Dig For Victory

[Nostalgia]

Having just completed my first model railway scene Halcyon Days , which I have entered for the Cakebox Challenge , it has given me inspiration to enter another scene which I have entitled 'Dig for Victory'.

I have always fancied the idea of making a model allotment so I thought I would go back to the days of the 2nd World War where I believe lineside allotments were common place , even alongside signal boxes - these of course were inspired by the various railway posters which I have also included in my layout .

The base of course is an 8" x8" cake base which was first painted a brown/ green base colour and the track was added(glued down with super glue) painted with Humbrol rust colour and then ballast added . I then added the static grass and raised beds for the crops . The man gardener is a Dapol engine driver and I used the inner part of some cardboard to make the raised potato beds and applied brown scatter material for the earth effect . The runner bean poles are made from the bristles of a broom .

The signal box is the new Metcalfe model ,complete with inside detail , which I bought from the recent Warley model railway show . Fencing is from Ratio , and the hedges are made from a type of 'scourer' which I cut to shape applied adhesive and then the green scatter turf which makes quite a realistic hedge .

The railway posters were downloaded from the internet and add to give a nice 2nd World War feel to the scene as the signal man digs in the foreground . I added some small detail such as oil cans and fire buckets from Wills & Ratio and some old sun bleached planks of wood made from balsa wood .

[luke the train spotter]

Looks really good and nice use of the Dapol figure. What static grass did you use?

[Nostalgia]

Thank you for your comment . I bought the static grass about 3 years ago at the Warley ModelRailway Show and is the first time I have used it ; there is no label on the packet but I think it is 2 or 3mm spring/summer grass ...hope this helps!

[luke the train spotter]

Thank you for your comment . I bought the static grass about 3 years ago at the Warley ModelRailway Show and is the first time I have used it ; there is no label on the packet but I think it is 2 or 3mm spring/summer grass ...hope this helps!

That is very helpful. Do you have any idea on the make?

[Guest ShildonShunter]

I like this layout and the name of the layout the kit looks really good and the raised beds, great modelling.

[Nostalgia]

I like this layout and the name of the layout the kit looks really good and the raised beds, great modelling.

Thank you for your comments they are really encouraging as I have waited years to build a layout and this Cakebox Challenge has been an inspiration . I still need to blend in the edges of the Metcalfe signal box as they are a bit white where they meet ...so still lots to learn about railway modelling . Looking forward to starting another one soon !

[Andrew Cockburn]

Interesting and realistic, neat and well modelled. I have to admit, I'm quite tempted to try static grass, for it does look more convincing that using ordinary scatter material to represent grass. And just out of interest, what type of ballast did you use?

Edited April 2, 2018 by Andrew Cockburn

[Nostalgia]

Interesting and realistic, neat and well modelled. I have to admit, I'm quite tempted to try static grass, for it does look more convincing that using ordinary scatter material to represent grass. And just out of interest, what type of ballast did you use?

Thanks very much . Yes Static grass is not as difficult as it appears ...and I am far from being an expert ! Sorry I am not sure what type of ballast I used as as I have had it for years , bought in Antics I think .

[009 micro modeller]

Very nice - the plants and vegetables are very detailed.

[Nostalgia]

Very nice - the plants and vegetables are very detailed.

Thank you , yes I really enjoyed modelling the allotments especially the runner beans with bean poles which I think really sums up allotments/English gardens .