It's been quiet on the blog but I've been busy on the layout! A few quick pictures of progress - the photos are improving but I definitely need to get a tripod...

I've been grassing up using my FMR Maxi applicator and their mixes of spring and winter/autumn 2mm grass (FMW-SG001/SG003) , which the applicator handles quite nicely, I think I'd prefer some longer fibres, but I may dust those over later. This certainly gets a nice ground cover. This was my first patch and is the flattest - I got much better at grounding the ground in the other patches. I can also confirm that if you zap yourself with it, it really hurts!

Around the fence line (EZ-line to follow i think) I've added some long Gaugemaster field grass in light green (FG173) and Natural Straw (FG171) and Woodland Scenics Underbrush in Olive Green (FC134). I've tidied this up with the nail scissors since this shot but I quite like the effect, so will likely add some more of the field grass, laborious though it is. In the background behind the freshly painted fence (need to tone that down a bit) I've been building up some undergrowth using more Woodland Scenics material - here there is more of the Underbush, plus Olive Green Bushes (FC144) and Medium Green Clump-Foliage (FC683) with Soil colour Fine Turf (T41). This area is going to be wooded when I've invested in Gravett, and I've been photographing my local trees before they get too green for inspiration.

Up at the station end the station building now actually stands on the platform without falling off backwards, and the embankment has had it's grass coat as above but with Straw (GFS002) and Arid (GFS004) fibres from Model Display Products added to the mix. I think this shot really demonstrates how important it is to bed the buildings in to the ground cover that gap really bugs me. It's also remarkable how more wonky the chimneys look on the photo compared to in real life!

The road on top is polyfilla, (badly) smoothed on application, sanded to not-very-flat with wet-and-dry paper then stippled with acrylics (ivory black and titanium white mix) with a good dusting of (medicated!) talc for some texture. I really like how this worked out actually, although the little bits of the pollyfilla showing through need touching up. I don't know whether I need road markings - would Buckden/Brampton road have had them in the Late BR crest era?? More foliage and scrub will follow, then the Peco flexible fence will be installed at the top (which I have already painted, should really have stuck it in for the shot) and then I'm leaning towards putting more boundary fencing at the bottom too.

Marcus.