Great Chesterford Junction Part Two

Discussion in 'Members Personal Layouts' started by gormo, Dec 5, 2015.

  1. Chris M

    Chris M If 2 wrongs don't make it right ... try 3 Full Member

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    Hey Gormo,

    Family always has to come first ... the railway can wait. It will be there patiently waiting for whenever you need that 'old modelling therapy'.
    Model railways demand lots of patience ... just like the rail commuters below :avatar:.

    Late Train.jpg

    Chris
     
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  2. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Thanks Steve,
    Yes the posting will be a distraction and I`m going to do a video update as well to try and get back to some form of normal.
    :tophat:Gormo
     
  3. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Ah yes Chris,
    Family first of course......I didn`t see this one coming.......and thankfully I have the railway to put me in a better place for a little bit.
    So I will keep plucking away at it and see how we go.
    As I mentioned above, I will attempt a video update, even though there`s not much to report, but that in itself will help in some way to start getting back to normal.
    :tophat:Gormo
     
  4. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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  5. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Hi Gormo

    Good to hear things are starting to settle down, and hope you all can get somewhere near normal soon.
    I must admit, one of the things I've found with this hobby, is how easily you can loose track of time, doing some of the simplest of tasks, then just put it down and walk away without any issues. As others have said family first, and enjoy your time off when you can.

    Paul
     
  6. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Thanks Paul,
    I don`t know what the future holds for our daughter and I guess that is the problem.?
    There are a couple of major hurdles to overcome sometime in the near future and at this stage we`re not sure how that`s going to pan out.
    For the moment all is good and quiet, but that won`t last.
    So I will continue to try and distract myself with the railway.
    As you say, one can lose track of time when absorbed in our miniature worlds, and that does give some benefit to me.
    :tophat:Gormo
     
  7. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Gormo, sorry to hear of your daughters problems. Family definitely comes before anything so don't worry about not posting.
    Modelling is a great escape for a little while so long as it doesn't become the only thing in your life and you have got the balance just right.
    The video is an excellent comparison between a video camera and a phone camera. For myself, I would choose the video over a phone every time.

    Cheers, Pete.
     
  8. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Thanks Pete......:thumbs:
    The modelling at the moment is purely a distraction and an attempt at clawing back something that resembles normality, however your kids are always your kids, regardless of how old they are, so my thoughts inevitably keep coming back to my daughter.
    So we`ll just have to see how it all pans out.
    I agree about the video camera.......it has served me well during it`s busy life and if it kicks the bucket, I`ll get another one.
    :tophat:Gormo
     
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  9. Davoetype

    Davoetype Full Member

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    Thanks for putting us in the picture Gormo. Thought that something was amiss but assumed you would let us know when it was appropriate for you to do so. We all share your concern as family is always family. We are going through a similar issue with our second son. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all and we certainly hope you see light at the end of the tunnel....and not a railway tunnel.

    Best wishes and happy modelling

    Richard
     
  10. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Hi Gormo

    Another great video, I'm with you on the phone v video camera, and even prefer a video camera over a DSLR. I feel video camera's seem to handle movement across the frame (left to right or right to left) better than the DSLR which can seem a little jerky as well. When I eventually get a layout up and running I will have to carry out some tests, especially as both my camera and DSLR can do 4K and I think 50 or 60 fps. One advantage a mobile often has due to it's wide angle lense and smaller sensor, it's depth of field can often be far greater than a video camera or DSLR, so more of the image will seem sharper. Usefull for close up shots.

    Paul
     
  11. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    G`day Richard,
    Sorry to hear you have a similar problem..........I hope it all works out for your son and your family.
    Life keeps throwing challenges at us.?
    Cheers Gormo
     
  12. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    G`day Paul,
    Yes the phone does have it`s uses.......it even can make a phone call apparently..??
    My video camera is also a very good still camera and has Macro function on both still and video settings.
    The DSLR`s are excellent cameras however for model railway filming they present the issue of their bulk and weight.
    In some circumstances you need to be filming or photographing in very tight spaces, and also the surrounding space could be littered with delicate items.
    In that situation, a standard video camera offers a reasonable tool to use due to it`s smaller size and light weight.
    So I think I`ve just convinced myself to stay with a video camera.
    I`ve been using this camera for quite a few years now and it`s been quite a little work horse.

    HDRPJ240EB.CEH_1_.png

    :tophat:Gormo
     
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  13. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    Good video Gormo. :thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

    Like you have done in this video, I too use my phone to record my videos. I notice you use an Oppo, they are okay but not as nice as an Apple I phone for filming. Both phones are worlds apart, as to camera quality.
    One thing I do is turn the phone up-side-down for those low shots. They seem to come out nice on the bigger screen on youtube.
    A few of my own earlier videos (between 2017-2020) were filmed using the Apple I phone and they are much clearer and sharper.

    I will admit it wasn't that long ago I worked out how to use the auto focus lock function on the Oppo to keep the image sharp and stop it from distorting whilst filming a moving train on the layout... :whatever:

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  14. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    A few of years ago, my last video camera decided to take a nose dive - actually some dopey hamfisted numpty - currently typing this - knocked over the tripod, and it stopped working. I got away with borrowing my daughters camcorder, we both had the same model, but then she decided to take her's home with her (pity she didn't take her cat and left the camcorder instead :whatever:). So SWMBO allowed me to get a replacement, and with the clock ticking towards retirement I was allowed to go a little further up market (not too far up market) and got the Sony AX53

    [​IMG]

    A 4K capable camcorder. Manual settings are a little more awkward to use / access, but the image stabilization is incredible - effectively a gimbal.
    I'm still learning how to use it, and with lockdown, not getting a lot of opportunity to find out.

    Not having a lot of luck with video / photographic equipment, my DSLR - a Canon 700D developed the dreaded card not found error message. Meaning the sdcard reader didn't detect the card, which needs the motherboard replaceing as the card holder is soldered on to it. Long story short, as a retirement pressy to my self SWMBO allowed me to replace the camera with a newer model rather than either getting the camera repaired, or buying a second hand body to replace it - her logic was, a replacement may still have the same inherrant weakness, so I know am the happy owner of a Canon 90D - also capable of 4K video, so once I get some thing to video I will try and compare the two. Dearest, I just need to build a new layout to test the camera's on - Gary and Gormo say's so :avatar:

    I did get a x-rite video passport colour checker

    [​IMG]

    By filming the above image on each camera, my editing software can colur correct / match the two cameras footage, or even the same camera under different lighting conditions.

    Ho hum, another job to add to my list, learn how to do that :facepalm:

    For me the biggest advantage of the new camera was the images can be transferred by wifi to the PC, as the cause of the SDcard failure was the amount of times I removed the card to transferred images - mainly down to build photo's - whoops own goal there then. :hammer:

    I'd love a drone - but my ceilings not high enough, and it would blow all the scatter material arround while it was drying :avatar:

    Paul
     
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  15. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Thanks Gary,
    Yes my Oppo is reasonably new.......so I will have to play with the settings on the camera to see if I can get the best out of it.
    My old phone was an Android 6 version and not able to be updated to the current Android 10, therefore I could not download the Service NSW App so had to be signed in by somebody else wherever we went.
    On the Oppo I now have the Covid Apps for NSW, Qld and the ACT plus the Federal Govt. Covid Safe App......all different and all work fine. Because the Covid Safe App is on all the time, the phone keeps reminding me that I have an App using the Bluetooth and draining the battery.
    That well known brand from Korea ( my old phone ) sets a 3 year limit on updates on their phones, so I will not buy one from them again. I don`t know if the Oppo has limitations in that regard, however I have accepted that I will have to replace my phone every three or four years just to keep up to date with the latest technology..........stupid really but that`s life.?
    :tophat:Gormo
     
  16. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    Updates will come along through time. I get updates sent to me all the time with the Oppo. Haven't done one in a while, but I guess I'll have to sooner or later.

    Updates are a great way for manufacturers to gather info from your phone for their own use... :scratchchin:

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  17. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    G`day Folks,
    Running trains is a form of therapy for me......a time to chill out .......have a beer and just enjoy the moment......and talk trains and crack some jokes and tell some tall stories.
    I had my two junior operators over today, but things did not go well as on previous running sessions.
    The little blokes had a disagreement over bell codes ,so any form of team work between the two of them went out the window.
    The littlest of the two withdrew his services and went on strike.
    I guess railways do have industrial disputes from time to time, however my role today as mediator could not resolve their differences.
    Fortunately, once inside the house again, and after a few changes of subject, and some tasty treats, all was forgotten and peace restored.
    So we will try again on another day.
    After the boys went home, I thought, as the train room was in a reasonable state, I would have a go at filming a running session.
    Below is the result of my efforts........enjoy.
    :tophat:Gormo

     
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  18. Davoetype

    Davoetype Full Member

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    Thanks Gormo. Most enjoyable and that little 2-6--2 is running just superbly.

    Cheers

    and happy modelling

    Richard
     
  19. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Thanks Richard,
    Yes it does run well.
    I acquired the Bachmann model on Haworth station shop on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway some years back.
    One of my YouTubers was a bit annoyed by the bells on the block instruments, so it just goes to show that you can`t please everybody, so I just please myself and put the results out there.
    :avatar::avatar:
    :tophat:Gormo
     
  20. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    I quite like the bell codes, it gives the layout a new dimension, I imagine when you've more than one operator it makes the operating session really interesting. (and possibly an argument or two :avatar::avatar::avatar:)

    Cheers, Pete.
     

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