what makes for a good layout?

Salvé Dear all, I've just been thinking about the G + D posts, most of us will admit that its a great layout and one of historical worth, atleast the bits that most of us have seen published! Perhaps though the truth is a little more common place, that a truly great layout is one which give the constructor pleasure, and it wont matter if he/she is 6 years old or 66 years old if the grass is a sheet of hairy green paper or some rather higher tech flock material etc, if the buildings are superb handmade renditionss of actual buildings ( a la Pendon!) or the absolutely tackiest concoction of cardboard cutouts held together with three pounds of white glue happily oozing all over the place, the engine might be an S.A.R. Beyer Garrat handmade in brass and painted by a master or a hornby Thomas the tank engine with only three wheels that kangaroos around the track circle. If this layout gives the owner pleasure then its a great setup, ofcourse if we are talking about epoch making outfits then we are on a completely different track ! At the moment I dont have a layout , I cant make my mind up on which scale to model or if I should go Broad guage (GWR) narrow ( anywhere!) or standard , I'm awaiting a damages claim for injuries caused by a fall which induced a stroke, if its a "nice" claim I'm thinking of indoor live steam with a Lynton and Barnstable Loco :) ofcourse I might not get something nice but then I'll attack what I have and probably go for o scale narrowguage again...., I have this beautiful layout in my head so I can identify with Mark to a degree!, but I dont think that we should put him and others like him down becaus he hant published, Listen and hear what he has to say but the vicious sort of criticism is so off putting, lets not forget that A.R.Walkleys layout, the first ever ho scale layout made by 1923 had only two points (turnouts) yet it had immense operative value , the fact that he also made his own engines and motors (inventing the scale!) and couplers and rails and buildings completely from scratch makes his outfit all the more outstanding. The fact is that today in 2004 most modellers havent reached the standards he set when he exhibited his layout (The Railway In A Suitcase) back in 1923, and that Gentlmen (and Ladies!) should give some people here cause to think. Standard guage....err Indian...Irish or British or or or........ Isle of Man :D beowulf

Reply to
Beowulf
Loading thread data ...

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.