aberdare

Fantastic work Adrian. I just had to go back to the start of the thread to remind myself of where this all started, in a small countryside station before moving on to large industrial buildings, you have shown that you are a master of modelling by the two extremes you have captured so well. I also like the way you use everyday items that are easily overlooked and discarded. I have been an all to infrequent visitor to Westerham and will have to make more effort to correct that if I can. All the best Jim

Hi Colin It is a cutting machine that quite a few people on this forum have and there is a dedicated thread pinned at the top of the 'Scenery, structures and transport' section, briefly it is a cutting machine that cuts out whatever you have drawn in a drawing program on card or plastic sheets. There are two types; a Cameo (A3) and a Portrait (A4), many of us seem to favour the latter. For those windows I used a shallow cut setting that scored rather than cut the pattern and filled that with paint, allowed it to dry a little and then rubbed off, I found enamel worked better than acrylic. The windows themselves are simply a box 10 x 7mm with straight lines drawn on about 0.9mm apart at a 60 degree angle, well worth the few minutes it took to draw them, or it I should say as you copy and paste from that one. If you look through the above mentioned thread you can see some of the amazing items others have produced, far better than my simple efforts and all sorts of Q&A. I have found it a worthwhile investment and am now working on my second coach, the first is seen roofless on p.15 #365. I hope that brief description helps. Jim

It looks as if you have got enough to keep you busy over Easter there Jeff, at least the pattern on those ends is in a stone block which should make it easier than if it was in the stonework itself, I think I would cut the shapes and drill holes in them but I'm sure you have your own method all thought out. Are you going to have a go at those windows later around the door, the ones with the little diamond in them far right, they look a challenge. This will be a fine looking model when complete and well worth the time spent on it. . Jim

Hi Mikkel I must say the finished lamp looks very good and I love the way you have altered the figure to fit, one question, did you have to warm the figure to bend it or was it just brute gentle force, whatever it was it's excellent work as usual. Thanks for posting. Jim

Like everyone else that was a shock to me. I had a good few PMs from John over the years and he was always supportive when I was going through low periods at home, he always seemed when those times were as well. I shall miss him greatly but think of him resting in his beloved Dorset countryside. My condolences to all the family. Jim

A young boy stares into the hollow of the old Oak tree as his grandfather looks on and a train rumbles over the old trestle bridge. (left click for large image)

Lovely work Derek, It's good to see that you are up and about doing some more work to the layout, I really like the flow of the track and especially that curved crossing, it's all looking very good and it will be good to see it complete. Keep well Jim

Work down on the farm continues with the sills and lintels being fitted, after fitting a couple of lintels at the top I found the roof overhangs enough not to continue with them all so that has saved a bit of work with cutting out and fitting. The windows were made to fit on the inside walls but I thought they looked a bit too far back so cut them to size to fit the apertures and brought them forward, they just seemed to look better in my view. Here is the building after those stages. (images are now high res unlike the last one so can be clicked on for larger view) It looked reasonably good so I was quite happy with progress at this stage, then I started to pick holes in it and found fault with the brickwork and of course wouldn't you know it - those windows, they just looked a bit flat and needed something more. They weren't glued in at all, just a push fit in case of an event just like this rethink. Whilst pondering over the windows I spent some time on the brickwork by using water colour pencils, I find these can be used on the paper without leaving a patch of shiny colour behind as they need very little pressure in use, I used them to reduce the banding effect that was evident across the front of the building and to add some discolouration under the windows and couple of base courses at ground level. I also decided that if I was going to change the windows I might as well do it properly so made my own with the leaded lights as seen in the earlier link, after a few failed attempts with various materials I resorted to the Silhouette cutter and a wipe of silver paint. Magic. A job I am now much happier with. It may be a lot of trouble to go to and many wouldn't bother as the model did look OK before, but in my mind it now looks right. So a few pictures. The windows. A few views showing the windows again and changes to stonework. A final shot that sows the added depth added to the ground floor window That's all folks More updates as it progresses but I have a few more windows to do first. Jim

Great work Paul, the layout has really come together now and looks very good and the attention to detail is bringing it to life. I hope to see it in the flesh at some time. Jim

Hi Neil It's good to see a post from you as I was wondering what was happening on NE when I came back after a long break from the forum, I look forward to seeing your red wagons once they are complete as I have a few under construction as well. I hope you manage to keep the modelling up, it sounds as if you have a few plans in mind. Jim

Evening Mikkel I find a lot of these type of sites full of pictures like that and it is one of the things that makes research so enjoyable, many of them spark ideas for small cameos around the layout and on that particular site one of those that caught my eye was a red Devon bull in a hay cart at market, another an unexploded WW2 bomb at Mackhams farm. On the latter it must have been defused as the farm owners and dog are all gathered around it. Thanks Anthony. Until I started this in 2012 I had never really built much from scratch so I still think I have room for improvement but we hopefully learn more each day, I know I have and my approach has changed over the last few years. Jim

I have always been a fan of George Iliffe-Stokes and tried to emulate his work into my own, I agree with you on the tree cross sections giving the same sum total from trunk to branch ends, that is one of the reasons I use thin wire on all mine, my latest creation using over 1300 strands. I would hope that if the aforementioned gentleman were still around he would appreciate my efforts of modelling an Autumn scene. I wish you well if you attempt to make your own and would like to see the results. Jim

Hi Anthony Welcome to the forum and following the lead set by John & Andy is no bad thing, they were two of the people I followed when I first joined. I'm not sure what help I can give as I tend to model what I see, no imagination for track plans and freelance buildings whatsoever so it's the real thing or variants of for me. Enjoy your time on here as there is plenty of inspiration to be found. Jim

As mentioned earlier I am building a farm that will sit on the hillside that will be made on the righthand end of the layout, the hill and further trees will hide the track as it disappears out of sight along with the mainline from Tiverton Junction coming from the other direction. Where the Farm will sit I do not know yet until I see how much room it needs or how big I build it, this area will also be home to a wood mill based on one that existed in the period modelled. While searching for ideas for a farm I found some pictures of Mackhams Farm on the Blackddown Archives site, two can be seen on this page The second one down gives a ggod view as it was around 1900 and the sixth picture down shows an interesting scene crying out to be recreated, sadly the wrong time of year for me but I may still use pigs or something similar. I used the Petite Properties model as a base as it had a few similarities so once this was constructed it was just a case of deciding on the finish, after a few failed attempts at creating the stone finish I decided on one from Scalescenes (coursed rubble), I chose the N scale option to get the small stone effect and think it works well. Here is the model to date just waiting for sills and lintels, I may use the windows supplied as interesting though the original windows are I think that they are too difficult a task. More to follow as I progress over the coming weeks as I complete the house and making barns and outbuildings from card. Jim

Ah, in that case you wouldn't get one from me because you would not have made anything, now items like those doors are different, mainly for me due to the way the backing piece and glazing are fitted as I always make a door, that's it and glue it by an edge later, so it all depends on what you see in the post. After my recent posts on my thread and the realistic models one and I took them all as someone being appreciative of my work and maybe the time I spent sharing that work. I know I had a discussion with Jason once about this where it was suggested we spread our posts/pictures out to get more likes, but for us it was about sharing achievements in modelling not who gets more ratings. Anyway back to modelling, I have a farmhouse to make and you a station building, by far the most important things. Jim ps Did you see the last E-mail I sent, I did mention in my PM but on checking I see I had edited it but didn't save the changes , well I was a bit busy that day

Hi Jeff. The building is really coming together now and I like your eye for detail on things like the doors, unless you knew the diagonal planking was there it must be difficult to see from normal viewing distance. Mind you I would be the same. Can't wait to see the finished building but I must be patient, this level of craftmanship takes time. Jim

Lovely work as usual Mikkel. Once again you have shown me how to complete those small details when I get that far, I have most of those bits & pieces waiting to be assembled. As for repetitive. i could never find Farthing like that as I thoroughly enjoy every visit. Jim

Hi Scott Just catching up with the layout and It is looking very good, certainly something to be proud of. You have my sympathy for the coach lining as I have lost count of the number of times I have done something similar through wanting to see the finished item, I've learnt to be much more patient now and not worry about the time taken. Keep up the great work, Jim

Hi Jeff That is going to be one fine looking building when it's complete, I quite like the new brickwork as there now seems to be a little unevenness about the surface just like the real thing, whether it is or not there is a great improvement. I know when I scribed the brickwork for my factory on my portrait cutter I made sure the brickwork and window quoins lined up. All the best Jim

Thanks Chris, It is quite easy to overlook as it has had some long spells of inactivity over the last couple of years or so, once it drops out of sight things go very quiet. I'm happy you like the water, we all have our favourite methods and I am a varnish man myself, always solvent based as the water based ones have given me issues in the past with clouding and/or cracking, this one has been getting three or four coats a year since it was started in 2013/14 or whenever it was. A big thank you to all those who have rated the thread over the last 24 hours. Jim

Sorry, I missed a couple of posts in there, thank you for the comments and they make it all worthwhile knowing that I have achieved the look I am after. The shot along the stream was taken back in January I think, I just happened to be in the shed as the low winter sunlight shone through the door and I just thought it seemed the ideal time to get the camera, obviously it was. I will try to stick around as it's a lot of work sorting through and posting a years worth of stuff. Thanks again Jim

A couple of views of the meadow across the river from the station. (left click for large image)

Hi Mikkel I must admit that is also one of my favourite shots too and acts as my current screensaver. I had a carers review recently and got asked how I coped when I was required to be in the home all day, "I make things like this" says I indicating the then just started Oak, I had to explain what it was and show how it would look using that very picture. The care co-ordinator just sat there with her mouth open not believing it was all made from stuff I collect on a day to day basis. That was when I knew I had cracked it, now to get the rest looking the same, it may take some time. Thanks for commenting Jim

Ah yes Chris, that little coach was my portrait cutter creation and like you I have a few more waiting for cutting and assembly. Thanks for your comments always appreciated. Finally a few pics of the Old Oak on the hillside plus another of the hedge with the old rickety fence. That's it, all up to date now I think so the next project is Mackems farm seen in the background of one of the shots, there is also some rolling stock construction going on but that's for another day. Thank you all for dropping in and the likes. Jim

Part 2 That backscene and tree line had gone so a quick review of the layout indicated that I could get another 70mm in that area tapering down to nothing at the other end, about 14ft away. I thought it best to invest in some of the poly backscenes so that is exactly what I did. The first ones in position. The meadow opposite the station over the river can be seen to be pretty empty at this stage Then it was onto making the new boar inserts, here's one. Then it was making some flat trees, these were made in the same way as in the previous post only flattened at the wire stage to get more into a small area, this should help with creating a bit of perspective at the back. A number of normal trees were also made in various sizes to stand in front of these. A couple of views of the meadow from the station side. The carriage shed roof has also had a few repairs to improve it's looks. This is the area that has been replaced and currently has four trees stacked between the pool and the backscene on the new board. More work yet to be done including a willow tree still a work in progress but nearing completion. Then it was onto hedges, fence posts rickety railings and trees and hedges spreading out over what was the empty meadow After that it was just adding yet more trees, bushes and fencing so I'll just let the pictures do the talking, the more realistic looking ones are the final effect I want to achieve. Enjoy That's it for now apart from showing how the old Oak turned out, but I.ll leave that for later. Thanks for looking and I'll try not too leave it so long next time though I can't promise anything. Jim