Sandy Hill layout in Cornwall. BR blue 00 gauge

[Gwiwer]

Love the new work with the fence Craig. Next time I'm over I really must make time to see this first hand. The weathering on 47508 looks proper as well. Just the right balance of grime on the top and bottom with a little road dirt on the sides.

[winterbournecm]

Hi Guy / Rick

 

Many thanks for your comments. The buffer stops were sprayed with primer and painted with a rust coloured acrylics with a little brown added. I'm at the dilemna of do I weather all the track sides on the layout for the forthcoming photo shoot - or just strategic places.

[Gwiwer]

I would be tempted to go for the lot. However in doing that remember (not that you of all people would need much reminding!) that there is a huge variation in he real thing from the light staining seen along a fast main line to the more significant discolouration where trains run more slowly and there can be a fair bit of oil drop where diesels stand for any length of time. Including where intermediate / rear power cars of DMU stock stop.

 

It may be better to do a small job well than rush into a larger one and not get it as good as you know you can.

[winterbournecm]

I think you're right mate. I notice the mainline track sides appear brown with rust / road dirt and sidings tend to be rust coloured. I have a tiny brush which will be spot on, acrylics should be OK for this.

Edited July 29, 2012 by winterbournecm

[Gwiwer]

My track is weathered with a mix of powders and diluted acrylics. If you use powder remember to seal it unless you want it up inside the motors! I only used undiluted acrylic for thick oil deposits in front of starting signals - elsewhere some of it was so dilute it went on from the spray bottle while the rest was brushed on. Including the fine dark line sometimes seen parallel to the rails and mid-way between them.

[winterbournecm]

I have been studying railway photos, and scenes in Cornwall particularly, and want to replicate two common plants. One is the abundant Buddliea which is also known as fire weed. This quickly establishes itself in railway ballast, embankments etc.. and has taken over St Blazey Yard as seen in this recent view.

 

 

The other plant is the Cornish Palm. Not to be confused with coconut palms or ones with flat wide leaves, but a palm tree with a yukka plant style head, thin long green leaves.

 

Down to the Buddliea first:

I had planned a wire twist shrub idea, with stripped telephone wire twisted together and leaves and pink / purple head added afterwards. The prototype was sprayed with textured aerosol & the heads added. This looked average, but the addition of leaves caused brain damage to say the least. Plus I had the wrong leaves!!

 

I then contacted the fab chap at Scalelink, and he suggested some beech tree fronds in brass which seem ideal for the job, and just add the buddliea heads afterwards. So here goes. The buddliea heads were trimmed from an old Hornby plastic branch leaves mold. Painted pink whilst in situ, and later cropped off and added with a dab of glue. I'm quite pleased with these - so hopefully the beech tree frets shouls look the business.

 

I have also got a brass fret of pond life! It was various reeds etc, and some palm type fronds that were rcommended for use as Cornish Palms. So Had better get my tweezers and strong coffee on standby and get making!

 

Photos will follow on....

Edited August 15, 2012 by winterbournecm

[marc smith]

I have been studying railway photos, and scenes in Cornwall particularly, and want to replicate two common plants. One is the abundant Buddliea which is also known as fire weed. This quickly establishes itself in railway ballast, embankments etc.. and has taken over St Blazey Yard as seen in this recent view.

 

Photos will follow on....

 

Budlea is not often modelled, I agree

and I think it would look really nice, if well modelled

 

I tend to notice Budlea aside railway lines lately,

but I'm not convinced I noticed it so much, back in my youth...

It could of course be that I just didn't see it

 

Certain other plants, notably rhododendrons, have become more prolific in some areas,

and I wondered whether this was the case with budlea too?

Or have these plants become more resistant to weedkiller?

 

Of course, this would only be relevant when modelling in the past,

.... but it's an interesting point

 

Let us know how you get on

pics please

 

Cheers

[winterbournecm]

Hi Marc

 

Thanks for your thoughts. I think the railway has become overgrown beyond belief over the last 10 /15 years. There simply isnt the staff to attend to such matters anymore. Some locations that were photographers delights years ago have simply become an avenue of trees. The Parkandilack branch is a vertual no-go these days lineside wise.

 

The yards, sidings and embankments havent been trimmed for years and therefore what were small plants (buddliea, rhododendron etc) have become tree size.

 

My layout is set 1979 to 1989 so I will keep the plants in mind when applying them! The photos should be updated tomorrow.

[Oldddudders]

I think there has also been a reduction in strength (for want of a better measure!) of weedkiller in use, pursuant no doubt to increased legislation in this area. No longer do NR use the Desperate Dan brand. [The comic strip hero (?) mixed every substance known to man, such that after applying it even the telegraph pole wilted!]

[winterbournecm]

You're right Ian, I remember working with a chap on the weedkiller train when class 20s were used. he had a sore throat throughout the entire season. I notice the MPV vehicles simply spray downwards onto the trackwork, whereas if I recall, the trains had staff spraying the track, lineside and anyone who got in the way with "guns". Perhaps the old trains sprayed the lineside better, and had a stronger brew on board!

[Oldddudders]

You're right Ian, I remember working with a chap on the weedkiller train when class 20s were used. he had a sore throat throughout the entire season. I notice the MPV vehicles simply spray downwards onto the trackwork, whereas if I recall, the trains had staff spraying the track, lineside and anyone who got in the way with "guns". Perhaps the old trains sprayed the lineside better, and had a stronger brew on board!

I think I've posted before about the new Operating Officer on the Central in 1969, spending a day out with the Divisional Inspector, and they were trackwalking somewhere near Chichester. They spotted a train approaching, and the Inspector quickly climbed up onto the top of the bank, while the OO stood safely in the cess - only to be covered in weedkiller! "You knew that was going to happen, mister!" said the OO, although he did in fact turn out to be a fair man who could take a joke.

[ess1uk]

it is definatly getting more overgrown in the last 20 plus years for what ever reason.

good luck with the plants Craig, i'm sure they will be up to your high standard as ever.

[winterbournecm]

Thanks Martin - gulp - no pressure then!

 

Here are some pictures from today of the frets being worked on.

 

The Hornby mold which will suplly the buddliea "heads"

 

 

The frets of Beech trees from Scalelink

 

 

The frets having been extracted and gently teased into shape ready for gluing and spraying. I'm doing some 2D - against walls etc, and some 3D.

 

 

The palm tree frets having been gently cut out and "rounded" ready for attaching to the trunks (in the background).

 

The first layer of palm tree frets, approx 3/4 layers will make up a head.

 

Im wondering whether to glue them together first then spray - or vice versa...

[winterbournecm]

Stage two - Buddliea watch!

 

The various branches have been tweaked into a horizontal fashion, and gently teased apart to give that splayed look the branches have out & about. They have a central stem which should be set in the ground once completed. I realise Buddliea has many stalks sprouting out from the ground, but a thick bush just looks like a tree anyway!

 

They have been glued together with Wilkos contact adhesive, and need to entre the spary booth now - when it stops raining!

 

 

 

[winterbournecm]

Have started to put the palms together. Using 4 layers of leaves separated with a small "washer" in between which is plasticard with a small hole in the centre. They will need separating slight;y when done - but pleased with the prototype!

 

 

[Brian D]

Hi Craig,

This is a fantastic model railway system and you have obviously devoted many, many hours of work to bring it to such a high standard.

However, I have a tiny gripe as a (retired) Charted Structural Engineer with some experience of bridges. There is a bridge which appears in your photos and videos which is lacking a central support. It appears to be a two span bridge spliced together to make one span without benefit of a support in the centre. I have taken the liberty of photo shopping one of your pics to show the missing supports (red arrows). A steel braced trestle would be best provided at mid span to prevent the bridge deck collapsing under imposed (highway) loading at the position of these arrows but this position may block one of the tracks beneath. You may need therefore to consider a replacement bridge deck, perhaps another girder type bridge.

You are not alone in duplicating this error of splicing two (Wills or Peco?) girders together to double the span - I have seen it done countless times on other layouts and it always jars with my professional eye, sadly.

I hope therefore that you are not overly offended by my comments because in all other respects this is a marvellously scenic and complex layout which must give you and your operating team great pleasure.

Regards and apologies again if you think my comments unwanted.

Regards,

Brian.

[winterbournecm]

Hi Brian

 

No offence taken, thanks for the detailed explanation. I would have the bulldoze the down main to accommodate at support, so may look into some alternative bridge sides in the future. I welcome any comments as I want to make things as realistic as possible, scale etc permitting.

[winterbournecm]

The first of the offerings have been sprayed and painted with acrylics. Here is a palm tree in situ and a buddliea set into a buffer stop.

 

 

[Jack00]

Palm-trees are very "Cornish railway station-esc" a great small detail that has changed the appearance of the platform. Looks fantastic.

And the Buddliea's fit in really well, amazing what I spot of paint does to brass etching.

 

It really reminds me of penzance on a summer Saturday. Cross-country spoons and London bound hoovers.

Living the dream

 

Jack.

[Oldddudders]

Palm-trees are very "Cornish railway station-esc" a great small detail that has changed the appearance of the platform. Looks fantastic.

And the Buddliea's fit in really well, amazing what I spot of paint does to brass etching.

I think there might have been a Cornish palm on the down platform at Par in my yoof. It must have stood near a sign saying "Change for Carlyon Bay Hotel" or some such wording. Craig has certainly hit the target with these items - very good indeed!

[Removed a/c]

They both look really great.

[winterbournecm]

The hard work done - the fun part of positioning the bushes. I only need another 20 or 30 for them to be visible.

 

 

 

 

Have a shift at St Blazey tomorrow - so time to make up more palm trees. It's a hard life!!

[2ManySpams]

Very nice Craig, although I bet sometime you wish you'd never started!

[winterbournecm]

I know what you mean Chris. It's nice to have a go at something different though, specially something local. You'd identify with that SURELY!

 

Once I've made a prototype - I'm on a roll.

[winterbournecm]

Here are the palm trees spread across the platforms, and they really "frame" the trains as they run in or depart. Hopefully they add to the look of the Riviera Resort I wanted to create.

 

50004 arrives with a Cross-Country service

 

47083 Orion with a Bristol bound service.