Orchard Road TMD - BR Blue - The Story Continues

[marc smith]

Hi Richard,

 

Really impressed and pleased with the way this layout is evolving!

 

It's looking better & better.

I think the telegraph poles look fine.

I'm sure they are / were different heights.

Come to think of it, they would have to be, when placed on or near an embankment,

or the road near an overbridge etc etc....

 

I think you've made a great job of painting them - the colour looks very natural.

Also, I think the sky looks 100% better. The clouds again look natural and subdued.

Nice details too - plenty of carefully observed, carefully placed detail.

 

Keep up the excellent work

 

Marc

[Waverley West]

Hi Richard,

 

Just been looking through this thread for the first time in a while. Your progress is very impressive. I love the subtle colouring and the general "real" feel about the layout. Nothing is overdone, which is great.

 

I was wondering what static grass mixes you have used? I've looked through the thread but I couldn't find any mention of the actual types/makes you use anywhere, apologies if I have missed it. I'm looking to use static grass on my layout and I like the look and colouring of yours.

 

Cheers,

Dave

[mudmagnet]

Hi Richard,

 

Just been looking through this thread for the first time in a while. Your progress is very impressive. I love the subtle colouring and the general "real" feel about the layout. Nothing is overdone, which is great.

 

I was wondering what static grass mixes you have used? I've looked through the thread but I couldn't find any mention of the actual types/makes you use anywhere, apologies if I have missed it. I'm looking to use static grass on my layout and I like the look and colouring of yours.

 

Cheers,

Dave

 

 

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for your comments.

 

I still plan to add a few bits and pieces, as noted elsewhere in the thread, but will not overdo anything. I've wanted to keep the 'open' and 'unclutered' feel to the layout.

 

Unfortunately, at the moment I can't remember which grasses were used. I took the layout down to Darren01 (see 'Torrington') and used his Grassmaster and some of the grass that he had, which were all from Miniflor supplied by International Models. I think that the first application was 4mm spring grass (or something similar) and then a lighter application of 6mm summer grass (which is the lighter green, almost light brown), this being applied lightly over the top of the previously applied green. I will speak to Darren and find out what was used - I know that he has ordered some more for Torrington so hopefully should be able to let you know.

 

Richard

[mudmagnet]

Hi Richard,

 

Really impressed and pleased with the way this layout is evolving!

 

It's looking better & better.

I think the telegraph poles look fine.

I'm sure they are / were different heights.

Come to think of it, they would have to be, when placed on or near an embankment,

or the road near an overbridge etc etc....

 

I think you've made a great job of painting them - the colour looks very natural.

Also, I think the sky looks 100% better. The clouds again look natural and subdued.

Nice details too - plenty of carefully observed, carefully placed detail.

 

Keep up the excellent work

 

 

Marc

 

Hi Marc,

 

Thanks for comments. I think a lot of what you see is down to observation of the real thing - there are plenty of places where inspiration can be seen. Also, I try and model what I see and not what 'I think I see'. It's easy to overdo things, so restraint at all times. I also place items long before glueing in position and have a look from various angles. I have also placed items, left them there for a few days and come back and have another look - sometimes deciding to move! Also, taking photos is a good way (even easy with digital photography) and having a look on the computer screen (sometimes getting SWMBO to have a look for her comments!) - the camera never lies and certainly can highlight any problems!

 

Richard

[mudmagnet]

Hi

 

Just a minor update to report. There is not that much to add to Orchard Road - except for two 'major' tasks on the scenic side - one being the pipe work for the fuel offloading to tanks and two the interior of the main shed.

 

However, I have finished making 4 skips from 20thou plasticard and a few strips, which have now been painted - see photos. I will only use two on the layout and the other two will be used on a future project. I find that it is just as well to make more parts than needed just in case one or two do not turn out too well (or up to standard). I made 5 in total, but one was destined for the bin! Two have therefore been placed on the layout - yet to be glued down and contents added.

 

The skips have been painted with acrylic, hand lettered (as you can tell) using a fine nibbed marker pen (the type for writing on plastics / glass / CDs etc) and then weathered by drybrushing a little rust (two colours) and highlighting the edges with grey. A little black was washed in to create some dirt and shadows. Finally, a little rust weathering powder was added.

 

Richard

[darren01]

Hi Mudmagnet

Them skips came out very well , look just right!.

Love the uncared for look to them , and i bet they where fun to make ,and a lot cheaper.

This layout gets better and better, and is going to be a joy to look at .

Keep up the good work

All the best

Darren

[mudmagnet]

Hi, not very much time spend modelling for Orchard Road and have only made a few ballast bins (one to be added here) and painted a couple of figures (again yet to be added). I need to get some more figures suitable for the period being modelled, but can mostly only find those suitable for steam era or modern image. There does not seem to be many suitable for late 70's / early 80's, long before the H&S brigade starting dictating hi-viz jackets and the like! Still the search goes on and will start added a few later.

 

I have, however, added a few more oil spills, but not sure how well these show up in the photos.

 

I have been 'playing', which makes a change and have added a few photos, this time with the lights on, I think that all of my previous photos do not have any lights on!

[mudmagnet]

Just a few more photos, inlcuding a visit from 33017 (a much modified and detailed Lima 33, which yet needs a decoder fitted and to change the wheels to finescale).

[mudmagnet]

Another one!

[binesrail]

These are some stunning shots Richard!!! JUST LOVE THEM! your modelling is just so realalistic! how long did these take you to tern out? and did you use any photoshopy stuff?

 

Keep up the great work!

 

Chris

[mudmagnet]

These are some stunning shots Richard!!! JUST LOVE THEM! your modelling is just so realalistic! how long did these take you to tern out? and did you use any photoshopy stuff?

 

Keep up the great work!

 

Chris

 

Hi Chris,

 

Many thanks for your comments. I was never entirely happy with the photos shown previously and usually taken a bit too quickly - i.e. graB the camera and use on automatic (the cheats way I know!) However, these were taken today, athough late this afternoon so the light not so good. I used my tripod (which had been put in a safe place, but now found) and set my digital SLR on the tripod. Then rather than using the auto-setting, selected manual mode - aperture priority and closed the shutter to f29, depress the button and wait. Exposure varied from 4 to 8 seconds. By using the small aperture and long exposure the depth of field is increased. Takes slightly longer to set up, but gives much improved results! Once copied onto the computer, a few were cropped and then reduced to 800 pixels to bring the file size down from about 1.4mb to about 190kb! No further modifications or tweaks on the computer!

 

Richard

[mudmagnet]

Hi

 

Not much to report, but after my son wanting to run some trains today, the opportunity was taken to add a few more photos. The Grampus wagons are detailed Parkside Dundas kits following an article in the Railway Modeller a few years ago, with a Hornby Shark.

 

I've not been idle on the modelling front though and have been working a new 'layout' which will have its own thread at some point in the future when a little further progress has been made.

[Hugh Flynn]

hi

very nice layout,plenty of detail and i like the factory at the end beside the depot

it just looks right.

well done

hugh

[darren01]

HI Mudmagnet

Just love the way this layout is comming on ,top bit of work you have done.

The photo of the 47 behind the trees looks amazing, reminds me of the days bunking sheds and seeing your first train of the day.

Keep up the good work

All the very best

Darren

[DLT]

Hi Mudders,

 

Looking great, love the latest photos.

 

Dave.

[31A Driver]

Cracking layout here Richard. Uncluttered, and looks bigger than its size would suggest.

 

Particularly like your weathered '47, I will have to pluck up the courage to start treating my locomotives.

 

Nicely constructed buildings and the scenery complements the "business side" well.

 

Andy

[mudmagnet]

Hi Andy and Hugh

Many thanks for your comments. I think as has been mentioned before, I've attempted to obtain an uncluttered feel to the layout - the whole layout is only 8 feet long, less about 18" beyond the bridge for the fiddle yard (which needs to be extended for exhibition use). There are a few small details and a bit of discarded junk to add, but will be done over a period of time and will be carefully considered before gluing down. I have learned through experience, that often it is best to add details 'dry', study their positions from various angles, photograph and then come back to is a few days (or weeks) before finally deciding where they are glued.

The factory / industry building at the end is complete, but I may add a chimney at the end into the corner to disguise the sharp corner a bit. A curved backscene may well have been a better solution, but perhaps on the next layout.

 

I have been working on the pipe work and valves from the fuel offloading area, but will not finish for a while and will post some photos when finished.

 

I like to see all of my rolling stock weathered to some degree. Thanks for comments on weathering on the class 47. There are plenty of good examples on RMWeb for weathering of locos and not particularily difficult - the most important rule that I follow is that copy the real thing - i.e. find photos of the loco that you want to weather and use this as a guide.

 

Richard

[marc smith]

Hi Marc,

 

Thanks for comments. I think a lot of what you see is down to observation of the real thing.....Also, I try and model what I see and not what 'I think I see'.....I also place items long before glueing in position and have a look from various angles. I have also placed items, left them there for a few days and come back and have another look.....

 

Richard

 

Hi Richard,

 

Spot on, these are some of the things I also do.

Even when you've planned an object to fit into a particular space -

it's prudent to check it there, visually, before glueing down!

 

As for getting SWMBO to have a look + make comment....

....my partner may well just say

"Not another railway!"

 

Looking good Rich....

Marc

P.S. Can you squeeze it into your backpack when you come down to the Taunton show?

[mudmagnet]

 

As for getting SWMBO to have a look + make comment....

....my partner may well just say

"Not another railway!"

 

Looking good Rich....

Marc

P.S. Can you squeeze it into your backpack when you come down to the Taunton show?

 

Hi Marc,

Yes, my SWMBO often says to me 'not another layout' or 'not more railway stuff' :lol:

 

As far as getting into my backpack - could a bit of problem there!! Perhaps if I get to some more shows, you will be able to see the layout in the flesh! I will have a chat at the Taunton show.

 

Richard

[marc smith]

Hi Marc,

Yes, my SWMBO often says to me 'not another layout' or 'not more railway stuff' :lol:

 

As far as getting into my backpack - could a bit of problem there!! Perhaps if I get to some more shows, you will be able to see the layout in the flesh! I will have a chat at the Taunton show.

 

Richard

 

Richard,

 

Would love to see Orchard Rd and Darrens Torrington in the flesh.

 

...Now if I could blag a bunking of each while I was down that way,

what a happy man I'd be....

 

....happier still if my SWMBO didn't notice all my train-stuff

 

Marc

[mudmagnet]

Hi,

 

I've not made any progress on the layout worth showing in photos, but have been working on a few things. There are still a few jobs to get sorted.

 

The layout has been moved from the shed to the garage, partly to create more space to work round the layout and partly because working in the garage is a little easier. I will also be able to finally built and fit the fiddle yard extension which I need following experience at the first exhibition. I will also be able to build the lighting frame and pelmet. Finally, I can get around all sides of the layout, which is not possible in the shed.

 

I need to replace the brickwork sheets on the shed and factory at the end of the layout, as these have severely faded - I think due to the photo paper not being best suited to my printer ink (I use an HP printer with HP ink and probably should use HP photo paper - I used a cheaper alternative). So now have the 'fun' job of removing the paper and replacing - complicated by the fact that the buildings are glued down, although the factory should come out with a little bit of assistance. The shed, however, is firmly fixed!

 

Following this work, I still have the pipe work to add from the fuel off-loading to the fuel storage tanks. I did make a loading platform, but when placed on the layout during building, it just looked too large, so will need to make something much smaller.

 

I have, however, been working on other projects - a couple of Cambrian Mermaid wagon kits, now sprayed black (using Warhammer Citadel chaos black aerosol - which has given a very good finish), ready for decal application and weathering. I will post photos here when finished. Next wagons to follow will be a couple of Cambrian Dogfish wagons. I have also been making a couple of buildings for the new club layout - a signal box and station building and will post photos separately later.

[mudmagnet]

Hi

 

I hoping to be able to post a few photos tomorrow, but have been working on a couple of changes to the layout. As mentioned previously, the factory bricks have been replaced by brick plasticard, all painted, weathered and now glued back into position. The brick base for the deopt need to be done next, but will need to wait until I can get some more brick plasticard (I can't get any from my local model shop), so will wait now until I go to Warley at the weekend. A start has been made to the pipe work from the fuel off-loading to the storage tanks and plan to weather these parts and bed into the scenery.

[mudmagnet]

Hi

 

I have attached a photo showing the two loaded skips, now glued in position. One has a couple pieces of corrugated sheeting and a few bits of wood. The other has been loaded with scrap iron of various shapes (plates, tubes, angle etc), plus an old oil drum. The wood peices being cut from some strip wood and lightly stained using Citadel / Games Workshop washes. Everything else has been cut from offcuts of plasticard or Evergreen angle or tubing / rodding. These have been painted grey, then drybrushed with various 'rust' shades - all acrylic or Citadel paints.

[mudmagnet]

With the layout now re-located to the garage from the shed, I can now get to other end of the layout, thus giving more photo angles. I have attached a couple of views below. Please enjoy and let me have your comments.The last view is taken from the bridge.

[mudmagnet]

Finally for now, a photo recently found in an a collection, taken by a local trainspotter, circa 1979 .........