The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

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Wizard of the Moor
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The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Wizard of the Moor » Sat Mar 21, 2020 7:03 pm

The Socially-Distanced Challenge

Due to the current circumstances, we have some bonus modelling time available. To make the most of this, the Society announces The Socially-Distanced Challenge to encourage productive modelling.

The Aim - Each entrant should build one or more new P4 models before the next Society show.

A P4 model is one built to a scale of 4mm/foot and, if relevant, to suit a standard track gauge of 18.83mm, or equivalent for narrower or wider prototype track gauges. A new model in one where the first construction step takes place after the start date of the Challenge. It may have been planned for some time, and components and materials gathered, but not actually assembled.

The Rule - Both the start and finish of each model entered must be documented in the Challenge Registration thread on the forum, or directly to the organiser - sdchallenge@scalefour.org

The actual build of the model can be documented elsewhere or not at all, but please not in the Challenge Registration thread. Perhaps an article for the News would be a good way to share what you've done?

Start documentation should be at least a description of the subject. Finish documentation must include at least one picture of the completed model together with a description of the components and/or materials used to build it. in both cases, please feel free to include as much information as you see fit.

The Start Date - Today!

The Closing Date - TBC, but likely to be one week or so before the start of the next Society show.

The Winner - Will be announced at the next Society show.

The Prize - A £25 voucher to spend at the Scalefour Stores.

As you may have gathered, this is intended to be a bit of fun in these uncertain times. There are no restrictions, other than being P4, on the subject of a model. It could be a painted loco driver, a converted RTR wagon, or a scratchbuilt version of HS2 made from stockpiled spaghetti rails and hoarded toilet paper papier-mâché, although this last one is likely to get 'Nil points' from the Belgian jury. Multiple models per entrant are allowed, but no previously started models will be accepted.

Have fun, stay safe, and happy modelling!
James Dickie

My workbench

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PeteT
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby PeteT » Sat Mar 21, 2020 7:42 pm

Brilliant idea! Though I am trying to tick off projects which have been started, & don't need any more joining the in progress queue - so won't personally participate.

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Wizard of the Moor
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Wizard of the Moor » Sat Mar 21, 2020 8:01 pm

Well don't take this as gospel, but it would not surprise me if the next show is actually Scalefour North 2021 in April next year. That's plenty of time to paint a loco crew, or make some clutter for round an engine shed, or something simple yet satisfying. Maybe several such things.

Speaking personally, I know that the biggest motivation for my modelling is talking to people at area group meetings, shows and other days out. If those sort of things are out of bounds for a good while then this is one way to try and fill that gap.

Cheers,

James
James Dickie

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Rod Cameron
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Rod Cameron » Sat Mar 21, 2020 8:11 pm

Great idea James.

As part of our social distancing down here in DRAG, we're already encouraging sharing of modelling activities by email in lieu of physically meeting, so some tasks may already qualify (except that the ones shown so far are in 00 and H0 ... we're a broad church).
Rod

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Sun Mar 22, 2020 9:33 am

I need to get a new workshop built first, will that count?

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Wizard of the Moor
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Wizard of the Moor » Sun Mar 22, 2020 9:47 am

Jol Wilkinson wrote:I need to get a new workshop built first, will that count?


If you build a 4mm version of it for planning purposes, then sure. Will it have a model of London Road in there, though? If so, the track gauge of that should be 0.247mm.

And just to reassure David Barham, creating drawings of a proposed model does not count as construction, so his entry is valid.

James
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bécasse
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby bécasse » Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:31 am

Perhaps I can volunteer to be one of the members of the Belgian jury. Not altogether inappropriate as one of the first to model in P4 some 50 years ago! Indeed the track on the turntable (and its overrun) in the photo was almost certainly the first ever P4 chaired track.
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Tim V
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Tim V » Sun Mar 22, 2020 11:27 am

Bembridge!
Tim V
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Philip Hall
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Mar 22, 2020 11:55 am

Reminds me of ‘when I were a lad’ and Dad would drive us past the (closed) station during our annual holidays. And the big hotel adjacent - was it the ‘Royal Spithead’?

Philip

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PeteT
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby PeteT » Sun Mar 22, 2020 1:02 pm

Wizard of the Moor wrote:And just to reassure David Barham, creating drawings of a proposed model does not count as construction, so his entry is valid.


I was thinking about this, in terms of my shed - but then remembered my cardboard cutout does include the etched windows and so actual construction has started. There are however several pipeline projects which will fit the bill, so I don't need to bend the rules - just won't be starting immediately.

The Severn models range includes a model of a model, but not down to 4mm/4mm/ft. Would be an interesting challenge!

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Mike Garwood
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Mike Garwood » Sun Mar 22, 2020 5:47 pm

Before I start anything new - and it's a great idea you've come up with :thumb - I'm going to finish my 'shelf of shame'. Too many unfinished things infront of me.

Mike

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PeteT
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby PeteT » Sun Mar 22, 2020 6:50 pm

Mike Garwood wrote:'shelf of shame'


That's a brilliant name for it!

Maybe we should have a secondary competition (the wooden spoon?) for the project longest in gestation which makes it over the finish line.

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Mike Garwood
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Mike Garwood » Sun Mar 22, 2020 7:04 pm

Well, I'll start the bidding at 10 years. For just one chassis.

Mike

Tony Wilkins
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Tony Wilkins » Sun Mar 22, 2020 9:33 pm

Don't think I'd better comment on that one.
Regards
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Paul Willis
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Paul Willis » Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:03 pm

Mike Garwood wrote:Before I start anything new - and it's a great idea you've come up with :thumb - I'm going to finish my 'shelf of shame'. Too many unfinished things infront of me.

Mike


I love the idea of a "shelf of shame"...

Mine is in a different orientation. Behold, the "Stack of Shame"!

IMG_6295a.JPG


From the top...
- A London Road LNWR Precedent 2-4-0
- my box of Sprat & Winkle coupling components, of which more later
- A Pendon limited edition wagon kit. They were hoping for a display of all of the different types this spring.
- An Airfix 48xx body, and the High Level Chassis to go under it
- and a couple of empty Really Useful Boxes for wagons

But what I'm currently working on are a couple of GWR V5 Minks, from Coopercraft kits. These have only been sitting around, sprayed and waiting for transfers, for around nine months...

IMG_6296.JPG


They'll be finished and ready for spraying with Dullcote by the end of this evening. I'm currently having a love/hate relationship with POWsides GWR lettering packs! After that, then it's weathering and those S&W couplings I need to make.

Cheers
Flymo
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bécasse
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby bécasse » Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:40 pm

Philip Hall wrote:Reminds me of ‘when I were a lad’ and Dad would drive us past the (closed) station during our annual holidays. And the big hotel adjacent - was it the ‘Royal Spithead’?


Yes, it was the Royal Spithead Hotel, long demolished now like almost everything else in the area. It caused some head-scratching when we were planning the layout because it was so large that, quite apart from the time that it would have taken to build a model, it would have dominated (and unbalanced the visual aspects of) the layout. That had two results, firstly we had to abandon any idea of having a back screen, and secondly the layout ended up an odd shape at the station end as we cut away the portion of the baseboard that would have been occupied by a small bit of the hotel. Given the long length (around 7'-6" from memory) of main board, which was effectively dictated by the curved track layout with its continuous sequence of points, that clipped corner actually helped manoeuvrability when negotiating tight corners on some exhibition hall staircases - serendipity is a wonderful thing.

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barhamd
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby barhamd » Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:52 pm

I think my box of 25 unbuilt Parkside/Cambrian/RedPanda kits has a degree of shame attached. You can tell from the prices that some of them have been there for a long, long, time.
David
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Timara Easter
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Timara Easter » Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:24 am

Well, I've got plenty to get on with here, so I'm happy to partake. So much to do, so much (new found) time......

Tim

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Rod Cameron
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Rod Cameron » Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:38 pm

Mike Garwood wrote:Well, I'll start the bidding at 10 years. For just one chassis.

Mike


Hmmm... I can do a DJH C2X that became a boiler and nearly-running chassis around 1998 and hasn't progressed since. And some coach kits bought at the last Scaleforum at City University.
Rod

Philip Hall
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Philip Hall » Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:52 pm

Maybe about the same time as Rod, because it's so long ago and I can't remember the date:

I have somewhere a Jidenco (don't laugh) Beattie Well Tank kit that I started a new scratchbuilt chassis for at one of Iain Rice's Study Centre weeks (or weekends). Iain convinced me that the supplied chassis wasn't strong enough, were I to cut hornguide slots and helped me to start a new one. It's never progressed yet, and gone through many phases of 'do I want a Beattie Well Tank?' to 'I don't want a Beattie Well Tank' to 'How badly do I need one and is there time?'...

Philip

Lindsay G
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Lindsay G » Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:11 pm

Well, I'll remember this birthday for a few years (I hope). The Who playing Glasgow tonight cancelled a couple of weeks ago. Chance of going for a meal and a drink scuppered last Friday. And now I'm locked in. Nothing for it but to take up the challenge - must now go and think what to do.

Lindsay

essdee
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby essdee » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:24 am

Get that lovely Barnton pug 0-6-0T running as sweetly as you wish?

Only part in jest...

Keep safe,

All best,

Steve

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:49 am

Wizard of the Moor wrote:
Jol Wilkinson wrote:I need to get a new workshop built first, will that count?


If you build a 4mm version of it for planning purposes, then sure. Will it have a model of London Road in there, though? If so, the track gauge of that should be 0.247mm.

And just to reassure David Barham, creating drawings of a proposed model does not count as construction, so his entry is valid.

James


I've just been advised that the new workshop build has gone on hold!

The builders could access the site at the rear of the house without need for us to have contact with them, bring their own Portaloo, connect to the electrics in the outside garage, etc. so we wouldn't need to have direct contact with them. However their suppliers for timber, etc. the door/window units, rubber roof membrane, etc. have also closed. The sub-contract electrician has shut up shop and to finally cap it all, the Government doesn't regard their work as essential!

So, unlike you lucky people, I can't do any model making, all the gear being packed in boxes, etc and stored in the garage.

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Paul Townsend
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Paul Townsend » Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:13 pm

As your builders won't get going again for ages, you need to unpack some essential boxes...they are all labelled aren't they?

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: The Socially-Distanced Challenge - Announcement thread

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Tue Mar 24, 2020 1:34 pm

Yes Paul, but some are stacked three or even four high so not so easy to get to. The single garage is literally full and there are still other unopened "domestic" boxes in the house.

We ave plenty to get on with in the new (to us) house. We got in paint and other DIY things last week. We have also just had a conversation about spreading the work out, so we can also enjoy a good daily walk. We are now about 600m from the sea and there are several walks we can enjoy that are not in the more popular areas.

So model making will have to wait for a little time, although I shall miss turning on the soldering iron.

Jol


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