The sequence of constructing a layout can be deceiving, as you may think one may have thought of everything, but not well enough in my case apparently!

Putting the platforms down before I had completed track ballasting may have made it more awkward than anything else. However I’m going to persevere and may need to use old pieces of card strip against the sides and mask up the top of the platform to prevent any ballast and paint getting on the platform sides. The platform top surfaces ended up being painted a lighter asphalt colour.

Next I will glue the pre painted stone wall sides with PVA to them once all the above is done. This is the reason I haven’t finally placed of the the Station buildings on the platforms as I need as much access to the track work and such as necessary.

With ballasting and track appearance everyone appears to be divided on firstly a sleeper and rail colour combination or none, then to a greater or lessor degree on ballast size scale and the appropriate colour for the area being represented on their layouts. Looking at the myriad of pictures of Garsdale over the the years to present day I see a great variation of the mainline ballast to choose from shades of grey through to a reddish colour that probably means I’ll suit myself and try blending a discrete mixture. With the sidings the ballast colour changes again to more of a dusty brown overall.

But first things first, I bit the bullet as they say and went to my local Resene paint shop to select a suitable brownish track and rail colour. It turned out to be a chocolate tint called Jambalaya which I was well please with the initial dried effect and with which the ballast washed with a grimy grey colour could hopefully enhance. Now for some other reason grey seems to have tuned out to be my base colour and shades thereof.

Have a Happy New Year all

Phil