Sandy Hill layout in Cornwall. BR blue 00 gauge

[Captain Kernow]

Tea leaves sounds good. I picked up some "green-scene" fine brown flock today at the Carn Brea exhibition, I'll have a play around I think...

Craig - have a try with some moss as well - plenty on my lawn if you need any - naturally growing things often look good in miniature.

 

The harbour scene is pure delight and very well observed!

[Coombe Barton]

Just dug out some seaweed stuiff from when we used to run field trips - http://www.carolscornwall.com/On%20the%20Beach/seaweed.html and http://www.pznow.co.uk/marine/seaweed.html - the kids on the trips loved the identification while the geologists could get on with the geology.

[winterbournecm]

Well guys, all the experiments and thinking done - today I started adding the resin. The house now stinks and I'm in the doghouse bigtime! Lets hope it's worth it. The first layer is only about 3mm deep and allows me to spread the resin lightly over the required area. I have added the bron flock as seaweed beneath, and quite pleased with the result. Some may be just visible on the surface when it's complete.

 

Here's the first stage, like a millpond.

 

After an hour, some movement added with sweeps of an OLD paintbrush.

 

The postal rumbles over the viaduct headed by 47083

[2ManySpams]

Craig

 

I think that brown seaweed will look the dog's after another thin layer of varnish on top just to get it all 99% below the surface. Good work chap. Just need some sandcastles on the beach and perhaps some coarser material on the beach closer to the wall..... oh and a few pipes jutting out of the sea wall

[2ManySpams]

ps, have a look at the seaweed in this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/5555-sutton-dock/page__st__25

[winterbournecm]

Thanks Chris, I'm going to go gently with the layers. The beach "furniture" will be a finishing touch, once I'm certain that the sand level is complete - I dont want the resin higher than the sand! That would look very odd! It will no doubt feature some Noch figures - no the too rude ones though, theres the little ones to consider...

[2ManySpams]

A character with a stripy bathing suit perhaps or an old couple in deck chairs complete with knotted hankies! Have you thought about embedding a figures legs in the resin? Could have them walking in / out of the sea.

[winterbournecm]

I was going to add some comedy moments - like a shark fin sticking out & frantic bathers, Jaws style.... Oh and the Noch topless ladies volley ball team over by the Sloop:rolleyes: . Added some white froth on top of the first layer last night. It doesnt seem to have set solid as well, maybe need more hardener in batch 2. Oh and the missus and kids are moaning about the pong....

 

 

[winterbournecm]

The second (and final) coat of resin went on today. I have found it falls fairly flat - no matter how much teasing up with a brush you do. I didnt much movement anyway, just a peaceful inlet. I found that by gently sprinkling in some white powder paint into the resin when nearly set, it gave the water a look of froth or movement.

 

I've just got to bring up the sand levels on the beach now, and decorate the shoreline, and it's done (at last)

 

 

The seweed is now submerged and some relief added to the surface

 

The water swirling around the viaduct piers

[Wummyock]

Superb water!!!!The "seaweed" looks great just like that large kelp(?) you see floating near the surface.

[Kris]

That water is looking very nice.

[2ManySpams]

Smashing Craig. Now what about those sandcastles.....

[winterbournecm]

Things been a bit quiet modelling wise. Managed to make up some Sea-moss trees during a VERY quiet shift at St Blazey. They are a bargain for creating a forrest area, or wood.

 

 

I cut the trees to shape, and removed the longer stalks, then painted the "trunk" a concrete colour (brown looks false). Once the paint has dried, gently brushed the trees in a dish of PVA glue and then sprinkle flock onto them. This takes some time so dont rush it. Then hang-em to dry.

 

You may notice a novel use of the wifes smalls dryer from the washing line, and some eagle eyed signal enthusiasts may notice lever collars being employed to keep some smaller trees upright!

 

 

 

[winterbournecm]

Had some fun messing around with a flat wagon containing my HTC camera phone and a class 37 propelling it. Here is the resulting passenger's view of a trip around the scenic part of the layout. Luckily it fitted under the various bridges etc...

 

 

Hope you like it. Plenty on shed to spot....

[2ManySpams]

Not allowed Youtube on this PC but it sounds like the device that Peter placed on a flat to film DitD.

[winterbournecm]

OK Chris, I'll check it out. Hope you dont mind me pinching your idea for drying the trees from a washing line!!

 

On 3 nights at BZ at the moment. Lots of 6Wxx's going up & down the branch 66s top & tailed with 1000 tonnes behind them - would look great on D ITD once the Autoballaster sets comer out - or a touch too modern for you??

 

Cheers Craig

[marc smith]

Like the different tones in the water.

Looks just like seaweed to me!

Fab stuff, nice buildings too!

 

Marc

[2ManySpams]

OK Chris, I'll check it out. Hope you dont mind me pinching your idea for drying the trees from a washing line!!

 

On 3 nights at BZ at the moment. Lots of 6Wxx's going up & down the branch 66s top & tailed with 1000 tonnes behind them - would look great on D ITD once the Autoballaster sets comer out - or a touch too modern for you??

 

Cheers Craig

 

Most things past 1965 are too modern for me! If only i knew what a 6Wxx was Now Bulleid Spam Cans, that's another story!

 

What i meant to say earlier about the sea moss trees is that you may find over time they are prone to damage as they are quite brittle. I've been retro fiting bionics the the DitD ones. If you get some .03"(?) brass wire lengths you'll find that it can be inserted up the main 'trunk' and this strengthens the tree - it bends rather than snaps. Some sea moss lengths have internal joins which stop the wire passing in this case i cut through the trunk as far as the wire has got and drill up the trunk past the obstruction and then thread it back on to the wire. A bit like threading beads onto string. Each section is then superglued onto the brass wire. If i were doing the trees again i'd do this after the initial soak but before painting and greening. I suppose this method could be used to create hybrid trees from sections of numerous bits of sea moss.

[winterbournecm]

Good idea. Sorry a 6Wxx is a ballast train. The xx refers to the train number, so 6W24, 6W25, 6W26 would be all 6Wxx's. The Western region ballast trains are generally headcoded W, except the High output trains which are usually Y's. Er confusing isn't it?

[Gwiwer]

Good idea. Sorry a 6Wxx is a ballast train. The xx refers to the train number, so 6W24, 6W25, 6W26 would be all 6Wxx's. The Western region ballast trains are generally headcoded W, except the High output trains which are usually Y's. Er confusing isn't it?

 

I guess the days are long gone when WR trains had to use "V" because "W" wouldn't fit on the roller-blind Backalong they might have been 6V24 etc .....

[winterbournecm]

Hi Rick

Headcodes have become much more varied in the past few years, particularly for Engineers traffic. The main problem with using letters years ago was the old telephone dial train describers in the boxes. There was only 0 - 9 numbers so therefore only 10 letters available. From memeory they were A, B, C, E, F, M, O, V, X, Z. Once keyboards came into use, the whole alphabet was freed up.

 

Tampers now are J's and each machine has its own identity, so 6J45 will be allocated to a certain machine, and stay with it. The exception are non-reliable Tampers that dont activate track-circuits. These are still 6Z09, 7Z09. Signallers have to deal with thses moves differently.

 

Engineers trips were 6Txx until relatively recently (T for tripper I suppose), But the Western tends to use W nowadays. Ys apply for the high output trains.

 

I'm still amused that everything down the Lickey bank to poor old Gloucester panel is still a V after all these years, the inter-regional headcoses dont seem to have altered much.

[Gwiwer]

I was escorted around Salisbury a few weeks ago by a certain member of this parish and heard all manner of unfamiliar train descriptions. Backalong almost everything through there was 1V, 1O, 6V or 6O. The SR internal workings had 4-digit codes but always displayed their SR 2-digit ones (62, 66 or 75 covered most of them).

 

"One oh eleven" is apparently now "One Oscar One One" by way of example. The telephone greeting which used to be used by (at least) one gentleman in Salisbury West box, namely "Yeah bud?" has been superseded by "Signaller - Salisbury".

 

N was used under the old "10-option" system for ER trains towards Newcastle and towards Norwich and any inter-regional to the ScR used S so you can add those to the list.

 

7Z09

Accompanied in the STN by the stern warning in bold type that "This machine cannot be relied upon to actuate track circuits ..... "

[2ManySpams]

Craig - thought you might like this website for sea / wave inspiration My link. I was gobsmacked! Have a look at his buildings too..

[Kris]

Like the idea for the mass production of trees. Is that just PVA that you are dipping them in?

[winterbournecm]

Hi again,

 

Goodness - they look excellent. I was planning to get a small tub of liquitex just to add some gentle movement, I dont think I'll go for much in the way of waves, as they will be static.

 

As fir the trees, Kris - yes it given a gentle roll all over in a tray of PVA, then a small paintbrush is used to dab the inner reaches of "buds" that dont see any glue. Then the sprinkling starts (the best bit). It's super to see a tree come to life. (Perhaps i should get out more)!