Jake Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 I thought I would share a little progress on my cakebox. Ever since I saw this photo of Greetwell ironstone mines in Eric Tonks's book 'Ironstone quarries of the midlands' I have thought I'd like to build a diorama of that photo. So when I heard that the cakebox challenge was happening again- I dug out the book and thought 'I wonder if I can fit that in a cakebox?' The photos below show progress so far. My items of rubbish are a piece of floorboard that happened to be the right width to fit in the cake box as the base and some pieces of polystyrene packaging for the basis of the quarry face. I'm too cheap to buy a turnout for a static diorama - especially since the track will be buried up to the railhead so the plan is to make a purely cosmetic turnout from leftover track. I've taken some liberties in copying the photo. For example the additional track on the left I think will look to crowded in the condensed space of the cakebox (and I don't know exactly where it goes- is there another turnout near the mine entrance?) I'm also wondering about adding a small lean-to storage shack for extra interest perhaps on the right of the mine entrance where the pit props are in the photo. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffinOz Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 I like this idea, the simple ones are the best and you can go overboard in detailing. broken pit props lying around, horse droppings, rocks fallen of the wagons or down the hill side, bike against shed, loads of ideas. Good luck. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 So, I've made some significant progress this week. The pictures tell most of the story. I've used DAS modelling clay for the ground cover and burying the sleepers. Polyfiller was used for the rock face. Sand has been added to the ground around the track to add some basic texture. The whole thing was sprayed with a coat of matt black and then the rock face was given a dusting with a desert sand spray can. Once that was dry I picked out more detail using acrylics. The caption to the photo says that the upper half of the rockface is limestone while the lower is ironstone. So following what colour images I could find I have tried to paint the rocks accordingly. I'm really pleased with how this is shaping up, especially given that it's my first attempt at modelling a rock face. thanks for looking. Jake 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Keith Addenbrooke Posted January 30, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 30, 2021 55 minutes ago, Jake said: So, I've made some significant progress this week. The pictures tell most of the story. I've used DAS modelling clay for the ground cover and burying the sleepers. Polyfiller was used for the rock face. Sand has been added to the ground around the track to add some basic texture. The whole thing was sprayed with a coat of matt black and then the rock face was given a dusting with a desert sand spray can. Once that was dry I picked out more detail using acrylics. The caption to the photo says that the upper half of the rockface is limestone while the lower is ironstone. So following what colour images I could find I have tried to paint the rocks accordingly. I'm really pleased with how this is shaping up, especially given that it's my first attempt at modelling a rock face. thanks for looking. Jake Looks excellent to me - both the track work (it is still a dummy point, or is it?) and the rock face. Great use of the space. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dufus Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hi Jake, That is looking really good. If you want some colour pictures of rockface try googling the cliffs at Hunstanton. That is chalk at the top and carstone (a form of iron ore) below. Best of luck with it Chris 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 Thanks everyone. Keith, the point is a dummy. I just spliced together the two pieces of track! As I was on a bit of a roll I decided to add some greenery yesterday evening. I'm pleased with how it's shaping up. Next thing to think about is whether to add a storage shed of some kind for extra interest- as well as all the little details. 9 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted February 5, 2021 Author Share Posted February 5, 2021 (edited) Today I've been trying to figure out the composition of the rest of the scene. The cardboard will be a lean too store. And I think on the left will be someone burning broken pit props. The horse was handily found in my spares box. At the moment it's just a stand in for something better. Edited February 5, 2021 by Jake Missed out text 6 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Kevin Johnson Posted February 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 5, 2021 This is looking very nice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Less is more? I think you’ve probably got enough elements there already. Love the colours. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted February 6, 2021 Author Share Posted February 6, 2021 Thanks for the feedback. I think it agree that less is more in such a small space. So I've ditched the lean too idea and just gone for the bonfire cameo- mainly because I had a spare seated figure drinking a cuppa and a flickering fire unit salvaged from a previous layout. So after some tinkering here is the result. 6 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Great modelling! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marly51 Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 Interesting story about the Greetwell Ironstone Mines! I think you have captured the atmosphere perfectly! Your excellent modelling certainly replicates the photograph! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Kevin Johnson Posted February 7, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2021 Excellent modelling, just the right amount of detail. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted February 8, 2021 Author Share Posted February 8, 2021 Thanks everyone. A little more detail done over the weekend. I decided the grass at the front looked too much like a mowed lawn so I've added some longer grass (plumbers hemp) which will be trimmed in due course. I've repainted the chap minding the fire. I decided too that the horse could be serviceable given a repaint and some pulling gear so I've repainted it and begun fashioning some pulling gear. Other little details have been added - an abandoned v tipper body. A pickaxe. The main job left to do now is to make some mine tubs which resemble those in the picture. I have a number of 009 v tipper chassis's to use as underframes. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Kevin Johnson Posted February 8, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8, 2021 Excellent cakebox entry. Nicely modelled. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 Some mine tub building in progress. And the horse is looking more the part. Just playing with some positioning of the final elements. Obviously the mining tubs need finishing. 5 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Kevin Johnson Posted February 10, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2021 The tubs look great. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted February 13, 2021 Author Share Posted February 13, 2021 Thanks for the kind comments. A little more progress on the tubs. They still need loads fitting. I have some fine chain to link them together. The horse still needs a rope or somesuch connecting it to the train. I've also fitted some facias to finish the diorama off 3 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Kevin Johnson Posted February 13, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 13, 2021 Jake nice work on the facia, it stops you looking at the different levels of board. The chains will be a nice touch. I think all in all you have really good chance at winning the cakebox challenge. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold SHMD Posted February 18, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 18, 2021 Very nice. I see it is DCC ready? (Dobin Clop Clop...) Kev. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted February 20, 2021 Author Share Posted February 20, 2021 2 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Keith Addenbrooke Posted February 20, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2021 Fantastic - the gentle curve in the rock face makes the third photo especially appear so much larger than a cakebox. There is some stunning scenic work here, and some lovely details, and it’s very well presented (you can tell I’m impressed). Keith. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Kevin Johnson Posted February 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2021 Jake this is a well presented cakebox layout. The gentle curve and those little touches of detail bring the whole thing to life. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 Thanks everyone. It's pretty much complete now. Unless I come back to it in a few days and identify something that doesn't look right. Just waiting for a good day to photo it properly in daylight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted February 21, 2021 Author Share Posted February 21, 2021 One more view that didn't go up properly yesterday 5 3 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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