The "Great" Steampunk Model Rail Challenge

[Madasasteamfish]

As, I mentioned in the thread about Hornby's upcoming "Steampunk" range, the announcement has set the gears in my head turning, and so in the vein of RMWeb's Cakebox challenge (which anyone following the non-SP modelling thread will be aware of) I'm laying down the gauntlet, mainly to myself, but should anyone else want to get involved, here are the 'rules' I'll be holding myself to:

1. The layout/diorama/whatever MUST fit into a standard A4 box file whilst closed

2. The layout/diorama/whatever MUST feature at least 3 railway items (Track, Locos, rolling stock etc.)

3. The layout/diorama/whatever MUST feature at least 2 Steampunk items/details (as agreed upon by forum members)

So off we go!

EDIT: Bonus points will be awarded for inventive use of materials etc. and or use of items from the Hornby Railroad range (as they're the cheap and nasty versions of most of Hornby's models I don't imagine anyone will be too bothered about potentially wrecking them through modification, and it looks like the company themselves are using them as the basis for the new range).

[von Corax]

For those of us outside the UK, how big is an A4 box?

[Madasasteamfish]

For those of us outside the UK, how big is an A4 box?

I thought A4 was standard size.

Well according to Google a A4 box file is 7.5 x 24.5 x 33.8 cm

[Deimos]

And for those in the [I'll-chew-glass-before-I'll-go-metric] U.S. it's a 3 x 10 x 14 inch box (approx)

(Full disclosure: I myself am totally comfortable using the metric system, as my work in aerospace necessitated regular switching between imperial and metric units...I can do it in my sleep)

[Banfili]

Having been raised in both Imperial & metric, I shall watch with interest from the sidelines!

[von Corax]

I, too, was raised in both Metric and Imperial, but not in European letter-sizes. (I, too, shall watch from the sidelines.)

[chironex]

 
Just buy a letter-sized one...

[James Harrison]

Certainly consider me interested, what with the house move and whatnot though whether I'll be able to actually get anything done is another matter(!)

[Madasasteamfish]

Well, this has taken off, far more than I expected it too.

Well, after a trip to the model shop yesterday, the first components are ready for work to begin (or at least at some point in the near future as due to a recent relocation I don't have any of my modelling tools), but I'm happy to outline my plan.

My idea is to model a scene displaying the recovery of a downed Martian tripod, from an undisclosed location, but which happens (conveniently) to be right next to a railway line. The operation is being observed by a select number of VIPs (from the relative anonymity of a private coach), so therefore, I'll have 2 locos (one with the coach, the other with the engineering train to lift and remove the parts of aforementioned tripod), and a coach, along with the remains of the tripod.

This is the first of the locos which will probably end up pulling the VIP coach:

A 2nd hand Hornby Collectors Club edition (every year they put out a 'special' 0-4-0 tank loco advertised at members with some minor variations in livery so there's plenty of them about 2nd hand).

How I'm going to steampunk it is another matter, I have several ideas, but I'm not sure which I want to go for (and since I need an 0-4-0 donor chassis for another project this may go there). At the very least, I'm going to change the livery, and the most basic option is to add condensing apparatus to it, but I'm tempted to streamline it using some parts from a Dapol (former Airfix/Kitmaster) spam can model (once I get back to the model shop as I want to explore some other options with Dapol kits).

And here we have what will become the VIP coach:

Again, this is just a cheap and nasty Hornby 4 wheeled coach which I plan to re-livery (probably to plain grey with War Department markings, provided I get hold of some), and I may attempt to steampunk it a little.

[James Harrison]

I've got to hand two old Hornby Caley pugs (circa 1980s) and two Triang Nellies (circa 1970s), plus a 3D printed Metropolitan tank....







I'm thinking of something along the lines of Boulton's Siding which gives me an opportunity to indulge in a good bit of hackbashery for the engines (not that I particularly want to go too outre, there are a fair number of weird and wonderful small Victorian survivors to draw inspiration from without needing to go down the manic route). 

[Cora Courcelle]

This sounds like great fun; I'll be watching with interest.

[Madasasteamfish]

I'm thinking of something along the lines of Boulton's Siding which gives me an opportunity to indulge in a good bit of hackbashery for the engines (not that I particularly want to go too outre, there are a fair number of weird and wonderful small Victorian survivors to draw inspiration from without needing to go down the manic route). 

TBH I'm probably going to be following a similar route, and hackbashing some 'Might have Been designs (like a streamlined large tank-something like a Midland 4MT or GWR prairie. And Fairlie's designs writ large with 2 short wheelbase tanks coupled together a la the BR class 13).

[The Bullet]

Is there any restriction on the gauge?

Can´t fit my 5" gauge stuff inside, but HO/OO, TT, N, Z and T would do.

[Madasasteamfish]

Is there any restriction on the gauge?

Can´t fit my 5" gauge stuff inside, but HO/OO, TT, N, Z and T would do.

Nope, any gauge any scale as long as it fits in the space.

[Anselmofanzero]

Chew glass before I go metric -.- really?

1m = 1000mm = 100 cm

Do that to a yard please, in inches, mills, whatever the F you got. Your military does it, science does it, just the fork wielding farmers resist.
Drives me insane when people say that.

[Deimos]

Chew glass before I go metric -.- really?

1m = 1000mm = 100 cm

Do that to a yard please, in inches, mills, whatever the F you got. Your military does it, science does it, just the fork wielding farmers resist.
Drives me insane when people say that.

Never-the-less, they do resist it, and it's not just the rustics. A lot of city dwellers refuse to learn it.
And until/unless Congress passes a law mandating using it, nothing will change.
Heck, college grads can't even do simple arithmetic without a calculator, and I mean like multiplication of 9 x 7.
Throw the word "metric" at them and they start sweating and hyperventilating.     
 

[The Bullet]

Rail accident investigation board still publishes accident reports giving distances in miles and CHAINS!

[James Harrison]

Rail accident investigation board still publishes accident reports giving distances in miles and CHAINS!

I always get a kick out of reading historical accident reports.  Particularly the witnesses who commence by stating "I was driving a six-wheels-coupled goods engine....." I'm sure it's perfect legalese but I've yet to hear anyone outside of an accident report refer to an engine in such terms. 

[Banfili]

Rail accident investigation board still publishes accident reports giving distances in miles and CHAINS!

10 chains = 1 furlong = one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 7920 inches, 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods

Easy!!

[Deimos]

And don't forget these!....

10 chains  =  0.0362074 leagues =  2.012e+12 Angstroms  =  6.51942e-15  parsecs  

 

[The Bullet]

As long as they do not give the speed in Angstrom per week...... (though this could fit for the German post system)

Finally the bogie kits arrived. Will never order from that supplier again. Huge delay, no notification about it, this is not the kind of customer "service" i expect.
This is a kind of unintended project.
Last year I bought a bogie goods wagon. A friend had made two bodies for it that could quickly be swapped. However it was a shame to see one of these well-made bodies just sit on the shelf so I decided to turn it into a proper wagon.

[Banfili]

And don't forget these!....
10 chains  =  0.0362074 leagues =  2.012e+12 Angstroms  =  6.51942e-15  parsecs  

Wow, I didn't know that!

[Deimos]

As long as they do not give the speed in Angstrom per week...... (though this could fit for the German post system)

Oh, my dear sir.... not to be the source of any contention, but my  Roman friends would say that description aptly (and more than aptly) portrays the Italian postal system.

[Banfili]

As long as they do not give the speed in Angstrom per week...... (though this could fit for the German post system)

Oh, my dear sir.... not to be the source of any contention, but my Roman friends would say that description aptly (and more than aptly) portrays the Italian postal system.

No, no, dear lady and sir, the Australian rural postal system - where it can take three weeks to a month to get a letter from Melbourne, but a letter from Ireland, posted on the 2nd of the month, can arrive on the 5th of the month!! It can take a week to get a letter 65kms from my little hamlet to the nearest city - it is a good deal more time-saving just to deliver it oneself in person, although the cost in fuel doesn't make it cost efficient!

[Deimos]

No, no, dear lady and sir, the Australian rural postal system - where it can take three weeks to a month to get a letter from Melbourne, but a letter from Ireland, posted on the 2nd of the month, can arrive on the 5th of the month!! It can take a week to get a letter 65kms from my little hamlet to the nearest city - it is a good deal more time-saving just to deliver it oneself in person, although the cost in fuel doesn't make it cost efficient!

Ha-ha...I can sympathize with you somewhat....
Across town small pkg (Priority Mail!) in metro Phoenix (35mi) is 2-3 days
Same pkg (Priority Mail) halfway across the US (1500mi) is.....2-3 days