Lately most of my model making has been focussed on the narrow gauge world. It's been skewed this way partly due to uncertainty about the long term future of Morfa, my big EM gauge trainset and partly because of the momentum that my resin casting business 'Rushby's Resins' has gained. I'm only now beginning to redress the balance by indulging in a bit of HO standard gauge modelling. Currently on my workbench is a representation of a Czechoslovakian diesel shunter, taking shape from the butchered remains of a cheap Piko train set loco.
Here's what it looked like before I started.
Here's what it looks like now.
It's a way of being finished, but I'm already very happy with how it's shaping up. The whole point of this tale isn't about how well I've done, but what liberties I'm taking with the model. Comparing what I've done with what the real thing looks like reveals differences, which in the normal scheme of things there would be an expectation that I would address. The narrow gauge world is to a large extent very tolerant of models that look like a particular loco, wagon or carriage, but which aren't slavish copies. It's intrigued me why this should be so, and if it would be possible to apply similar practises to standard gauge models. If pressed to justify this methodology I point at paintings where much is left out or simplified, yet the essence of the subject is there, clear as day. It's difficult to judge whether this non-finescale approach will work, but if I look at my narrow gauge models then I believe that it can and should.
1 comment:
The best thing about model railways is that you can take any approach that you like, and take the hobby as seriously as you like.
The worst thing about model railways is that folk think that their approach is the only way, and look down on anyone wanting to take a different route to their own.
Each to their own I say.
Your work is always interesting, no matter the level of seriousness applied to the subject.
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