Hi

Just been reading a few old threads about Members changing their layout era and ones where Rule 1 has been belatedly forced into action because of a new engine purchase that could not be resisted but which did not fit with the original concept.

A common enough situation - all you have to do is embrace Rule One and say 'Its my layout and I will run what I want'.

But how do you get rid of the purists critique or the owners guilt?

Its quite simple ......

A long way in t he future
In a Galaxy nearby
In a Country very familiar
Is a layout that's mine
Modelled on a new prototype and yet to be place
Where standard gauge  engines, past and present
From all eras and regions
Are run like on a preserved railway
Together with overseas visitors
Every day
For fee paying passengers
Who arrive by ancient buses and cars
To that land in the future
Where all is possible, even side by side

After all

Most viewers do not care at all
As long as the trains go round and round.

Cheers

Mac

Quote from: macwales on July 13, 2015, 06:46:07 PM
But how do you get rid of the purists critique ... ?

Easy, shut your ears to it or tell them to go forth and multiply

Quote
After all

Most viewers do not care at all
As long as the trains go round and round.

Precisely Freelance layouts have as much place in this hobby as the detail-perfect recreations of actual places and eras, and they are more likely to appeal to those young future-modellers everyone keeps saying are so elusive


Paul

You don't see as many freelance layouts these, days, they used to be quite popular.  Fun to dream up anyway: What if... steam had lasted into the late 1970s, North British diesel designs had been better than anyone else's and British Rail had standardised on diesel hydraulics?

With my model railway I explore the concept of diverging alternate universes, with it being set in a universe where railways around the world unified on standard gauge, a single system of overhead wiring and magic invisible third rails. Lines were built to the most generous of European loading gauges, and it's not unusual that say a small private railway in Japan would be able to preserve classic high-speed trains or other interesting trains from around the world.

So there, neh neh 

OK, OK, I know it's not 'the done thing' on a forum to quote your own posts but I ain't typing out this lot again!  In support of Rule 1 I submit the following as evidence m'lud:

Quote from: Zogbert Splod on January 22, 2015, 02:34:28 PM
The place, a parallel universe situated on the outer edge of the back of beyond.  The time, in local parlance, 'The Year Of The Oatcake' – or, as we here would say, 'I dunno!'...

It was a couple of years since the referendum and things were moving on apace.  The result of the vote had seen Scotland separate itself from the United Kingdom.  That had not been unexpected.  After all, Alex Trout had run a masterful campaign.  What was unexpected however, was the legal fallout that resulted from it.
Despite the best efforts of the UK Prime Minister, David Cameraman,  an ancient, and never repealed, law was discovered which allowed other parts of the Kingdom to secede at will in the event of the commencement of a break up of the Union.
Wales had been the first to go.  When it was discovered, in a subsequent hearing, that the English Counties were also able to take the step of independence, all of the western counties quickly did so.  This opened up a corridor between Scotland and Wales and, with the signing of a selection of agreements and contracts, resulted in the formation of a new political and trade amalgamation which become known as the North and West Alliance (N&WA – generally pronounced 'Nay Way').

Not all aspects of the separation had gone as smoothly as in the beginning however.  Many of the industries, particularly in the service aspect, had been headquartered in the capital and thus were nominally owned and/or controlled by various London companies and corporations.

At the behest of the WestMonster government (and a huge amount of tax incentives) these entities quickly withdrew their services from the new Alliance.

Looking specifically at the transportation network, the N&WA began to buy up and run various rail stock of an assortment of types and vintages.  To begin with they were simply worked in the colour scheme of the companies which sold them to the new network.  From the start there existed a plan to replace the units when possible, and, to repaint any remaining in a livery yet to be designed.
It didn't take long for the remainder of the country, looking at the 'mix and match' railway system, to refer to it as a Frankenstein monster.  But, since Victor Frankstein's monster was brought to life by electricity the whole 'monster' aspect of the situation was quickly accepted by all concerned and the citizens of the North and West themselves adopted the name 'Trainsylvania' for their rail network.

That last sentence doesn't really make a lot of sense but I don't care too much.  Near enough is well good enough.  It's just an excuse for a train set after all.  Cut me some slack here!  You people are all the same ye know... Pick, pick, pick!  How about some respect?  I fought and died in two world wars for you lot and what do I get for it? Pick, pick, pick!  I don't think you can even SPELL repsect!

Anyhow, that's it, my excuse and reasoning for running anything and everything (British) on the soon to be started layout.  Will that do?  I think it's just a re-statement of what I think is called Rule One:  Run what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law...

Incidentally, in this parallel universe, the calorific content of the coal is MUCH higher, and the structure of the metals allows significantly higher boiler pressures, the net result of which is that an 0-4-0T has the power, and can carry sufficient reserves of fuel and water, to haul a 9 carriage 100 mph express for a non-stop run of about 2 - 3 hours.