Penhayle Bay

[Gwiwer]

Hobbies are taking second place at the moment during the heavy workload caused by our floods crisis. But in the few times I have managed to get outside and restore my sanity I have made good progress with a number of tasks.

 

The unglamorous parts of the job include painting the entire fiddle yard black between the tracks in order to reduce the visual intrusion of bare boards; the illusion will be helped in due course by the addition of "coal" ballast laid thinly between the rails. The more obvious and visible signs of progress are the continued painting of the backscene (all 30 metres of it, of which 25 are in place though not fully decorated) and the infilling of numerous gaps caused by the intrusion of objects in the outdoor environment. At one location the line has to curve round a real tree. This has now been waterproofed and a curved MDF panel fitted around the trunk. Ironically the scene painted onto it is of smaller trees as it forms a part of the arboretum - pine forest scene. As the tree moves in the wind the scenery around it also has to "give" by a few millimetres instead of being firmly fixed in position which presented another challenge. The decoration here is not quite complete but gives an idea of the progress made.

 

 

In the reverse angle shot the substantial post which supports the roof and which intruded into the moorland scene has now been incorporated into it. A small area of land has been constructed (shown as a dark green patch in the image below but since fully decorated) while the angle between the backscene and the post has been painted to represent a distant tor.

 

 

Compare these images with posts 132 and 147.

[The Stationmaster]

I hope the wet weather and flooding isn't heading your way - I understand from the BBC this morning that parts of Victoria are now under threat of flooding..

[Gwiwer]

I hope the wet weather and flooding isn't heading your way - I understand from the BBC this morning that parts of Victoria are now under threat of flooding..

 

It has been extremely wet here. We have had nine months of near-continuous wet days rounded off by some of the heaviest falls ever recorded just after Christmas. The model is largely undamaged by all of this. But large parts of the State of Victoria have been under water now since the year turned and a few places were flooded before Christmas. Some towns have had two or even three flood peaks with barely time to mop up in between. Some homes have been (and some still are) under several feet of water.

 

Currently there are evacuations in effect for many rural towns in our north-west and most of the railways and roads in that region have been affected. Some will remain under water or out of action for many months.

 

The situation is not as bad as in Queensland but is every bit as devastating to those affected and to their homes, farms, businesses and the overall economy.

 

One spokesman from ComSec (Commonwealth Bank Securities) managed an apt case of foot-in-mouth when he commented that "These floods will put a dampener on the economy".

[Gwiwer]

Plenty of work has been going on behind the scenes (literally) and in some cases in front of them recently though the ongoing pressure of paid employment responding to floods and cyclones has meant there have been no running days so far this summer.

 

Atop the tunnel which leads from the "Up" end into the fiddle yard a field with a typically Cornish standing stone has been created and is being investigated by a middle-aged couple ...

 

 

While behind the scenes the entire fiddle yard has been painted black to reduce the visual intrusion of the boards. Backscenes are well under way behind the viewing area while sky panels are now fitted along the garden fence and backed with a strong waterproof membrane. These have a lower fitting made from gutter flashing which has been painted dark green. The box shape fits around a fence post. Point motors are also painted black with white panels to receive their numbers shortly. The tie-bars will also receive a spot of white paint to prove throw to the operator whose position is in line with the mid-section bridge.

 

 

Stone cottages are under construction for Penhayle Bay with the first cut of the Wills sheets here being trial-fitted around a rainwater downpipe! The joys of working outside eh?

 

 

Odd gaps in the backscene are being filled; here we see the construction of "sky" around an upright roof support post which used to intrude into the scene. Some odd shapes are formed and prodigious amounts of filler used but a result is being achieved. These areas need a little "give" as the posts can move in high wind so Woodland "Flex Paste" is being used as filler.

 

 

Just arrived in the mail today is my order for a Busch "Windsurfer Set" which has given me sufficient boards to get some surf action going .....

 

 

The sea is still the flat painted version for now but may not stay the way for too much longer!

[Gwiwer]

Following on from the last image I am now tackling the not inconsiderable challenge of modelling the sea. It's not a small area either with two scenes each over a metre long separated by the car park. The first two pours of Magic Water have gone down though there is plenty more work to be done including the formation of waves and ripples which may require the use of another product as well.

 

The colour is mostly that painted directly onto the baseboard but the second pour had two pin-head spots of Prussian Blue acrylic mixed into it to give a depth to the colour and avoid having a lot of clear water over an obviously flat painted base.

 

The white water foam - which a couple of very experienced modellers assured me was virtually impossible to represent - has been done by loading the scalpel blade with "warm white" acrylic, drawing the whole edge of the blade lightly through the setting water and then drawing the resulting straight line of paint back gently with an old rag.

 

I never for one moment thought this scene would be easy to get right and it is certainly challenging but the evidence suggests it is not at all impossible. Further pours will permit the bathers to be mostly in (rather than on) the water and the surfers to ride waves. And not a train in sight!

 

At the surfers' end near the rocks .....

 

 

And nearer to the car park in the shallows .....

 

 

Meanwhile at the other end of the layout the church finally has a back scene behind it and no longer appears to sit in front of the garden fence!

 

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

I think that water looks superb the light and dark colours with the white water foam, spot on.B) B)

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

A few clips of stuff moving ....

 

1. "Hoods" over Darras viaduct

 

 

2. and creeping through the reverse-curves at Penhayle Bay much to the irritation of the neighbour's dog!

 

 

3. "Bullets" at Treheligan; the silver ones have confused the auto-focus at one point.

 

 

4. The up vans race through the dunes.

 

[Gwiwer]

T9 on shed at Ponsangwyn

 

If this looks good now how much better will it be when the Beattie well-tanks arrive?

 

[Gwiwer]

I have had to replace the elderly Olympus C300 used for most of my layout pics over the years to date. The new point 'n' squirt is a Nikon L120 for quick snaps - I still prefer the Minolta SLR and pro-quality slide film for "best" - and here is the first image from the new toy.

 

[artizen]

If you need another look at the water - follow this thread to see how Troels Kirk is going about it.

 

http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=32687&whichpage=16

 

His approach is to use lots of vertical depth to create actual waves.

 

Really liking this layout now the backscenes are in. Much more better good!

[Oldddudders]

I have had to replace the elderly Olympus C300 used for most of my layout pics over the years to date. The new point 'n' squirt is a Nikon L120 for quick snaps - I still prefer the Minolta SLR and pro-quality slide film for "best" - and here is the first image from the new toy.

Good to see a Penhayle update! I have a cupboard full of decent film cameras and lenses - do I use them, nah! Nice rich colours on the new Nikon here, Rick!

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

I do like the Maroon Western,B) I think that livery really suited them. Looks like a few spotters in the background.

 

Hope your meeting went well, Sorry we couldn't make it, we were comming back from Phillip Island, maybe another time.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

Hi Peter,

 

Yesterday went well until the Heavens opened but that was more or less at the end of the day anyway. As you say, maybe another time. The layout isn't going anywhere soon so PM or call!

 

Rick

[Gwiwer]

A few images from today's photo-session.

 

 

 

 

 

And from a night-time session last week.

 

 

[Gwiwer]

I have to admit to having had a dirty weekend B)

 

Inks, paints and weathering powders have been out with the following results. Note that not all items are yet completed.

 

Bodyside and frames of a BG done with an untouched one on the left for comparison.

 

 

There's a piece of Skaledale wall in here somewhere - honest!

 

 

Bodysides and roof of "Western Fusilier" done; the vans are professionally weathered.

 

 

Hornby green 08 converted from pristine to work-stained.

 

 

And in low-angle sunlight there's that "Western" again!

 

[P.C.M]

You are a dirty boy,

 

Looks like you have been busy, Weathering looks really good, love that Western.B) The 08 looks pretty good too, did you do the vans behind the Western as well?

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

did you do the vans behind the Western as well?

 

Cheers Peter. The vans are not my work. They were weathered by Roy at Keytes of Essex (who also trades as makingtracks.weathering on eBay) who has done a number of items for me over the years. You'd go a long way to find better.

[P.C.M]

Cheers Peter. The vans are not my work. They were weathered by Roy at Keytes of Essex (who also trades as makingtracks.weathering on eBay) who has done a number of items for me over the years. You'd go a long way to find better.

 

 

Thanks Rick, they do look good.B)

 

Cheers Peter.

[DougN]

Hi Rick, the weathering certainly does bring out the detail on the trains. The long low sun of this Autumn and early nights does suggest that you might be in for a bit more of night time running. The greenery on the side of the bridge above is beautifully suttle.

[Gwiwer]

It's been a while since I updated this topic. It is mid-winter here and the layout has been sheeted over while we were overseas - back in the UK for the most part. I have restarted work to bring the layout into good order by spring. This will include more working lights and attention to the painted backscenes so that they resemble something complete. Not that anything in this hobby is ever finished, is it?

 

Penhayle Bay now features three linked festoons of seaside lighting and has the holes drilled for platform and street lights to go in.

 

Looking across the beach towards the car park and with a train of "silver bullets" passing through.

 

 

And the reverse-angle, still with ad hoc wiring and clutter in the car park (all of which can be tidied up in an hour or so) towards the river mouth.

 

[Gwiwer]

The Hornby "weathered" Hymek has had twenty minutes on the workbench with weathering powders. Already with a half-decent factory spray of dirt I felt it could be improved upon and here is the result. Application of brown and black powders was by finger followed by light horizontal then brisk vertical brushing.

 

 

Working on this loco I intentionally placed a tiny amount of loco oil onto one finger tip, wiped almost all of it off with a rag, then used that finger to touch the bodyside in a few key spots before applying powder. This has created the deliberate "oily" patches above the fuel tank and the left hand bogie.

 

 

Despite having been owned from new this loco has always been a poor performer, largely due to its old-style pancake motor and imprecise back-to-back dimensions. It spends its display time parked in a siding looking "failed".

[Gwiwer]

A few clips of stuff moving. Click on the still image to start the video.

 

Hornby green 08 (the one which used to be a screamer) and a respectable train of swb wagons. 08 weathering is mine, all the rest is either Lord & Butler (Dirty Boy) or factory-applied.

 

 

There are a few steep gradients on the layout. Over the cliffs some assistance was called for.

 

 

While at the top of the bank (1:36 up becomes 1:75 down as you emerge from the tunnel) the PT seems to be doing rather well ......... wait for the end!

 

[SRman]

I'm at work at the moment but I had a brief look at one of the clips. I'm really champing at the bit now to see the rest! Excellent stuff, Rick.

[DougN]

Rick, the trains moving and looking accurate make your layout come even more to life than the still shots! Well Done.

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

 

Nice videos, glad to see the layout is still running considering the weather we have been having.

 

Meeting at Jeffs on Saturday if your interested.

 

 

Cheers Peter.