[Yakboy]

Firstly before I start just a caveat, if you are like quick progress of have a short time to live, this is not the thread for you   I have been already going at this for nine years and have no intention of finishing anytime soon, in fact the more I progress the more elaborate the circuit becomes.  

So from the title you can guess I am a big fan of the Italian Job (the original of course, not the pathetic attempt at a remake). In my youth I had a large Scalextric circuit and my brother had a train set. I was not one for Trains but did love the scenic elements and in my teens I would scratch build him buildings and I vowed that when I was older I would build a scenic circuit.....

Well that time came and I was trawling the internet about 10 years ago and discovered this...

Track_Pic_2 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

The Kastleburg Raceway...to say I was blown away was an understatement, and it really got the cogs whirring, the thought of being able to do a scenic alpine style circuit in HO scale was right up my street...Then the lightbulb moment  If I could combine it with The Italian Job that would be incredible. Again searched the internet and other than a certain member of this parishes excellent 1:32 scale IJ vehicles, no one had ever tried to recreate the scenes from the film.

[Yakboy]

So I set to it using an 8X4 board that I could winch up to the garage roof..

IMG_1967 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

Initially started off with Aurora AFX track but quickly realised that this was too limiting, then I was made aware of Faller AMS track, which has a huge range of differing pieces, the track joiners are simpler and it lends itself so much better to customisation. So I initially set about cresting the alps

circuit 001 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

circuit 002 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_2218 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3453[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3455[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3184[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr
20200403_151325 by yakboy2007, on Flickr


I got to a certain part with the alps and realised that I was going to need a bigger circuit and as the nature of the build is driven by the individual scene's of the Italian Job so I would need to build each  scene first then work out how they would fit together and what size I would need when they were finished.

[Yakboy]

So set about creating the set pieces of the movie... First the Church steps scene

italian 006 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_2152 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_2164 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_2174 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

All the scene's I get to a certain point but the finishing will not be done until they have a permanent home so they look a bit rough and ready

[Yakboy]

Piazza Castello next...Mini's going through shopping centre (snatching the chicken scene)

800px-DSC01780-torino-piazza_castello-fountain by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3745[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3758[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3777 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3822[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3823[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3828[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3829[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3849[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3844[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_3846[1] by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_20170319_201826 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

IMG_20170319_201759 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

[JasonB]

Fabulous work.

[Yakboy]

Mini's crossing the weir

po weir by yakboy2007, on Flickr

Google Earth View 

20191017_093614 by yakboy2007, on Flickr
20191024_170119 by yakboy2007, on Flickr
20191107_160352 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

20191121_195729 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

Got a little bit further on now but will wait until this has it's permanent home before pouring the resin water

[rallyhub]

Hi Yakboy,

Looks good!
Doing all the scenery will be an "Ithellian" (of a) job.

After what you have already shown here, I am convinced that it will not be a problem for you
Many thanks for sharing.

rallyhub

[Nonfractal]

Wow! Just "wow!!!"
AlanW

[Yakboy]

Just looking forward to building a permanent home for the track, this involves a huge amount of work at the bottom of the garden but made a good start last spring

[Yakboy]

Proof of concept for the Fiat Factory..Lingotto

ATLAS-OF-PLACES-RPBW-LINGOTTO-FACTORY-IMG-1 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

20200414_140648 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

2020-11-10_02-44-10 by yakboy2007, on Flickr

Again won't get much further with this until it has a permanent home