Model coal

[merlinxlili]

Here is some interesting stuff I found as a good representation of coal in 4mm scale. I picked this up on an artificial grass playing field when watching my boys playing footie. It consists of small bits of rubber filler, used between the plastic grass leaves to provide a substitute for earth I believe, providing drainage and a better base for the players. It tends to migrate off the edges of the pitch over time so one can collect the odd handful. The you need to weed out all the stones, threads, dead insects and bits of small footballers.

The net result is very good – discrete bits of a good size, irregular and in fact very coal-shaped, the right colour and variation with a bit of glint. All in all it is the best model coal I have seen. The small load in the picture weighs only 9g.

Go and ask you local school or sports club if you can gather a small bag full.

[tomparryharry]

I tend to use real coal, on the basis that there's a lot of it about.

 

That granular load looks good, BTW.

 

Ian.

[tmcg1959]

Here is some interesting stuff I found as a good representation of coal in 4mm scale. I picked this up on an artificial grass playing field when watching my boys playing footie. It consists of small bits of rubber filler, used between the plastic grass leaves to provide a substitute for earth I believe, providing drainage and a better base for the players. It tends to migrate off the edges of the pitch over time so one can collect the odd handful. The you need to weed out all the stones, threads, dead insects and bits of small footballers.

The net result is very good – discrete bits of a good size, irregular and in fact very coal-shaped, the right colour and variation with a bit of glint. All in all it is the best model coal I have seen. The small load in the picture weighs only 9g.

Go and ask you local school or sports club if you can gather a small bag full.

IMG_1206.JPG

 

 

The coal looks very convincing, I'm more intrigued by your 'single lever brake' - maybe you can let us know how you fashioned that.

[Judge Dread]

I have always used real coal because, to me it looks like model coal. When I moved into my present address, I realisted it was all gas heated and I had not brought any coal from my last address. One of my new neighbours stopped to say hello (we do that here in Yorkshire) and I took the opportunity to ask him for a lump of coal. "Bring a bucket over" he said, "I realise you maybe a little hard up with the cost of moving etc". I explained why I wanted just a lump but He still  tried to give me a bucket full!   

Edited November 13, 2018 by Judge Dread

[merlinxlili]

Yes, but away from the coalfields real coal is becoming remarkably scarce! I remember walking home from school through the smell of coal smoke. All gone now.

 

The brake gear is fine little etch was bought from Studio Scale Models I think, several years ago. Very useful for tarting up some of the proprietary wagons. Ask Des Sullivan at http://www.studio-scale-models.com/ . This little Dapol one is not bad - you can seen that the iron beading on the top edge of the wagon sides is moulded on!