Aston On Clun. A forgotten Great Western outpost.

[MrWolf]

Yep, if we were in some white collar public sector job, I would be hauled in front of human resources chief hand wringer to answer to a charge of "Denying and denigrating your self identification as a nutter"...

 

Or something.

 

I had some BS form to fill out a while back and it asked amongst other idiocy "How did I identify myself? Male, female or other (please specify)?"

 

I ticked "other" and told them that I identify myself as a helicopter.

 

They won't dare challenge it...

[Schooner]

Ground cover comparison:

 

1) Aquarium sand

2) World War Scenics Fine Sand

3) Chinchilla 'powder'

4) Attwood Aggregates MC Road Stone

5) Treemendus Earth Powder

6) AMMO by Mig Acrylic Mud 'Dry Earth Ground'

7) World War Scenics Fine Granite

8) AMMO etc etc 'Arid Dry Ground'

9) Vallejo Earth Texture 'Black Lava-Asphalt'

 

Chinchilla powder:

 

Not possible to say anything too definitive, but I would say that it's perhaps slightly finer than @Mikkel's 'Chinchilla Sand' and lacks that quartz shine. I'll pop more pics and thoughts over here  

Edited May 17, 2021 by Schooner
Link added

[Gedward]

1 hour ago, Stubby47 said:

 

Oh, I do like that.

 

Now that's what I'm talking about.

[Stubby47]

2 hours ago, MrWolf said:

All boxes ticked.

 

 

Suddenly I need some fresh air.

 

 

 

Lots more pics of this on the Alamy website - https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-disused-petrol-pumps-on-the-forecourt-of-a-derelict-garage-in-llanrug-48295359.html

 

https://goo.gl/maps/oiCochbshbfAS4PX6

Edited May 17, 2021 by Stubby47

[Mikkel]

32 minutes ago, Schooner said:

Ground cover comparison:

 

1) Aquarium sand

2) World War Scenics Fine Sand

3) Chinchilla 'powder'

4) Attwood Aggregates MC* Road Stone**

5) Treemendus Earth Powder

6) AMMO by Mig Acrylic Mud 'Dry Earth Ground'

7) World War Scenics Fine Granite

8) AMMO etc etc 'Arid Dry Ground'

9) Vallejo Earth Texture 'Black Lava-Asphalt'

 

Chinchilla powder:

 

Not possible to say anything too definitive, but I would say that it's perhaps slightly finer than @Mikkel's 'Chinchilla Sand' and lacks that quartz shine. I'll pop more pics and thoughts over in Pre-Grouping, which I'll link when I get round to writing it  

 

That's very useful, many thanks Schooner!  Are there some of them you particularly prefer?

 

(or should that be: "Useful, thanks, any you prefer?" as I'm told language is decaying due to linguistic super-sizing).

[chuffinghell]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

I ticked "other" and told them that I identify myself as a helicopter.

 

[NHY 581]

I worked with someone who identified himself as a horse. 

If a member of senior mangement entered the room, he would quietly get up and leave, whinnying as he did so.....

 

 

 

.....sayeth the sheep....

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by NHY 581
Sausage hooves

[Captain Kernow]

On 14/05/2021 at 21:05, Alister_G said:

Inside, I think I'm about 30.

I've always felt I was about 58 my whole life.

 

[Captain Kernow]

On 15/05/2021 at 10:20, NHY 581 said:

brochures delivered for elasticated waist trousers and velcro slippers

You can do a lot worse than a bit of elastication in the trouser department.

 

I don't know what I'd do without my slippers, always been a fan.

 

[Captain Kernow]

On 16/05/2021 at 05:34, MrWolf said:

It's an interesting size, about 7'6" square. It has that look of being in the greener part of England anywhere down the strip of land from the south lakes past the Welsh borders and into Devon and Cornwall.

I've just checked and it's not in Devon.

 

[Limpley Stoker]

Having just located this excellent thread and had a real chuckle I would just suggest memory foam slippers are more useful than Velcro slippers with all those jaggedy-arsed bits.

 

Splendid modelling and very brave kit- butchery, Mr Wolf- I’m now locked on!

[Benbow]

Following others lead I too have just found your thread! Excellent work if I may say so. Only got as far as page 12 so far but a cracking read. Well done.

 

[figworthy]

22 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Many thanks for that. Interesting that it's the same as the patio sand. So really it's just fine sand, I suppose.

 

My apologies for any confusion.

 

It isn't the same stuff as patio sand, but it feels very similar in terms of the grain size.

 

Adrian

[Regularity]

1 hour ago, Captain Kernow said:

You can do a lot worse than a bit of elastication in the trouser department.

 

I don't know what I'd do without my slippers, always been a fan.

How do they help keep your trousers up?

[57xx]

8 hours ago, MrWolf said:

That's a seriously impressive bit of scruffiness! 

It just makes me think of any back road around Doveholes.

 

My shed is way more modest, but I found another picture that shows the tarred wood better.

 

 

 

Looks cracking. It's not just creosoted wood I find it helps with, just normal sun bleached is also enhanced with it. I've still perfected trying to replicate this:

[Alister_G]

33 minutes ago, 57xx said:

. I've still not perfected trying to replicate this:

 

Have you seen Rob's efforts on The Sheep Chronicles? He's nailed (forgive the pun) the look of weathered wood, see here:

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94613-the-sheep-chronicles-chapter-5-woolney-a-pastoral-corner-of-the-wisbleat-and-upwoolthe-sheep-goes-east-these-are-the-continuing-adventures-of-norman-lockhart-connoisseur-of-traditional-british-breakfasts-and-well-filled-baps/&do=findComment&comment=4327613

 

Al.

 

[MrWolf]

@57xxThat timber is a sort of RAF hut shiplap boarding.

 

 

 

Which gives me an idea for another experiment.

Edited April 16, 2022 by MrWolf

[Regularity]

Use a thin (5%-10% paint) wash as a stain. Experiment with it a bit: try soaking the wood for half an hour or so, then draining it for re-use. Play around with the concentration of paint.

I wish I had taken photos of the layout which went very wrong for other reasons than this, that I started on 19 years ago: that would have shown you the effect quite well.

Actually, I do have some from circa 2004, although I left the sleepers in the jar too long and it was darker than the effect you are after.

 

[MrWolf]

I've taken a couple of pieces of moulded rough planking and given them a quick, uneven coat of 64 grey.

It looks shiny because it's still wet.

 

 

I'll keep this going and see how it works out.

[MrWolf]

 

The rough coat of 64 grey is now dry.

I followed it up by drybrushing quite heavily in the direction of the grain with 67 Tank grey.

 

 

I used a cheap old point brush with the end chopped off instead of a flattie.

[MrWolf]

Next up is a careful drybrushing with 01 primer grey lightly all over and more heavily in patches.

 

 

You do of course realise, that if this goes wrong, I am going to feel like a monumental c0ckwomble?

 

So for you dear viewer, it's a win either way! 

You either learn something, or get the mistakes made for you.

 

The bits of plastic that are my guinea pigs are from this venerable old kit, which everyone should have in their stash.

 

 

The Braithwaite panelled tank has dozens of uses. It can be added to buildings or set on angle iron stilts, (which is what I have in mind) as a lot of farms, villages and military camps had them.

The stone base can also be used for other things, cut about to make bridge abutments, a flimsy tin roof fitted to make an explosives store for a quarry or colliery, or turn it into a disused lime kiln.

 

 

 

Hopefully I haven't sent you to sleep yet. The memsahib has spent the night taking notes from online biology papers. I have just taken her a brew and found her asleep on her notebook.

That's payback for her earlier remarks that I should have a TV show called "The joy of painting telephone poles" but if I grow a ginger afro and develop the calming whisper of a psych counselor / serial killer or Bob Ross then she's leaving. 

 

Particular emphasis was put on the ginger afro...

[MrWolf]

More light drybrushing with 53 Gunmetal.

 

 

This will need a few hours to dry overnight, then a buff up with a bit of old T shirt. It looks a bit odd as yet!

[NHY 581]

4 hours ago, Alister_G said:

 

Have you seen Rob's efforts on The Sheep Chronicles? He's nailed (forgive the pun) the look of weathered wood, see here:

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94613-the-sheep-chronicles-chapter-5-woolney-a-pastoral-corner-of-the-wisbleat-and-upwoolthe-sheep-goes-east-these-are-the-continuing-adventures-of-norman-lockhart-connoisseur-of-traditional-british-breakfasts-and-well-filled-baps/&do=findComment&comment=4327613

 

Al.

 

 

Kind of you Al. 

 

I should perhaps add that my dabbling revolved around the distressing of a once  painted finish. 

 

I've not had a go at plain, aged wood.......yet.  

 

As a result, I'm enjoying the experiments re. the grey tones. 

 

I've not tried using  gunmetal paint. I  use 'smoke' weathering powder to get a similar effect.  Once given a light coat of matt varnish, this can then be buffed using a large, soft, make up brush. You get texture from the combination of the powder and varnish as well as the colour itself. In addition, the powders settle into gaps etc. 

 

The closest I have come to this type of weathered, old greyed wood is this wagon from Hornby, albeit a previously painted wooden subject. 

 

The use of a fibre pencil before and during the weathering stages hopefully adds to the 'grain' effect on an otherwise flat painted surface. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by NHY 581
Forgot something

[MrWolf]

I think that the word here is WOW.

 

Studying that photograph I find that I have to remind myself of just how small a 00 wagon really is.

 

It makes a mockery of those who assert: "You can only get that level of detail weathering in 0 gauge..."

 

Absolutely top hole old chap.

 

 

[MrWolf]

18 hours ago, KNP said:

I have now been through from start to finish, fully up to speed and fully on board now as well.

Very entertaining and some lovely models being produced, can’t wait to see your version of the S on S goods shed?

Looking forward to following the progress

 

What’s next?

 

Welcome aboard Kevin,

Currently the plan is to get the track to work properly after the points disaster and finish the messy groundwork. Then the buildings will be able to be installed and start making sense.

 

As for that wonderful piece of corrugated iron architecture at Shipston on Stour, I kind of chickened out, reasoning that such a big structure would only exist at the terminus. ISTR an article in the press on how that she'd was built for Little Muddle, individual hand made metal sheets wasn't it?.

 

If all goes to plan, I am hoping to build the terminus at Bridge Street Clun itself as a portable layout. That will be needing a proper goods shed!