Canal Side (turning my 2018 cakebox entry into a micro layout)

[Howl03]

So this is something I have been contemplating for a long time. Taking my 2018 cakebox entry Canal Side and turning into a working micro layout. The base board measures 70cm x 20cm and will have a single turnout. The layout will be self contained and have hidden storage under a bridge at one end. This is as far as I have got so far.

 

 

 

 

 

More to follow.

 

Regards Paul.

 

[luke the train spotter]

The cake box is stunning so I cant wait to see what you do with the new extension!

[Howl03]

Thank you Luke. This biggest challenge will be getting it to blend into the new parts.

 

Regards Paul.

[Russ (mines a pint)]

22 minutes ago, luke the train spotter said:

The cake box is stunning so I cant wait to see what you do with the new extension!

Have to admit never followed the cake box competition but what you have already (both this and other threads) looks great and will be following with interest. 

[Calidore]

Hi Paul -- this looks excellent. The scene composition looks like it'll be really lovely and the height is definitely helping it. I'd certainly consider myself a Howl03 fan at this point (as you hopefully know!) so will look forward to more progress.

 

Adam

[Jerry1975]

I loved your canal sidings cakebox entry and can't wait to see what you do with this, looks great so far. 

 

Jerry. 

[Howl03]

On 13/12/2019 at 18:58, Calidore said:

Hi Paul -- this looks excellent. The scene composition looks like it'll be really lovely and the height is definitely helping it. I'd certainly consider myself a Howl03 fan at this point (as you hopefully know!) so will look forward to more progress.

 

Adam

 

On 14/12/2019 at 09:23, Jerry1975 said:

I loved your canal sidings cakebox entry and can't wait to see what you do with this, looks great so far. 

 

Jerry. 

 

Thank you Gentleman.

 

Have managed to do a bit of work on it this weekend. Have started with the warehouse that runs along the back. Kit bashing the Scalescenes kit, my biggest frustration was I have changed printers since doing the cakebox and its printed slightly lighter than the original, hopefully once bedded in and weathered it will match up. I always give Scalescenes kits a light dusting of matt varnish to help seal them before applying any weathering powders, the varnish I use is by Windsor and newton its designed for artwork so doesn't effect the colours. Need to do a bit of tiding up on it and add the windows then I will see how well I can match it up to the original building.

 

 

More to follow. Regards Paul.

 

[Marly51]

16 hours ago, Howl03 said:

 

 

Thank you Gentleman.

 

Have managed to do a bit of work on it this weekend. Have started with the warehouse that runs along the back. Kit bashing the Scalescenes kit, my biggest frustration was I have changed printers since doing the cakebox and its printed slightly lighter than the original, hopefully once bedded in and weathered it will match up. I always give Scalescenes kits a light dusting of matt varnish to help seal them before applying any weathering powders, the varnish I use is by Windsor and newton its designed for artwork so doesn't effect the colours. Need to do a bit of tiding up on it and add the windows then I will see how well I can match it up to the original building.

 

 

More to follow. Regards Paul.

 

Great to see your CakeBox expanding into a working Micro, Paul. Printers can be a nuisance sometimes. I have also discovered that the matt photo paper I use affects the ink with a slight pink hue, so I have to adjust the file colour in Photoshop beforehand. When printed on ordinary paper the colours are fine.

 

Marlyn

[Howl03]

8 hours ago, Marly51 said:

Great to see your CakeBox expanding into a working Micro, Paul. Printers can be a nuisance sometimes. I have also discovered that the matt photo paper I use affects the ink with a slight pink hue, so I have to adjust the file colour in Photoshop beforehand. When printed on ordinary paper the colours are fine.

 

Marlyn

 

Thank you Marlyn, Its funny on my old printer it tended to go the other way with the ink printing a slight green hue, in that regards my new printer is a lot better. But it does make a huge difference depending on what paper I'm using, I tend to print Scalescenes kits on A4 self adhesive paper. I find it makes it a lot easier to mount on card and gives crisper corners.

 

Regards Paul.

 

[Dufus]

Hi Paul,

 

Seeing what you are doing is inspiring me to maybe have a go at extending one of my cake boxes. 

 

When I did the Accident with the Rocket I had always intended extending it.  I had a 3D printed open carriage for the Rocket that would not fit the cake box.  Because of that I never got around to gluing it together or painting it.  This would give me an excuse to to get on and finish it.  I also have the files to print a closed carriage, but they are too big for my 3D printer.  I have always thought I might try cutting the long sides in two to print then gluing them back together.   An alternative might be to 3D print the chassis and try printing the body on card.  Just need to find a few more hours in the day.

 

I am not entering the challenge this quarter but still don't seem to find the time to do all the modelling that I want.  I'll follow this with interest and hope it will keep me inspired to finish the RTA layout.

 

I likewise have changed printer.  A little more drastic as work have given me a colour laser printer to replace an old inkjet.  I have yet to try sealing the colours on the new one but did find I had to use the spray on the old inkjet with care or the ink could run!

 

Regards,  Chris

 

Have a Merry Christmas all.

[marc smith]

This is a very interesting project
Your cakebox diorama was lovely, I would usually say, leave the original as it was, and then start completely anew - to "preserve" the original concept.
However, this already looks as though it's going to build on the original, and be even better...

Re the difference in colours & tones of the two printed warehouse fronts - I wouldn't worry too much.
By the time you have added some weathering, perhaps a little bit of ivy? etc I'm sure it will be fine
Besides, when such buildings were first built, they were often extended in later years anyway

Looking great so far

[Howl03]

8 hours ago, marc smith said:

This is a very interesting project
Your cakebox diorama was lovely, I would usually say, leave the original as it was, and then start completely anew - to "preserve" the original concept.
However, this already looks as though it's going to build on the original, and be even better...

Re the difference in colours & tones of the two printed warehouse fronts - I wouldn't worry too much.
By the time you have added some weathering, perhaps a little bit of ivy? etc I'm sure it will be fine
Besides, when such buildings were first built, they were often extended in later years anyway

Looking great so far

 

Thank you Marc. A lot of the contemplating I was doing before I started this project was whether I should attempt this extension or not. fingers crossed it will all go to plan and I don't mess it up.

Regards Paul.

[Howl03]

A Little more progress. Warehouse fitted into place. I think a little bit of weathering will blend it in nicely to the original. Also made a start on the granite sets. Hopefully will finish these off tomorrow.

 

 

Regards Paul.

 

[Adrian Stevenson]

Very nice indeed. Well done!

 

Cheers, Ade.

[marc smith]

Looking good @Howl03 
I wouldn't worry too much about the very slight difference in colour of the warehouses. I realise I'm repeating my earlier comment here
But also, seeing them alongside each other in the above photo, they look "at home" alongside each other anyway. That will be even more the case when the joins between the granite setts is gone,

and when there are other foreground details distracting from any "joints" in the scene.

I'm not quite sure why it is, but I never got Scalescenes kits to look that good. Perhaps I'm just too impatient, or am too much of a dyed-in-the-wool plastic-card modeller?
Also, which Setts are you using, and how are you managing the cutting and placement of them between your curved rails?

[Howl03]

4 hours ago, marc smith said:

Looking good @Howl03 
I wouldn't worry too much about the very slight difference in colour of the warehouses. I realise I'm repeating my earlier comment here
But also, seeing them alongside each other in the above photo, they look "at home" alongside each other anyway. That will be even more the case when the joins between the granite setts is gone,

and when there are other foreground details distracting from any "joints" in the scene.

I'm not quite sure why it is, but I never got Scalescenes kits to look that good. Perhaps I'm just too impatient, or am too much of a dyed-in-the-wool plastic-card modeller?
Also, which Setts are you using, and how are you managing the cutting and placement of them between your curved rails?

 

Thank you Marc,

I'm using Wills granite sets. I must admit they are a pain to cut especially the curves. I place tracing paper on the track and copy the curves then use this as a template, a lot of cutting filling and cursing followed. The turnout was tricky but I got there in the end wasted a few sheets though. I am a big fan of Scalescenes kits, although I do change a few elements to plastic, especially roof tiles. I also used plastic for the loading bay tops.

Regards Paul.

 

[sb67]

I've enjoyed all your layout's Paul and this will be no exception, looks fantastic! I like the Scalescenes kits, I never seem to print them off well though, maybe a new printer is needed.

 

[Howl03]

2 hours ago, sb67 said:

I've enjoyed all your layout's Paul and this will be no exception, looks fantastic! I like the Scalescenes kits, I never seem to print them off well though, maybe a new printer is needed.

 

 

Thank you Steve, I must admit I have had mixed results printing Scalescenes kits myself, I think a lot of it was down to the paper I was using though. I'm getting good results printing on Ryman self adhesive universal label sheets. 

 

Regards Paul.

 

[Howl03]

Finished off cutting the granite sets and painting them. Thought I would share the technic I used. I first gave them a base coat of grey spray paint. once dry I then paint over them with black paint and while this is still wet I wipe off most of the paint leaving black paint between the sets. Once dry these were glued into place. My next job will be to fill  in all the gaps, add a little greenery and weather. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards Paul.

 

[Calidore]

That's a very effective technique with the setts, Paul. And the warehouse is looking smart indeed!

[DanielB]

Definitely looks the business, that's for sure. I've never been to sold on Wills sheets, as I feel they look too uniform, but I'm definitely impressed with how you've used them.

 

I've taken to using 2.5mm thick foam board (by cutting 5mm sheet in half) and scribing the sets myself. It's mind numbing, but it looks the part when it's done, I think.

 

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by DanielB

[gz3xzf]

13 hours ago, Howl03 said:

Finished off cutting the granite sets and painting them. Thought I would share the technic I used. I first gave them a base coat of grey spray paint. once dry I then paint over them with black paint and while this is still wet I wipe off most of the paint leaving black paint between the sets. Once dry these were glued into place. My next job will be to fill  in all the gaps, add a little greenery and weather. 

 

Regards Paul.

 

Hi Paul

That's brilliant, I love the tramway look you are getting with the granite sets.

How did you mark the granite sheets to get the shape required and what did you use to get the level of the granite up to the rail level?

 

[Alister_G]

I loved the original cakebox entry, and so I think it's great that you are now expanding it. What you've achieved so far is looking great, very atmospheric.

 

Following with interest,

 

Al.

[Howl03]

7 hours ago, gz3xzf said:

Hi Paul

That's brilliant, I love the tramway look you are getting with the granite sets.

How did you mark the granite sheets to get the shape required and what did you use to get the level of the granite up to the rail level?

 

 

Thank You Bryan. I place tracing paper on the track and copy the curves and use this as a template to cut the track. I just used 1mm card to get the sets up to rail level.

Regards Paul.

 

[Howl03]

Gaps filled in, a bit of greenery added and the sets weathered. Next up will be adding the water.

 

 

Regards Paul.