When I look at layouts at exhibitions, I often end up admiring those layouts that have a consistent, toned-down look to them, even if the individual elements aren't necessarily modelled to the hightest accuracy. For me that elusive "finescale look" is as much about that overall picture as it is the track standard, the brake gear or the chimney profiles. Sometimes the two go hand in hand, in that a layout can be superb on all fronts. When I looked at the pictures of Hemyock in the recent issues of MRJ, I thought that that layout had it all in spades - dead accurate modelling, but also that quality of muted hues and subtle tonal variation that seems to tie everything together in a most believable fashion.

I suppose to some extent a layout will end up looking toned-down just by being kept around long enough, in that natural fading processes will occur, and dust will settle onto grass, ballast etc. I brush the dust off my rooftops now and then, but who dusts ballast, or grass? But some layouts seem to achieve that look from the outset - look at Black Country Blues, for instance. I guess it is all about having a consistent eye for every scenic element, ensuring that nothing is too bright or obtrusive.

In order to start harmonising the summer module, I've begun working with the airbrush to mist a toning-down spray onto the track and surrounding scenery. I mixed up a dilute concocotion of warm grey and began to mist it onto the layout. At the same time, I also returned to the backscene and added another layer of misting to push the painted elements even further into the haze. All the while I was careful to keep cleaning the track and keep the spray away from the critical areas on the points.

It's early days but the trackwork is starting to look both grimier and more toned down, in that the formerly pale ballast is now a bit more muted, not looking quite so over-exposed as it does in some of the earlier shots. It's a bit of a shock to the system, though, in that it no longer looks quite so manicured!

The pannier, incidentally, is one of Lord & Butler's weathered editions, with a Loksound decoder inside. It was a bit hesitant at first, but after a few months on the local passenger service, it has really settled down into a fine perfomer, and I'm constantly delighted with the sound, especially the way it "toots" before setting off. I was a bit of skeptic where steam sound was concerned, but this pannier sounds good to me, really has terrific play value, and the quality of the sound varies quite appreciably as the engine goes through cuttings, tunnels and so on. I also enjoy just having it stopped at the station, hissing away. Fantastic!