Making Ash piles (in wagons and on yards/sheds)

[M.I.B]

Does anyone have a realistic looking method of making ash piles?  I need some ash piles for my N13s and will need some for my shed when the time comes.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Do you have at least one colour photo of your chosen location for guidance? The true ash  - from the ashpan - is the incombustible mineral residue of the coal. It can range in colour from pale grey-white through cream tones to pinky brown shades. In a loco shed trackside disposal setting it will usually be heaped with part combusted coal from dropped fires, and the smokebox char which is typically very dark grey; with a piebald or mixed appearance in consequence. Transferred to a wagon for transport to a tip, there is inevitably mixing to a more blended mid grey.

 

I quite like crushed vermiculite or similar, Suggests the right texture and provides a light tone, easily stained to represent the darker materials.

[APOLLO]

I use ash from the barbeque (charcoal ash) fixed with Klear. Wrong time of year though !!

 

Brit15

[HLT 0109]

Have you considered two Peco products - PS-320 (ash & cinders fine grade) and PS-364 (ash dust)?  Actually, I see that there is also PS-321 (ash & cinders medium grade).  I have used the ash dust in a couple of my wagons and for scattering in the yard. Hattons in the UK seem to have both grades of the ash & cinders mix, and Rails of Sheffield have the dust.

 

Harold.

[M.I.B]

Some good suggestions there.

 

Will definitely have to try on some old birthday cards before i try it on the models.  Especially the Klear method.

[Tony Teague]

I used real ash from a wood-burning fire & then covered it in diluted PVA; I think it looks pretty reasonable - see post #33 on my thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/115550-churminster-stowe-magna-southern-railway/page-2

 

Tony

[pctrainman]

I model in N so use sifted ash from a bonfire that has been naturally weathered for a few months , it does the job for me .

[allan downes]

I model in N so use sifted ash from a bonfire that has been naturally weathered for a few months , it does the job for me .

 

In both the pictures below neat cement mixed with a little talc was used to produce the ash.This was heaped up then 'froze' with diluted PVA with a little washing up liquid added to break down the surface tension.

 

Cheers.

 

Allan.

 

[cctransuk]

Does anyone have a realistic looking method of making ash piles?  I need some ash piles for my N13s and will need some for my shed when the time comes.

 

Years ago, (1983), when it wasn't politically incorrect, I made ash piles with ballast mixed with PVA glue for the shape, topped off with cigarette ash.

 

It looks fine to me :-

 

 

 

Hay and straw are always difficult, too; I used dried bullrush 'fluff' stuck down with PVA.

 

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[john dew]

Hi MIB

 

Bit late again I am afraid....................BBQ ash and diluted PVA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Wishes

 

 

John

[peter220950]

We used the real thing on the Club layout, a couple of lumps of clinker 'borrowed' from a Heritage line, ground up with a pestle and mortar, sieved and piled up. The finished pile was then sprayed with water and detergent, then water and PVA or latex.

 

Peter