As previously mentioned Seething wasn't planned but was the result of some arm twisting from two people. The positives are are few days with friends and the use of a couple of buildings that were in the cupboard. The negative (singular) is that here I am with yet another small 009 BLT. If you peruse the tabs at the top of the page you will notice that this is a worn route; so much so that I'm not sure that I want to do it either now or at any time in the future. It's done, stick a fork in it.
There is another side angle that niggles me and I'm not pointing any fingers, but while I've always tried for the believable freelance route there has been a vast upshot in RTR 009 which plays against this. So much so that the current Peco layout build is designed to only work with FR gauged stock - anything else gets the chimneys knocked off. The new RTR is so good that even the most ardent 'modellers' can't resist it and it's getting a little same-y. This in respect to the endless GWR BLT style layouts with slate trains, and quarry Hunslets pulling L&B coaches - you get the drift. The individuality has all but gone. There are many exceptions of course, but bulk of 009 layouts seen at shows in recent times fall into this style. Thus the above layout is purely kits and bashes - no RTR. This also means that I am probably ready to move on from 009 for good. and will start off-loading stock in due course. What will replace this? Well there are a couple of short term ideas and a concept in mind, but this may well lean toward some very backward looking activity.
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It is an interesting point about RTR OO9. Not the first time we have been here, there was an element of it when GEM introduced the first kits, both in O0 and 5.5mm. Hopefully in the longterm it encourages people to improve their own standards, but I do hate seeing a well known loco associated with just one real railway in a freelance context that makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I haven't built as many layouts as you, Chris, I'm also wondering "what next" for my 009. If I decide to build an empire once we've moved, I somehow doubt it'll be in 009 for the reasons you've outlined. I still have two layouts, so will at least keep enough locos and stock in case I decide to give them a run, as well as a few older kits that would be difficult to replace and that I'd like to build some day...all of which I can happily run on the existing layouts. In the meantime, I've just built a layout that I really enjoy operating, in a scale and genre* that is not as common in this country as it used to be, in about four months. It, and the stock, buildings etc. that go with it, all feel nice and fresh, as does collecting research material and knowledge, none of which I need for 009.
ReplyDeleteSimon.
*French word, meaning genre.
Well it's a shame as I think you do the 009 minimalist terminus better than most, but I do see your point. I don't suppose RTR in 009 is any worse than it is on OO and the potentially awkward freelancing of unique stock is not a new thing (spot the GVT tram!). Still, there's lots of other options. Industrial OO?
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