4mm Morfa - The race is run.

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
True enough about salvage difficulties. Even if the layout can be moved easily; at our last house move 19 years ago, I had an N gauge layout that was sectional, & an HO layout that folded in half to 4ft long - ideal to move, but neither layout could fit in the new playroom, which was smaller than the one I'd had at our previous house, SWMBO being far more concerned with the size of the kitchen, & garden.
The N scale never ran again, & I ended up selling all the stock. A new HO layout was built but it had to go when our lad came along. Times change, layouts come & go.... the main thing is to try & make the next one better, so there's no regrets.
I know that as much as I liked those old layouts at the time, I wouldn't want them back now!!
 

Neil

Western Thunderer
One benefit you've got is for a short while you can try anything, in the knowledge that if it goes pear shaped it doesn't matter. Nothing to lose and knowledge to gain, a nice place to be in.

I've been thinking about this for a while and I'm not sure that it applies in this particular instance. By and large I've enjoyed building Morfa and I'm similarly pleased with the way it's turned out and the promise it now shows, even though that promise won't be realised. I'd hate to do something at this late stage in the game which would sour the present contentment I have with it, so I think that to all intents and purposes Morfa has reached the limit of its development.

I can see the logic in the nothing to loose/go for it argument, but I don't think it's for me.

Edit: Actually there'll be one more thing, but that's for a later date.
 

Phill Dyson

Western Thunderer
I hope your new space will have enough room for similar track to scenery ratio, in a way Morfa reminds me of a good garden railway in that you have provided a space to watch the trains go by, which for me is what a good garden railway is about too ;)
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
I've been thinking about this for a while and I'm not sure that it applies in this particular instance.
I've really enjoyed your build of Morfa, Neil, and the new techniques you've used. In particular I thought that the interpretation (not fully realised) of the mud flats/estuary is remarkable and so simple in concept. Even in these early stages it reminds me of family holidays, on the train and seeing all these mud flats as we neared our destination. There was the anticipation of digging for bait, catching soft shelled crabs and fishing for flat fish. I particularly love the "undercut" where the tide line has washed away the ground.

I hope the move goes well, Neil, and that you are able to develop a new layout before too long. My wife and I are also moving very soon but don't have a firm date. Fortunately I don't have to worry about moving a layout, just large numbers of boxes of stock and unbuilt kits. However, a workshop will be built inside the large double garage with heating, decent lighting, sink and spray room/booth with extract. It'll be built with the benefit of all I've learned from the workshop I have in our current house - nearly perfect but not quite. That'll still leave room for a car and I may even be able to set up some boards inside the garage alongside and outside the workshop wall on which to run something. We'll have to wait and see........

Thanks for the pleasure you've provided in your thread.

Brian

Sorry, edited to correct the name. It's an age thing, you know. (Mine, not yours). Thanks to Dikitriki for pointing this out.

B
 
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Phill Dyson

Western Thunderer
Never quite got my head around endlessly building stock without actually having a layout Brian.....not that there is anything wrong with that of course. ...just seems the wrong way round to me :)
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Never quite got my head around endlessly building stock without actually having a layout Brian.....not that there is anything wrong with that of course. ...just seems the wrong way round to me :)

With 7mm stuff particularly, it can be the case of being a member of an active club or group which has the layout. It may also be the case that building the models is where most of the fun is to be had. That's certainly the case for me!
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
With 7mm stuff particularly, it can be the case of being a member of an active club or group which has the layout. It may also be the case that building the models is where most of the fun is to be had. That's certainly the case for me!
I'm in tune with you there, Heather. I'm a member of a club with an extensive 7mm layout and can run my stock there. However, I gain most enjoyment from building locos and stock. It's good to see them running and I always endeavour to get them as free running as possible but I gain a huge amount of pleasure completing them and seeing them in a display case.

Guess it takes all sorts......

I take your comments on board, though, Phil. I think your feelings are the same as most. In my case I'd get limited enjoyment from running stuff from one end of a layout to the other - except at exhibitions, of course. And I enjoy building locos and stock rather more than scenics and buildings. The final nail in the coffin of layout building though is that I have so many kits insulating the loft that I frankly stand little chance of ever completing all the prototypes I'd like to produce in miniature. In fact I take the view (as I think I've expounded previously) that I was put on this earth to complete a certain number of projects and right now I am so far behind that I will never die.:)

Brian
 

Neil

Western Thunderer
The future for Morfa and the rest of the Cambrian Coast line had been looking bleak for some time but late last year the writing was really on the wall as posters started to appear at stations up and down the line.

morfa closure notice.jpg

Though passenger services and revenue freight stopped running in mid November it has been possible to witness engineering movements concerned with demolition and material recovery trundling through Morfa. However demolition has now reached the particular section of the line that is of particular concern to us. Late yesterday afternoon the track gang were spotted ready to lift rail between Morfa and the bridge over the Mawddach Bach.


morfa demo 1.jpg

morfa demo 2.jpg


Work stopped just short of Morfa as the light faded and the crew headed back to Machynlleth, hoping that the rain would hold off for tomorrow and give them an easy Friday and the prospect of an early finish for the weekend.

morfa demo 3.jpg
 

Simon

Flying Squad
How delightfully sad, are they "pulling out all the stops" and coming back tomorrow or will it be next week now...

In the meantime I'm nonetheless looking forward to the unfolding of whatever you are hatching next:thumbs:

Simon
 
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