Author Topic: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway  (Read 12961 times)

Offline Birdie

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2015, 07:15:54 »
Wow, that is impressive!!  :o

All the separate areas are very well planned out and they work perfectly alongside the railroad tracks.
I'll be back to check this out in more detail. I love that atmosphere picture by the railway station :)

The water with the waves by the rocks look amazing! The castle for tourists to visit on the little island makes me think of Amsterdam.

Offline tahra

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #11 on: August 11, 2015, 07:33:57 »
That looks great!

I too love the ruins, and especially the castle-themed station - that is brilliant!

Thanks for sharing!

Offline Rhalius

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #12 on: August 11, 2015, 07:35:38 »
It looks very beautifull, must have been quite some work with all the bridges, the sand and everything.  :)

That farmer might go grey with worry about his sheep falling into the water though, maybe for next year you could have a rowboat with someone in it returning a sheep or such.  ;)

Those ruins look amazing too, great place to hide a ghost, a sleeping clicky or such within that not everyone might spot.  :P

But I really like how each island is very different, that must have been much fun to work on too.

Offline playmofire

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #13 on: August 11, 2015, 07:52:30 »
Gordon, thank you!

Looking at your photos, 8 x 16 seems to be a really good size for an indoor layout.
If the calculations are correct, the middle of your table should be about 4 feet from the side edges.
Have you found that it's difficult at all for you to reach the middle of the table?

I'm about 5 feet 10 inches, Richard, so it's not too difficult to reach the middle of the display which, as you say, is 4 feet away.  However, there can be a problem where you are having to reach over things such as buildings as well as reaching across from the edge.  Then, a small folding step type stool is useful - http://i.c-b.co/is/image/Crate/FoldingStepStlBlckIIICSS14/$web_zoom$&/1311131552/folding-black-step-stool-iii.jpg - about 10 to 12 inches high.

When setting the layout up, you need to work outwards from the middle after laying the track.

There is also the need to remember the rule that anything which derails will do so with the maximum destruction to the surrounding area and at the most difficult point to reach on the layout!
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Offline playmofire

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #14 on: August 11, 2015, 07:55:35 »
Wow, that is impressive!!  :o

All the separate areas are very well planned out and they work perfectly alongside the railroad tracks.
I'll be back to check this out in more detail. I love that atmosphere picture by the railway station :)

The water with the waves by the rocks look amazing! The castle for tourists to visit on the little island makes me think of Amsterdam.

Thank you, Birdie.  The waves near the rocks was a last minute idea and just done with white paint on a cheap 12mm or so decorator's paintbrush.  I must admit I was very pleased with the result.
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Offline Richard

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #15 on: August 11, 2015, 07:59:45 »

Gordon, thanks again!
And, thanks for reminding me of that "wonderful" model railroading axiom,
"There is also the need to remember the rule that anything which derails will do so with the maximum destruction to the surrounding area and at the most difficult point to reach on the layout!" ...   :)
And, in keeping that axiom in mind, your absence of tunnels did not go unnoticed ...  :)

Offline playmofire

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #16 on: August 11, 2015, 08:01:52 »
It looks very beautifull, must have been quite some work with all the bridges, the sand and everything.  :)

That farmer might go grey with worry about his sheep falling into the water though, maybe for next year you could have a rowboat with someone in it returning a sheep or such.  ;)

Those ruins look amazing too, great place to hide a ghost, a sleeping clicky or such within that not everyone might spot.  :P

But I really like how each island is very different, that must have been much fun to work on too.

Thank you, Rhallius.

The idea about the sheep and the rowing boat is a good one, so will appear at some time, but not next year as the sheep already have a role assigned to them.

Interestingly, in parts of the UK it is not uncommon to find sheep and cattle grazing in clifftop fields or other similar areas without fences at the edge, and very few seem to fall over the edge, and where they do in the case of sheep, are often none the worse for the experience, although you do read about them having to be rescued by the local lifeboat.

There a number of competitions over the weekend to find hidden Playmobil frogs and rabbits family figures on the various displays, and a "Where's Wally" competition, so the castle might be an idea for one of those.
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Offline playmofire

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #17 on: August 11, 2015, 08:02:33 »
That looks great!

I too love the ruins, and especially the castle-themed station - that is brilliant!

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, Tahra, more to come.
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Offline playmofire

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #18 on: August 11, 2015, 08:03:29 »
Gordon, thanks again!
And, thanks for reminding me of that "wonderful" model railroading axiom,
"There is also the need to remember the rule that anything which derails will do so with the maximum destruction to the surrounding area and at the most difficult point to reach on the layout!" ...   :)
And, in keeping that axiom in mind, your absence of tunnels did not go unnoticed ...  :)

Now a tunnel I'm thinking about!  :)
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Offline Salamander

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Re: Kirkbean 2015 - the Island Railway
« Reply #19 on: August 11, 2015, 22:22:32 »
Beautiful diorama! I really like the train running between the different islands. I really great use of the space, and something that can be changed or adapted as you need.