7mm Layouts and Dioramas by Stephen Fay Weymouth coal stage and St Stephen’s bank

[Compton castle]

Double headed express for South Wales.

 

[Compton castle]

Another day and another double header! Looks like Lightning needs a visit to Swindon works!!

 

[Compton castle]

Narrow Planet signal box plate

 

[Compton castle]

Commission signal box build

 

[Peter Insole]

Absolutely superb!

Getting the "Staffie blues" just the right colour is a nightmare, but by jolly, you have cracked it!

Pete.

 

[Compton castle]

Severn Tunnel East is in Model Rail out today, here is one shot that didn't make it in the article but it also happens to be one of my favourites.
Picture Copyright Chris Nevard/ Model Rail

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Came across this 1959 BTC film about the history and construction of the Severn Tunnel.

 

[Compton castle]

70019 Lightning drifts down grade with a parcels working.
Thanks to Rob Haskins for bringing some additional stock over for the shoot
Copyright Chris Nevard / Model Rail

 

[Compton castle]

My good friend Rob Haskins County powers a Whitland To Kensington Milk tank train out of the Severn Tunnel.
Copyright Chris Nevard / Model Rail

 

[Compton castle]

Another of Robs locos this time a Hall in mixed traffic lined black heads a fitted van train out of the tunnel
Copyright Chris Nevard / Model Rail

 

[Compton castle]

Passing Trains
Copyright Chris Nevard / Model Rail

 

[Overseer]

Steve,
Am I allowed to say I prefer the photos you have taken to the magazine shots? Especially the outside ones from August last year, they look far more real to me. Something about the magazine shots just doesn't look right and makes me think of Thomas and friends. I think it is the bright sunshine appearance and blue sky with the lack of hard shadows. Changing the sky to one with high cloud or light overcast could make sense of the fuzzy shadows. If realism is the aim, losing a bit of focus in the distance is not a bad thing either.

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

I agree with Overseer. The Nevard photos may be technically perfect but the scene looks artificial. Everything is in focus but at the expense of atmosphere. Pity as the modelling is first class.
Ian.

 

[Heather Kay]

I agree with the sentiments on the photos. Sadly, I think this is the current magazine fashion. I much prefer the MRJ style.

 

[Compton castle]

That's ok, I was surprised how good the shots I took out side last year came out especially as I only used an iPhone.
I don't think anything beats natural light pictures.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Sadly, I think this is the current magazine fashion.

I would suspect the magazine photographs are heavily post processed.

 

[Heather Kay]

I would suspect the magazine photographs are heavily post processed.

I don't think that's in doubt! It's the hyper-sharp saturated colours that kill it for me. No atmosphere, just sharp as a tack and painted with a rainbow. I was - and still am - very much influenced by the atmospheric black and white model photography of Barry Norman. Like the current MRJ cover photo, Barry's work always makes me stop and check carefully that is actually a photo of a model railway and not a real scene sneaked in to fool me!

 

[BrushType4]

Is this any better?

 

[Heather Kay]

Is this any better?

Um, to be honest, no, not really.

 

[BrushType4]

Um, to be honest, no, not really.

I thought you may say that. Are you able to do anything with your photo trickery?