Machen Quarry

[Rods_of_Revolution]

2011 Challenge Entry - Machen Quarry

 

Build Thread: http://www.rmweb.co....c/42468-machen/

 

 

I had been thinking of entering the 2011 challenge for a while. In the end I left it a bit late but nevertheless I think the model has turned out quite well and it has certainly been a good motivator for me to get on and build a photographic diorama as well as being great fun!

 

After visiting Machen Quarry (Machen is a few miles north of Newport, South Wales) in May 2011 I had found it to be a nice rural location but with rustic industrial elements. This I thought was a nice combination. Obviously modelling the whole Quarry sidings to scale was out of the question, but as I wanted a scale model I thought just an instantly recognisable scale slice was all I required. I chose to model in N Scale as it provided me with a more flexible scale area to work with.

 

 

Anyone who has been to Machen will probably know the road which goes up to the quarry; At the top of this road next to the gate is the "classic" view of Machen Quarry sidings. It's the elements in this "classic" view I have attempted to replicate.

 

 

The model was created by taking Google Earth images, scaling them and using a projector I projected them onto the baseboard. I then marked the positions of the main elements on to the baseboard.

 

The baseboard was built with 6mm MDF and 1x1 strip wood, the whole lot being No More Nail(ed)s together.

 

 

The loader at Machen is quite a distinctive structure, I used photos I took at Machen as well as additional photographic material kindly provided by other individuals to produce a 3D model; I then had the model 3D Printed by a company called Shapeways. The plan is to motorize the loader in future so the loader is only temporarily fixed to the layout at the moment.

 

 

Another distinctive feature is the way the road to the quarry climbs up over the railway, this was created with a piece of MDF to provide the road surface, paper soaked in PVA glue to build up the grass banks and some brick embossed plasticard to make the tunnel mouth.

 

 

The Scenics are fairly simple, coloured sand was used to create the ballast/gravel, Woodland Scenics of various grades for the foliage and painted cork bark was used for the rocks. All the scenics have been airbrushed to bring them all together and add variety with different shades.

 

Below is a photograph I took in May 2011 at the real Machen Quarry.

 

 

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my 2011 Challenge Entry; Don't forget to vote if you like what you've seen!

 

Many thanks,

 

Jack