A bit quiet of late but I've been moving the "workshop" to a better spec - one with natural light, which is wonderful.
Unfortunately it has meant leaving the original layout behind and starting afresh but I don't mind at all as I never want to actually finish a layout or I'd have nothing to do. Some of the buildings I will relocate from the old layout but others I will happily leave behind and pretend I never built them.
The new layout involves very little planning apart from a round and round bit for the grandchildren to play with. I will just build around that.
I have concluded that I am incapable of planning too far in advance (although I would love to be able to create something like the wonderful Rails to Llangunllo) but I know what will happen. I'll have something in mind now I want to have a go at but then see another building or something on another blog I want to make instead. Blog-reading, I have decided, is antithetical to planning!
Hi Chas,
ReplyDeleteOne of the best things I ever did was to move my workstation so I could make use of natural light.
It makes modelling far easier and enjoyable.
As for forward planning I think we all go through a stage when we can't make our mind up as to what we really want to do and become distracted by the work of others. The penny eventually dropped for me and I am sure that at some stage the same will happen to you and you will find something to model that holds your interest come what may.
In the meantime with all those wonderful buildings you have constructed I would be tempted to build a small diorama and put them to good use.
Good luck with the new layout,
Geoff
Thanks Geoff. Yes, a small diorama is a good idea - it would be very satisfying to at least complete something!
DeleteI know what you mean about the reading of other blogs. I saw Geoff's post the other day and it made me realise my layout has been built with not much modelling potential. I am starting again.
ReplyDeleteWill you leave your old layout in place? You're lucky that you have another space to move into...
Hi Lee. I'm glad I'm not the only one! It's quite good fun starting again though isn't it although you'd put an awful lot more thought and work into the baseboard and track of your layout than I had with mine.
DeleteAs to the old layout, it will gradually disappear as I take bits from it.
How exciting...to be moving your workbench and layout to a more suitable location...I suspect it will give you great inspiration in itself. A part of me is sorry to think we'll be losing some of the magical corners of your old layout, but I'm looking forward to seeing the phoenix rise and some old friends in new locations! I moved into a new work area a couple of months ago and it gave me a real boost...although I didn't need to worry about my layout, since I am such a ditherer that it has remained a test track on a shelf for several years, despite drawing countless plans and schemes!
ReplyDeleteThanks Iain. I find I'm spending too much time staring out the window now. Maybe I should fit blackout blinds.
DeleteAs for the layout, I keep changing my mind - do I keep the elongated figure of 8? Do I just have one upper track? Will it connect with the lower track so trains can run into the station? Each time I decide, I see something on a blog or over on RM web that makes me change my mind. Then I go into the train room (garage) and just stare at the mess that was the former layout and see hours of carpentry gone to ruin and just stand there scratching my head...I need to get some track down and wired up soon, or my son will lose his interest!
ReplyDeleteTricky isn't it, trying to balance something entertaining for children with satisfying modelling opportunities? I haven't a clue what the answer is but perhaps there is a book idea for someone.
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