©️ Anthony White and G1MRA 2020

The PDF Proofs reached the printer just before lockdown. Once restrictions are eased enough to be safe for our people, I’ll let you know more about this inspiring 92 page book. Price expected to be comparable with G1MRA's steam build books.

Finescale Layout Challenges

Keen to recruit younger people, G1MRA is encouraging G1 Layouts at ordinary Model Railway Exhibitions. When it fields one of the big Portable layouts, it’s normally the biggest object in the room (even at the Peterborough Arena or the NEC) and also the biggest draw, because of Live Steam. Yet, even with decorative detail, a Model Railway it ain’t.

Therefore smaller layouts must have some other Wow Factor than Size or Steam, namely some kind of Fidelity: that's where some kind of Finescale comes in.

Two members from the Midlands are blazing a trail with Ruddlemoor Wharf:

They started with a Finescale aspiration and (having unpacking the various meanings of that Weasel Word) settled for 1:32 Scale on G1MRA Standard track for very practical reasons: the owner (above in dark glasses) needs a Guide Dog. Traction is factory-built brass locomotives fitted with Battery-R/C.

At its first-ever public showing, Ruddlemoor Wharf came Second in Show, competing with some very sophisticated railway modelling.

Challenge 1) Please let me know if you are involved with, or interested in, a Scenic Model Railway Exhibition Layout of this kind.

It’s sometimes observed that this group is very vehicle-oriented, lacking proper Model Railways to run on. Even though Newsletter No.7 referred to an absolutely superb 1:32 scenic model railway, I received this response from a 1:32F member:

I would not want to be unkind but a certain lack of ambition seems to be apparent. (Outstanding 1:32 locomotives) exist in private collections awaiting Finescale DCC systems upon which to run with prototype sound and synchronised smoke as and when live steam is banned from public facilities.

and enclosing these photos, from Sinsheim 2013 exhibition:

Challenge 2) Please let me know if you are involved with, or interested in, a 2-rail DCC Scenic Model Railway of this kind.

There’s also the additional challenge of finer wheel standards.

When G1MRA offered to equip one circuit of each of its major exhibition layouts for Fine and ScaleOne32 wheelsets, I didn’t hear of any expressions of interest. (Merely a throw-away remark that running alongside live steam isn’t good for fine paintwork.)

Challenge 3) Please let me know if you are involved with, or interested in, any kind of layout (indoors or out) that can take G1MRA-Fine, ScaleOne32, or Dead Scale wheelsets.

Incidentally, here's Derek Pollard’s super-detailed Warship, braving steam-oil spatter in public :-)