Have made a start on the stone retaining walls for the coal drops. These were along the back and both ends of the drops and also a section set back at an angle where the road entrance was located. The walls were of coarse stone and appear to have been a 76.2 times scaled-up model of the Wills coarse stone plastic sheets!!

So far I have cut the basic wall facing sheet along the entrance section and part done the right-hand end wall. Later this will be split into two sections, one each on the two base-boards which a have a joint in this area. Hope I'll be able to paint and weather this stonework to match the magnificent station and goods shed which Gravy Train has made for the layout.

Here's a couple of shots of the two Wills sheets loosely set up on my work table. Visible in the background is a photo of the real thing I took in 1991. My wife, Sue, is standing roughly in the middle of the right-hand end wall, acting as a 21 mm scale rule!

Unfortunately, the Wills sheets are too short for the longer wall, so it has a joint which I've tried to disguise by carving of the stones. Hopefully, when painted this won't be too obtrusive. Also, where the corner joint occurs in the wall, the moulded stones didn't quite suit, so some smaller or very short ones have been replaced by plain Plasticard pieces carved to roughly match the moulded sheet - those are the white bits on the corner. Again, when painted, hopefully not too visible.

Happy New Year and good modelling in 2010 to all.

Dave.