stevegant

Just read the entire thread - stunning !

Whilst waiting for the glue to set on the signs I have been playing around with some mock-up's to decide on how to lay out the rest of the scene:

Over that last few weeks I have been plyaing around with something new. For about 10 years I have had a small factory building sitting on the layout which had no real purpose. So, work has started on creating 'Brillliant Bubbles' - a Bubble Car restoration centre. Firstly work started on some signs. I wanted to try an make then look a little weathered and having played with them on the PC I then printed them in draft mode on my laser printer that gave them a nice subtle slightly faded effect:

A few more that are currently in progress. I like to let them dry and the come back each night and add/remove a little. These all had a factory weathered finish but it was all one shade of grot so wanted to add some enhancement.

Hi - no I don't have an airbrush. Purely powders and hairspray. No paint used on these. I think the subtle effects come about when a fibreglass brush is used to remove some of the powder and it just leaves some fine traces.

Thank you!. Well it was a bit of trial and error. I basically sprayed some hairspray liberally onto an old metal baking tray. I then dropped on some light and dark rust powders onto the tray and mixed it aroud. Was applied to the models with a mixture of cotton buds a cocktail stick and a fine brush. When dry I put some neat hairspray on a brush and went over the weathering to blend. When fully dry I used a fibre glass pencil to remove some of the powder. I was a bit worried that the powder may not stay put but the extra hold hairspray has done a good job and seems to have fixed the powders well. Hope this help. I'm no expert but this approach seems to have done the trick!

Over the last few evenings, I have started to work on some Bachmann SSA’s that I have had for about 10 years. Having looked at many pictures on-line I decided it was time to make them look somewhat more used and abused. I want to run these as a small empty rake so wanted to create the effect of rust inside as well as to the exterior. Thiis was completed with powders and a touch of hairspray (borrowed from the wife – don’t tell her!)

Work has started on adding a wall to provide a safety net.

For the last 10 years or so the lifting section of my layout looked like this. In the back of my mind, I had always felt that any trains passing over were a little vulnerable.

... and a slightly more distant shot.....

Well, a couple of months down the line and things are progressing well with the scenics on the small extension..........

And how things look at the moment. (The yellow Armco barrier is just a mock-up and will be replaced with something to scale!)

Some work then commenced on the hard standing. This is made from some off-cuts of Karndean flooring turned upside down. The slight texture on the back was partially sanded before building up some layers of paint. This will need final weathering once installed but won’t be fixed down until the ballast is done. (I’ve also just fixed the slightly bent rail joiner that I spotted in this photo!).

Point motor starting to be blended in to the landscape. A small former made and covered with plaster bandage.

Then inside for a test fit of the new board section.