Spirit of Swindon Layout

[Chris Morris]

This is a brilliant piece of work and shows what can be done in N gauge. Awesome.
There is a downside however. I don't want to be a killjoy and I can see the builder has clearly put in a huge effort. In order to get the layout just right I respectfully suggest the owner does a little more homework on what stock goes with what locos. In the RM this month there is a photo of a maroon Warship which did not exist until 1966 pulling a train with some crimson and cream coaches which would have all gone by then. The train of mixed maroon, chocolate and cream and crimson and cream coaches is great and accurate but only up until 1960 or maybe 1961 at a push on the main line. Likewise on the video the milk train has a Warship with a yellow warning panel hauling a milk train with a crimson and cream brake. Yellow panels did not begin to be applied until 1962 and although there may have been a few crimson and cream brakes still around it is a unlikely combination and itge livery would be so faded and dirty as to not be recognisable as crimson and cream. This might sound pedantic but when so much brilliant work has gone in to creating such a great scene it seems a shame to let it down by something that is relatively simple to get right.

True and false...

What are the percentage of observers that can spot those "errors" in train composition? If you show such a layout to the public where most do know these timeline issues... but the train pleases the eye, then the "errors" are no errors. If you know that almost everybody will recognize them, then,... the errors are errors.

Funny that in the german 1zu160.net forum a similar discussion happened this weekend

Obviously there is a wide difference in the knowledge of various visitors to exhibitions. I have come across some very knowledgable gents at the Swindon show and had some very interesting conversations. These are usually ex railmen who are genuinely enthusiastic about what they are seeing but will quite correctly politely  point out where things are not quite right.

[Caz]

Certainly captured the spirit of the GWR headquarters, thanks for posting the link.

[Chris Morris]

I saw this layout during set up for the Swindon Steam model railway exhibition this weekend. Brilliant piece of modelling. A little N gauge layout called Gravelly Oak is also at this exhibition. It is a nicely modelled little terminus set in the current tine.