I went through high school in the State of Washington. A small school near an air force base where my Dad was stationed near the end of his career. My majors were English and Art. Dad, being a dad, was concerned that artists don't make any money, so my final in Art became a architectural exercise and I designed a house. My art teacher must have kept the plans as I saw that house in Kansas City, many years later.

An artist paints a picture with brushes onto a canvas, normally with oils. That's nice for them, but I wanted something different. So instead of a two dimensional canvas, I wanted to paint a picture in 3 dimensions and add movement. However it must have a range of discipllines so I wouldn't get bored. The only thing, after much deliberation, that fitted these requirements was narrow gauge model railroading. The "range" is over 135 different kinds of engineering, landscaping, geology, etc. and painting itself (the effects of color on objects affected by the elements). Narrow gauge, because it is not limited to "prototype" and nit picking weirdos.

When I began to do this in 1981, I began with an HO "round three walls" thing (A la Irv Shultz). Twelve years later I had built 4 different narrow gauge model railroads, invented my own scale (sort of), came up with a better way of scenicking and upset my wife because I would no sooner finish one than tear it apart and start another. I rarely operated them, just did the "artwork".

This time I'm looking at things a different way (and do some operation as well). Instead of ripping everything apart once I've reached a point where it's "finished", I'm keeping the base and just redoing certain parts. The previous sections can still be used if I want (or I could sell them). Instead of wood I've chosen foamboard. One, because in England it's a bunch cheaper (wood, like everything else here, is horrendously expensive and usually low quality). Two, using this method is all kinds of lighter in weight. I'm getting too old to mess about with heavy wood frames and the limitations of tree material. Foamboard can be shaped easily. To such a point that I have decided to totally discard the "rules" and "traditions" by having a layout with no straight edges. No more rectangles or squares. Sweeping curves, jiggly lines and the only bit that will be straight is the vertical (maybe) bits around the base - I don't even want straight legs to hold the thing up.

When it comes to the actual models themselves, my plan is to have semi-caricatured stock and structures. Why "semi"-caricature? In one word? Feasibility. It has to be feasible in such a way that it would work on a real railroad. That eliminates a lot of stuff and ideas used in micro layouts. Things like traverser tables are an extreme rarity in real life, so are inglenooks and "timesavers". I like the micro idea, can understand why modellers use these techniques and applaud their efforts. Some great ideas come out of that section of the hobby. For myself I want to go a step further, even though I am just as limited in space as these guys are and inspired by them.

Harry Brunk came up with the term selective compression for his narrow gauge modelling efforts and Malcolm Furlow went the caricature route almost to the point of being cute and art of the absurd (near impossible situations vertically - I loved it). My aim is to glean from both, and discard the traditional things like backdrops. My layout is designed to be viewed from 360 degrees. At an exhibition (if I go that route) it could be turned around to any angle and still be presentable.

Then, there is the fiddle yard - I'm really gonna break the rules on this .......