Sources for diorama stuff?

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Model railways is not my thing but I'm planning to do an OO diorama for a group build in a couple of months. I want to do a small diorama of a steam loco at a goods depot and I'm looking for accessory stuff but there's so many general links out there on the web I don't know where to start.

Also, I don't want to spend a fortune on this project as it'll probably be a one off. So, before I go off and spend a fortune on model railway mags (man, that's a whole new world that I'm not aware of!) I wonder if anyone can help or give me some pointers, useful weblinks etc

I've sourced the loco (Dapol Prairie 2-6-2) and buildings.

If I want rolling stock I can go for Dapol kits, but at £5 a pop they're not that cheap, are there any other options? 2nd hand pre-built wagons on ebay are a possibility as I'll probably repaint them anyway

Also I'm looking for decal suppliers for the loco, wagons, buildings etc. Any pointers?

None of this stuff has to be 'rivet counter' accurate, near enough will be good enough for me, Dapol is the kind of level I'm looking at

Or ....

Do you have some of this kind of stuff you're willing to part with? Part used, part built or part knackered(!) is fine.

I'm also looking for some track (kind of obvious I suppose!) but I don't need working track. And yet there doesn't seem to be anyone out there that supplies non-working (decent looking and realistic) display track. Unless, of course, you know different...

[Tony C]

I've used Gaugemaster in the past!

Hope this helps

[richellis]

Im after some tools in this scale and Ideas?

[Dr_Flangemeister]

Hi Neil

You may be able to pick up some 2nd hand Airfix boxings (which the Dapol kits originally were) at model railway shows for cheaper.

For accessories and figures, I've used Dart Castings before, the sculpting is fantastic.

Alternatively, you could get away with modifying or using as is the 1:72/1:76 Airfix/Italeri/Revell aircraft ground crew figures but Dapol also produce some unpainted railway workmen figures including shunters, guards, drivers and firemen.

Decals for wagons, etc. what era are you looking for, i.e. GWR or BR Western region? Have a look at Cambrian models for pointers on sources.

Track, again you'll probably pick up some used track at model railway shows for a few pence. The only display tracks I know of are the (relatively) pricey Hobbyboss ones in 1:72. Most OO gauge tracks are actually HO so the sleepers are too close together (also the actual gauge is a little bit too small). But as it's a yard diorama there may not be muu much visible under all the poor quality ballast, ash, cinders and general rubbish. As for the ballast itself, I would say any model railway shop should stop ballast. I'd suggest using ballast designated for N-gauge as it's more in scale for yards.

If you do decide to purchase a railway magazine I would recommend Model Rail as that may provide you with a lot of inspiration...

They also have a web forum you could ask for help on HERE.

Hope this gives you some help

Cheers

Chris

[Madmonk]

This is a good site for scenery, grass, trees etc.

http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/about-us

Some good gaming figures as well!

['V']

Can't think of a cheaper or easier route than Ebay.

Biggest problem you face is trying to pick a location, by that I mean both region

and geographical location. What I mean is Town, Country, Coast, Industrial.

You say not to be rivet counter accurate, but to look right you're going to have

to try and make a decision.

Always easy for someone with a good spares box and existing collection.

Also how big ? this means how much track are you going to need ?

Wish I had a stack of spare stuff, but only starting 3 years ago I want everything

I've got.

You'll also find it quite expensive, well certainly so if you use somewhere like Hobbycraft,

although they do a good range of Woodland Scenics. Wills & Ratio do building kits, some

small ones starting around a fiver, a good source for them is The Signal Box at Rochester,

who have a good mail order service.

Can always contact me if you think I might be able to help more.

'V' ........ not that far from Corby in South Northants.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Try Mainly Trains

And there is always Langley Models

['V']

Hi Neil,

This diorama is in the threads, but thought I'd add another couple of picture here where I change the period by re-dressing the quay.

Here is a small steam shunter (Jinty) with fishermans creels on the quayside (Harburn Hobbies), bicycles (I think Peco) a few mixed vehicles.

Because I had much of this already from other jobs the 'On' cost was just over £7, 2 x girders were well over £6, but I had another 2 in the box

which were just existing stock. If you don't have any track I could probably find enough to do some tramway for you, about this length.

The whole diorama is 15" x 9.5"

Then re-dresses for the 70's, fishing finished now !

You can get embossed plasticard in Northampton for walling, and the quay is pollyfilla engraved with a steel rule & scriber, big bollards pin board

spikes, timber piles larger cooks matches, steel anchor rings from 15 amp fuse wire .......

'V'

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Thanks for the info guys.

I think I'm living in the 80s regarding prices, Dapol is one of the cheapest and I suppose when I really think about it, £5 for a wagon is not bad. I've now discovered Coopercraft, Knightwing and Wills so that's the cheap end of the market covered

The idea for this build sprung up because, although I've built virtually every modelling genre that exists, I've not covered trains so I thought I'd give it a go and it also fits into a group build that's coming up.

I'm also looking at it as a tick for the 'bucket list' ... as it were ...

V:

Obviously I'll be popping to the Wellinborough Road model shop at some point

I'm buying the Prairie kit off someone, it hasn't arrived yet so I'm not sure what decals it'll have and that'll determine the era and the area. I'm looking at 1945-55 so it'll be one of the big four or BR.

It's just a small dio to incorporate a loco, layout will roughly be this:

Edited April 16, 2011 by neilscrim

['V']

Hi Neil,

Thought You'd know where all the best model shops are !!

'V'