Cambrian and GWR 0 Gauge layout -Revised Plans

[Donw]

The garage was well sorted the main problem was we were not living there at the time as the builders were ripping up everything. Once I realised the problem I went on line a found a supplier of corrugated steel sheets. They supplied them to an ordered length 6.3 m in my case so no joins! I got the builders to fix them as the sheets were so big.

The layout is not planned to be part of the main loft layout but will share the stock as it is 0 gauge. I did think of scrapping it but it can be used for a few shows.

 

Don

[georgeT]

Hello Don, Really impressed with the track you are building very good, makes me think of returning to O gauge, keep the progress pictures coming...

[Andrew P]

Hello Don, Really impressed with the track you are building very good, makes me think of returning to O gauge, keep the progress pictures coming...

George, I wanted a NAUGHTY button for this Post, although Lee and I had a similar conversation on Saturday morning re the forthcoming Dapol 08 and a Shunting Plank. I need some cold water   AND SO DO YOU.   :no:          

 

Sorry Don for Hi-jacking your wonderful thread Mate.

[Guest Isambarduk]

"forthcoming Dapol 08"

Please would you define 'forthcoming' please?

[Donw]

Right some progress. Firstly I needed to create some paltforms This was done using some  4mm ply and the hot glue gun. I didn't have any brickpaper so I printed off a scalescenes one

 

 

not a total success. Despite giving it a coat of matt varnish when ballasting a couple of places the PVA touched the paper and affected the colour. I did shield the paper when spraying water onto the ballast.

 

Having used all the bag of granite ballast I now have ordered some more. Plus some WS Cinders.

 

 

I then moved on to doing some scenic work on board 2

 

first building up the base with some polystyrene

 

 

Then adding scrumpled tissues (ideal use for those used to clean up glue) held in place with bits of masking tape and more tissue.

 

 

This is then covered with a paper mache mix using a recipe from Chaz of Dock Green

 

 

which in my case was a bit rough so I added a coat of polyfilla applied by finger to avoid any spatula marks

 

 

A coat of emulsion (this is musghroom) from a tester pot

 

 

Finally my first attempt at a bit of flocking. Not clean up yet just left to dry.

 

 

Don

 

 

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

Don,  I don't know if it will work with Polyfilla but a method I have found very successful with Hydrocal is to use it as a liquid (about the consistency of evaporated milk and apply it with a brush - almost like applying a thick paint, very controllable, and no spatula etc marks.

 

Edit typo - I really did mean 'paint'    

Edited August 24, 2015 by The Stationmaster

[Andrew P]

Looks very good so far Don, nice embankment too.

[Donw]

Board three was a total disaster warped badly in two directions even the framing had warped with a pronounced bow in the deepest section. So I scrapped it. New board made I haven't placed fixed the track yet as I am awaiting the ballast and will do it it one go. Profile board for the back and side have been cut oversize so I can work out the exact profile (well rather the near enough profile) I want. There will be an over bridge at the end so I am cutting out some ply as a base for that.

 

 

 

Additionally I have cut some thin play to use for the backscenes and given them a coat of white emulsion.

 

This horrible wet weather does help with finding time to work on the layout whilst outdoors jobs are impractical.

 

Don

[Donw]

Rather annoyed today order some stuff from Hattons after checking to see who had what in stock when I hadn't turned up by today I phoned to find that something in the order was missing. If they had told me on Monday I would have asked them to send the rest. The did apologise but poor service I feel. Yes there can be errors on stock levels but when you send a email saying it has been processed on Sunday you don't expect to hear three days later there is a problem. BTW it was me that had to phone them I have no idea when they intended to tell me.

Rant over

 

Been busy with the backscenes and working out the bridge that will hide the exit. Must take some pictures. Club tonight so no more progress.

 

Don

[Mikkel]

Hi Don, good to see progress on the layout - I admire your seemingly relaxed approach to the warped board, I would have had a fit!

 

Thanks for the detail on the plaster and polyfilla works. I'm about to make a similar embankment so this is useful inspiration. I'll have a look at Chaz's recipe.

 

Looking forward to seeing the backscenes!

[Donw]

Chaz suggested 5gram of wallpaper paste to 1/4 pint of water and adding the output from a paper shredder. I just used a teaspoonful thinking that would be roughly 5gram. Once mixed with sufficient shreddings it will not drip and is reasonably clean to use. Work looking at his 0n30 layout for some pictures of his work.

For backscenes I would recommend Andy Peter's video of doing one on his Trebudoc thread. I am not convinced about photographic backscenes. Martin Brent advised me years ago to avoid too much detail on a backscene the idea being not to draw the eye in just to satisfy it that the world doesn't end at the baseboard edge. Some of the photobackscens are better than I could model.

 

Don

 

Chaz's Thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79942-the-furness-valley-railroad/page-7

 

Andy's video http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/54364-trebudoc-in-o-gauge-videos-page-28-29-31-to-33-36/page-28

Edited August 26, 2015 by Donw

[Mikkel]

Thanks very much, Don, this is very useful. I am also not sure about photographic backscenes, but having not tried one myself I might have a go at some point just to see.

 

There is a high-tech variant of a photo backscene that I have never seen tried: having one of those digitial picture frames as a backscene. You could change the weather and light as you liked, and taking it to the extreme have a film running   Could end up pretty horrible and overdone - and costly, and energy comsuming! - and you would still have the problem of the wrong perspective from certain angles. But some day someone will do it, no doubt.

[Donw]

I have fitted the backscene boards with their white emulsion undercoat along the back the end board where the track exits still has to be fitted and I would like to disguise the corner. I have also assembled a basic structure for the bridge at the exit with some ply and the hot glue gun. It will need some detailing probably a coat of DAS scribed to represent stone. I am now in the process of fixing down the track on the new board.

 

The three boards

 

the rough rear of the bridge

 

 

 

Don

Edited August 27, 2015 by Donw

[ChrisN]

I have fitted the backscene boards with their white emulsion undercoat along the back the end board where the track exits still has to be fitted and I would like to disguise the corner. I have also assembled a basic structure for the bridge at the exit with some ply and the hot glue gun. It will need some detailing probably a coat of DAS scribed to represent stone. I am now in the process of fixing down the track on the new board.

 

The three boards

PC10.jpg

 

the rough rear of the bridge

 

PC11.jpg

 

 

Don

 

Don,

I must have seen views in your loft before but it does show what a nice area you have made it into.

[Donw]

I have used a diiferent technique for the next bit of embankment. This gets covered with a couple of layers of newspaper done as small pieces with PVA. I may add some paper mache or just flock it although I fancy a bit of rock outcrop too.

 

 

Work has started on detailing the bridge with a coat of DAS and some scribing well more indenting then scribing done while the DAS was still soft.

 

 

I also checked the clearances

 

 

 

In the background you can see a fillet of ply has been used to cut of the corner where the backscenes meet this will need a bit of filler along the joins and then painting with white emulsion.

 

Don

Edited August 31, 2015 by Donw

[ChrisN]

I have used a diiferent technique for the next bit of embankment. This gets covered with a couple of layers of newspaper done as small pieces with PVA. I may add some paper mache or just flock it although I fancy a bit of rock outcrop too.

 

PC12.jpg

 

Work has started on detailing the bridge with a coat of DAS and some scribing well more indenting then scribing done while the DAS was still soft.

 

PC13.jpg

 

I also checked the clearances

 

PC14.jpg

 

PC15.jpg

 

In the background you can see a fillet of ply has been used to cut of the corner where the backscenes meet this will need a bit of filler along the joins and then painting with white emulsion.

 

Don

 

Don,

It is coming on.  Das is so much easier to scribe when it is soft!

[Donw]

Two buildings are essential A station building and a signal box. As the space for a signal box is rather tight I haven't copied a real one but inspired by the one at LLangwril  I first drew some sketches of what I wanted but decided not to add the cantilevered extension. 

 

 

I then made up some windows using a quick method of thin slices of sticky labels. I then cut out the four sides with window apertures from Foamboard. The windows were fixed over the apertures using gorilla superglue which is fairly think and doesn't run too much. I then fixed the for sides around a central floor using Copydex.

 

 

 

This work was carried out in the motorhome. Snag one I found out the sticky labels in my folder of building materials were so old the adhesive had dried up and would not stick. Miles from any suitable shop I was saved when the kind girl in the campsite office gave me a few labels. Snag 2 I didn't have foamboard left in the folder but moving to the next site we passed a Hobbycraft store at Hereford. The next step is to add some packing to bring the rest up to the same thickness as the windows before cladding the surface. In the folder is some Howards scenic embossed card brick and some Slaters embossed plasticard both Flemish and Stretcher bond which will do for the botton half the top is boarded so scribed card or plasticard for that.

 

Don

[Andrew P]

Hi Don, hey its coming on well, excellent work on the Bridge and Signal Box, looking really good on the full length shot Mate.

[corneliuslundie]

Is the cantilevered part on the prototype a toilet/ If it is do you have any model figures with their legs crossed? In fact I think it was the entrance which means there is now no way in, as the ground floor would be full of locking apparatus.

 

More seriously, yes I too like the thick Gorilla superglue.

 

But coming along nicely.

 

Jonathan

[Donw]

The cantilevered extension was at the other end from the entrance. It was added when a larger frame was needed and had large wooden braces to support it.  Unfortunately it would look odd in the space I made for the Signal cabin with stone walls cutting a space out of the bank which wouldn't have left room for an extension. I have the door and steps to add as shown in the sketch. I am thinking I will not have time to detail the interior so can I make the roof removable to add the details later?

 

Don

[corneliuslundie]

Understood. My first assumption was that the cantilevered bit was that shown on the left on your sketch. I'm glad the signalman won't be permanently on shift.

 

J

[Donw]

Understood. My first assumption was that the cantilevered bit was that shown on the left on your sketch. I'm glad the signalman won't be permanently on shift.

 

J

 

Ah I may have added to the confusion as at Llwyngwril the entrance was on the opposite side.  PLease note the correct spelling I did check when posting above. There are details and a photo in Green's coast lines 2 if you are interested. However all deviations from the originals are covered by modeller's licence.

 

Don

[Andy R]

Don;

 

Hi -my name is Andy R and I just thought I would say that I have also used the cardboard strips technique on my layout Hawkinsfield.

 

But rather than use an approach of small pieces of newspaper put on with PVA bit by bit I cover the cardboard strip skeleton with sheets of brown parcel paper cut to size/shape and then brush the PVA over that paper to let it soak in and bind the whole together. Then I paint with any old brown/green slush to seal and provide a base for the landscape materials. I have found this approach to be quick, minimal mess, and strong but light enough to get the basic landscape shapes. Then I put on old carpet felt/scatter etc to work the landscape up.

 

The only downside I have found is in planting trees- the technique does provide little support for tree trunks into the ground and these need additional support and glue to keep them upright- but nothing good glue cannot fix.

 

Have a look on my layout thread if you like.. there are a couple of earlier post photos of my approach.

 

regards, Andy R

[Donw]

Andy one problem with using a single sheet is that it will not fit to an undulating surface without creases or folds, the smaller pieces adapt to the undulating surface much better. Also using a number of layers produces a stronger surface. Regarding the issue of planting trees the use of scrap polystyrene as a base does provide better support for trees. No matter how strong the glue I cannot see a single sheet of brown paper gives sufficient strength for large trees.

Don

[Donw]

Further progress on the signal cabin. I decided the base didn't need packing if I made the small window for the locking room inset. I decided to use the Slaters plasticard brick. The corners are always a slight fudge as the sheets don't have a queen closer. Unless I build it brick by brick (I can do brickwork) I will make do. I used some butanone to stick the sheet to the foamboard but found a bit of superglue helped hold the edges. Note to the unwary it is not advisable to spill butanone in a motorhome rather a confined space. Fortunately the board it was spilt on could be left outside till it evaporated.

 

 

 

I then started adding the packing using some scrap card and copydex. The outer surface of the top will overhang the base slightly. I thick this is quite prototypical the frame sits on the brick base the outer boarding overhanging a little avoids rainwater seeping into the frame.

 

 

Don

 

Edit I will add a suitable piece of card in the gap over the small window to form a Lintel rather than a brick arch

Edited September 11, 2015 by Donw