/url]

The trouble is the more layouts I look at the more ideas I get and the more I realise what a challenge I've set myself.