Garden Railway Forum

At the moment, time (and tide) is against me getting on with the bigger projects. Instead, I have to snatch an hour or two here and there when I can. I've been to some of the local area group meets and there's been talk of filming some of the lines and doing pieces on specific issues for YouTube and when the publicity stand goes to exhibitions. Which got me thinking about some of the publicity work I used to do and the scope for suitable clips.

I don't have a camcorder, just a compact digital camera, with a video option. This is around 20 years old and is starting to slow down a bit now. But I've had some good results from it an thought I'd try a little experiment. As well as shooting the odd clip of trains passing, I thought a driver's eye view could be interesting. So I took the 'honey wagon' one plank used in the last quarter's gallery entry and removed the timber insert. With care, the compact camera will fit on this. For obvious reasons, I had to build a cradle for it to sit in - this time, I used some spare plastic sheet and Plaststruct as an insert.

The cradle is rather basic and crude but holds the camera securely in place. I tried it on my shunting puzzle layout and then on a neighbour's line at his next steam up. The footage came out well, it shows the camera's age but was well received by the others attending. Our 'official' group cameraman has used the idea since with better and more modern equipment and is threatening to show some at the Exeter show next month.
Best not ask how 'Bill' got the wagon load out of the wagon - and I think 'Ben' is going to start barking at it any moment now...

I won't post the You Tube links (yet?) but took a few screengrabs:
I coupled the wagon to a battery 'diesel' loco and ran this as smoothly and steadily as possible round the line. This shot is coming 'off shed'.
And then further round the line.

One idea I had was to do something a bit different - reverse the direction of travel and get another group member to drive a train behind me, to get some footage of a train from a train. It took a little practice but this gave some interesting angles.

Anyone for a remake of 'The General'?

Awesome, can't wait to see the videos!

A very "scale-looking" camera mount there. Bit of paint and weathering, and it wouldn't look out of place on a railway if left on the wagon. You could even make a lift-off "crate" to cover the camera - with the lens peeking out of course.

See if people spot the hidden camera.

I do like the ground level shots with plenty of depth of field, always adds to the realistic effect.
Grant.

Petersfield wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2024 7:21 pm I won't post the You Tube links (yet?)

Is "yet" over yet?

dudeface wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2024 1:29 am

Petersfield wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2024 7:21 pm I won't post the You Tube links (yet?)

Is "yet" over yet?

Not at the moment I'm afraid. I hadn't forgotten but some of the others present aren't too keen on certain frames being shown. I thought I had found a way round that earlier this week by using You Tube's clipping option - unfortunately while that appears to work, on the clip is a link saying click for the whole video - which rather defeats the whole purpose of clipping it! Rattingfuggingturdycurses... I've spent the last hour or so trying to get it to play nicely but no luck. (If anyone has any ideas, please say).

Old Man Aaron wrote: Wed Oct 02, 2024 3:31 pm A very "scale-looking" camera mount there. Bit of paint and weathering, and it wouldn't look out of place on a railway if left on the wagon. You could even make a lift-off "crate" to cover the camera - with the lens peeking out of course.

See if people spot the hidden camera.

I've been a bit sidetracked so far this month but I like both those ideas - watch this space...

Petersfield wrote: Wed Oct 23, 2024 8:59 pm Rattingfuggingturdycurses...

Now that I like ......

Rik

Petersfield wrote: Wed Oct 23, 2024 8:59 pm I've spent the last hour or so trying to get it to play nicely but no luck. (If anyone has any ideas, please say).

Are the gears playing up or is it to do with the wheels and motion?

Rik

ge_rik wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2024 8:32 am

Petersfield wrote: Wed Oct 23, 2024 8:59 pm I've spent the last hour or so trying to get it to play nicely but no luck. (If anyone has any ideas, please say).

Are the gears playing up or is it to do with the wheels and motion?

Rik

It's You Tube's IT. I want to 'clip' or edit the videos shot so they don't show details of houses and/or other visitors. There are some sections which are nicely anonymous but (hopefully) entertaining for members which I can post publicly. I can clip the videos (though it's not as described in their tutorial and they don't tell you you can't clip your own - I had to use another account) but then that can be bypassed by a viewer. Hence the imprecations...

Petersfield wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2024 9:50 am

ge_rik wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2024 8:32 am

Petersfield wrote: Wed Oct 23, 2024 8:59 pm I've spent the last hour or so trying to get it to play nicely but no luck. (If anyone has any ideas, please say).

Are the gears playing up or is it to do with the wheels and motion?

Rik

It's You Tube's IT. I want to 'clip' or edit the videos shot so they don't show details of houses and/or other visitors. There are some sections which are nicely anonymous but (hopefully) entertaining for members which I can post publicly. I can clip the videos (though it's not as described in their tutorial and they don't tell you you can't clip your own - I had to use another account) but then that can be bypassed by a viewer. Hence the imprecations...

Duh.... Sorry. I should have read your post more carefully. I've not used YT's editor so can't help. Seems odd that it will let you edit other people's videos but not your own. Sort of defeats the object of an editing package.

Rik

Petersfield wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2024 9:50 am

ge_rik wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2024 8:32 am

Petersfield wrote: Wed Oct 23, 2024 8:59 pm I've spent the last hour or so trying to get it to play nicely but no luck. (If anyone has any ideas, please say).

Are the gears playing up or is it to do with the wheels and motion?

Rik

It's You Tube's IT. I want to 'clip' or edit the videos shot so they don't show details of houses and/or other visitors. There are some sections which are nicely anonymous but (hopefully) entertaining for members which I can post publicly. I can clip the videos (though it's not as described in their tutorial and they don't tell you you can't clip your own - I had to use another account) but then that can be bypassed by a viewer. Hence the imprecations...

Best thing to do is try and use a free editing software, something like Kinemaster. While you'd have a watermark you could at least edit out any parts that the other members who were there running wouldn't like to be on YouTube.

Windows computers have the ClipChamp app which is free to use or you can find legacy downloads for the freebie MovieMaker.

Rik

tommygander1941 wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2024 10:07 pm
Best thing to do is try and use a free editing software, something like Kinemaster. While you'd have a watermark you could at least edit out any parts that the other members who were there running wouldn't like to be on YouTube.

ge_rik wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2024 8:11 am Windows computers have the ClipChamp app which is free to use or you can find legacy downloads for the freebie MovieMaker.

Rik

Thankyou both - I'll investigate these asap and see if I can make any progress.

ge_rik wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2024 8:11 am Windows computers have the ClipChamp app which is free to use or you can find legacy downloads for the freebie MovieMaker.

Rik

I always use MovieMaker. It's been obsolete for years but is simple and does all I want.
I did have a very quick play with Clipchamp but didn't care for it immediately and went back to MM, but I probably didn't give it a fair chance. Yet another of those learning curve things that I couldn't be bothered with I think.

Bad Droid wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2024 8:23 pm Awesome, can't wait to see the videos!

LNR wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2024 2:50 am I do like the ground level shots with plenty of depth of field, always adds to the realistic effect.
Grant.

dudeface wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2024 1:29 am

Petersfield wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2024 7:21 pm I won't post the You Tube links (yet?)

Is "yet" over yet?

As mentioned in my recent posts, I've been having some IT issues and cursing YouTube's [strange] clipping rules ... BUT ... the railway that my videos were filmed on has been filmed by another 16mm member and though I had to sit on the footage for a while (it 'premiered' at Exeter show earlier today) the videos are now public and I can share. As I thought it's worth a thread to itself, I've started a new thread in the video section (Char Valley Railway) with some links. But here's a link of the footage for this line, including some drivers eye view shots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoOfSDXrH_U&t=6s

philipy wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2024 8:25 pm I always use MovieMaker. It's been obsolete for years but is simple and does all I want.
I did have a very quick play with Clipchamp but didn't care for it immediately and went back to MM, but I probably didn't give it a fair chance. Yet another of those learning curve things that I couldn't be bothered with I think.

Thanks - will look at that option too.

No news on the video clips yet - my IT is definitely having a moody and I'm lacking the patience to coddle/indulge it - but I have been able to do some lower tech work. Earlier today I [finally] finished my first SM32 wagon kit. The Plateway one plank kit.


I did add some refinements to the basic kit, the lettering is also from Plateway - I thought I'd try some of their letters both as an [embossed] decoration and as a paint stamp. 'Vulcan Works' was chosen as it sounded like a suitable name for a light engineering company and avoided repetition of letters - Plateway's alphabet doesn't (yet? - pretty please...) have multiples of the most commonly used letters). The rivets are from BA Bolts (1/16 x 3/16 stainless steel) as I wanted to model the heads and couldn't find any nail art or 3D printed heads as suggested by members here. (I have since had some 3D rivet heads printed for me by a fellow local group member which I will try next time). The wagon was very light as supplied, so I added a couple of weights (car tyre balances) which make it much more sure 'footed' on the rails, without them the wagon derailed frequently.


I haven't quite finished with the wagon - I will replace the supplied brake lever peg with something more realistic when I find it - I know what I want, it's something from my 4mm modelling - but finding it... after a house move.... may take 'some' time! I will probably apply another weathering wash to the decking and add some sort of load. But for the moment, time to pass this one out.

The next one is due to be Plateway's fish van but I have a problem - my C&W workshop is about to be demolished. Hopefully not with me in it - - but building things may be a problem for a few weeks while a new workshop is built.

Make that a few months... turdycurses...

But - I now have a new workshop! Furniture moved in today, some sorting out to do but I hope it won't be very long before we have some tangible results rather than feeble excuses...

Fish van vs aerotram ... hmmm

Petersfield wrote: Thu Aug 14, 2025 9:00 pm Make that a few months... turdycurses...

But - I now have a new workshop! Furniture moved in today, some sorting out to do but I hope it won't be very long before we have some tangible results rather than feeble excuses...

Fish van vs aerotram ... hmmm

Great news about the new workshop. I wonder how long it'll be before you find it's not big enough - took me less than six months

Rik