Distillery yard micro layout - back out on the exhibition circuit

[steamtoy]

Luke nice to see some more progress on your layout it's great to see the hills taking shape.

[luke the train spotter]

Well its been very busy for me this week and most of my attention has been on building a model of thurso station in n gauge (it is based on it and not 100% accurate). Here is a picture of it: I finished the night before I wanted to give it to my friend as it would be quite awkward and probably expensive to post it so I didn't have much time to give it a proper photo shoot. The other thing I have managed to get done is weather the wooden loading dock for the distillery layout. The harsh coffee stirrer colour was toned down with various Humbrol enamel paints which gives it a grey faded wood effect I quite like. Today I am planning on visiting the polak scenery shop in pickering with the plan of picking up some of their amazing static grass. They seem to capture natural colours very well and are matt whereas some of the cheap static grass makes have a glossy sheen. Thanks for looking.

[luke the train spotter]

Yesterday I visited the polak 'shop' in Pickering. It is actually just a small thing in someone's living room but very well stocked. I came home with these 3 bags of static grass with the length of the fibres ranging from 1mm to 2mm to 4.5mm . I really like the natural colours captured amd cant wait to use them on the layout. It will be a while till i get to use them though as I want to ballast, finish the landscaping and paint the paper mache brown first. Im also thinking that an update on youtube is due soon so I will probably make a video for that. Also yesterday I started a summer job which will hopefully raise funds for a static grass applicator and some stock for the layout and maybe even a few kadees to allow hands free shunting. Thanks for looking.

[ThomasG]

Hi Luke!

 

You are creating a nice layout!

 

Why don‘t you build your own gras applicator?

You can use a fly swatter and a small colander...

That is inexpensive, and works just as well.

You also can find some tutorials on YouTube.

 

Best regards, Thomas

Edited July 31, 2018 by ThomasG

[luke the train spotter]

Hi Luke!

 

You are creating a nice layout!

 

Why don‘t you build your own gras applicator?

You can use a fly swatter and a small colander...

That is inexpensive, and works just as well.

You also can find some tutorials on YouTube.

 

Best regards, Thomas

Thanks Thomas. I will look into that as that sounds very interesting and cheap too. Have you built one yourself?

[Signaller69]

I find the Polak stuff very good. The only issue I find with static grass in general is it is very easy to end up with a fairly uniform look - which is great if that is the intention - but if you want more of an unkempt and wild long grass appearance they do some very nice packs which take the form of fibrous mat, hopefully this photo of some used on a bridge approach on "Crinan" shows better than my explanation, used straight from the pack:

This one has "yellow flowers", fairly subdued having lost some during handling, but other colours are available too.

[ThomasG]

(...) Have you built one yourself?

Hi again!

 

Yes I have, and it works excellent.

On my layout, I did all the grass work with it.

I think You can save a lot of money - or use it for other nice things...

 

Best regards, Thomas

[ThomasG]

...oh yes, I agree with „Signaller69” - it’s essential to mix the different grass types.

And in terms of colors and lengths of grass.

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks Thomas and Signaller69. The mat has made that grass look amazing - I'll have to pick one up next time I'm around Pickering. Unfortunately, the shop keeper told me that the uk polka shop may close due to brexit so it might be worth stocking up. It may be a false alarm but i thought it would be worth sharing.

[Signaller69]

Thanks Thomas and Signaller69. The mat has made that grass look amazing

Thanks Luke, just to clarify the mat in the photo is 100% as supplied, just cut to fit the required area and with the grass height variations "built in"; just glue it straight onto PVA, job took 5 minutes! It does not require static grass adding (unless you wish to vary the finish a little).

 

Cheers,

Martyn

 

Edit: I can check the product number at the Club on Thursday if its of any help as I still have packing.

Edited August 1, 2018 by Signaller69

[Lu4472ke]

 kadees to allow hands free shunting

 

You can do hands free shunting with tension locks 

[luke the train spotter]

You can do hands free shunting with tension locks

Hi Lu4472ke, I'm aware of that but I would rather standardise my couplings though and convert. I'm interested in trying them out as well.

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks Luke, just to clarify the mat in the photo is 100% as supplied, just cut to fit the required area and with the grass height variations "built in"; just glue it straight onto PVA, job took 5 minutes! It does not require static grass adding (unless you wish to vary the finish a little).

 

Cheers,

Martyn

 

Edit: I can check the product number at the Club on Thursday if its of any help as I still have packing.

Wow! Nice and simple. A product number would be very helpful please if that's possible Martyn.

[Signaller69]

Wow! Nice and simple. A product number would be very helpful please if that's possible Martyn.

I won't be able to check the number for a couple of weeks now unfortunately due to a change of plan, but I have checked Polak's website and I'm pretty sure its this one (there are 2 very similar yellow versions - if not this one it is cat no. 5974):

https://polakscenics.uk/product/short-flowers-yellow-light-5979/

although it looks a fairly flat sheet in the photo it is more varied than it appears. The "flowers" are fairly loosely applied and some will come off during handling. If collected they can be re-affixed over a spray of unscented firm hold hair spray.

 

Their bushes are worth a look too, not cheap but exquisite.

 

Hope this helps.

Martyn.

[luke the train spotter]

I won't be able to check the number for a couple of weeks now unfortunately due to a change of plan, but I have checked Polak's website and I'm pretty sure its this one (there are 2 very similar yellow versions - if not this one it is cat no. 5974):

https://polakscenics.uk/product/short-flowers-yellow-light-5979/

although it looks a fairly flat sheet in the photo it is more varied than it appears. The "flowers" are fairly loosely applied and some will come off during handling. If collected they can be re-affixed over a spray of unscented firm hold hair spray.

 

Their bushes are worth a look too, not cheap but exquisite.

 

Hope this helps.

Martyn.

Thanks Martyn, dont worry about the product number. I will have to look into them bushes! Recently I have been experimenting with rubberised horse hair and scatter material to create bushes but no doubt polaks bushes are much better.

[Signaller69]

To be honest you can get very good results with rubberised horse hair for a much lower cost, definately worth experimenting as you say.

[Guest Saltburn]

Great progress with the layout Luke and I like how you have carved out the stone wall..

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks for the kind comment Saltburn, the stone wall method is basic and cheap but looks quite good. I have just come back from holiday and am ready to try and continue with the layout. With cronton colliery sheds first exhibition a week on Saturday I will be mostly focused on that but I hope to do some more of the landscaping on the distillery layout and maybe do some more work on some of the other distillery buildings. I received an email this week from narrow planet saying my name plates will be in production soon which is good and will allow me to have a proper distillery shunter. But now I have some WiFi I will have to catch up on all the builds I have missed!

[luke the train spotter]

Here is an update video on YouTube for you all.

I have made some more progress on the layout that I hope to share with you soon. Thanks for looking.

[ianblenk]

 

Any Use?

[luke the train spotter]

 

Any Use?

That will be very helpful, thank you .

[Marly51]

 

Any Use?

These older plans and elevations are beautiful!

[ianblenk]

Elgin Library hold a number of Charles Doig's plans, however when I enquired about obtaining a copy, they quoted £200.00, just too much for me!

 

There are several on line now.

 

Ian B

[luke the train spotter]

Elgin Library hold a number of Charles Doig's plans, however when I enquired about obtaining a copy, they quoted £200.00, just too much for me!

 

There are several on line now.

 

Ian B

Thanks Ian, a quick search has shown up some more brilliant quite artisic plans.

[luke the train spotter]

Since starting my holiday job I have much less time to do any work on the layout. It's a bit of a compromise as I will have less time but will be able to buy some more appropriate rolling stock for the layout. I have managed to get some more of the landscaping done by doing the slopped embankment which run from the fascia to the track. It was done in the same method as the other hill (paper mache) and it's dried pretty solid. Here's a picture of it: I will need to finish the structures before I do any of the scenic work and am planning to paint the fascia soon. I have also ordered some bits and bobs from scale model railway scenery which should come soon. They are mostly detailing parts for a later stage in the layouts construction. Thanks for looking .