Distillery yard micro layout - back out on the exhibition circuit

[1722]

6 hours ago, luke the train spotter said:

I should probably stop buying and building stock

But building stock is great fun! 

 

Excellent work, Luke. 

[luke the train spotter]

50 minutes ago, sb67 said:

Were they ready made washes Luke or did you use water to thin the paint? I've struggled with acrylic washes finding they dont flow as well as an enamel wash.

They are ready made washes and look like these: (picture pinched from Google). I've had the flowing problem with acrylic washes I've made up myself in the past especially over plastic but these ones don't seem to have that problem. Something also important to note is how they don't really smell of white spirit or any harsh thinner which is important in my house since my family like to moan when I stink the place out with fumes. 

[Sweet pea]

Luke nice work weathering your new wagons.

[johna]

Layout is looking great Luke. May I ask what make and colours have you used for the various grasses on the layout?

Cheers

[luke the train spotter]

11 hours ago, johna said:

Layout is looking great Luke. May I ask what make and colours have you used for the various grasses on the layout?

Cheers

Thanks Johna. The original grass was Polak stuff but the grass I used to re-do the layout is woodland scenics 7mm medium green, 7mm light green and 4mm dark green mixed together to get a variety of lengths and colours. Id really recommend the woodland scenics grass though, it is a little more pricey compared to javis and peco but the colours are so much more realistic.

[johna]

9 hours ago, luke the train spotter said:

Thanks Johna. The original grass was Polak stuff but the grass I used to re-do the layout is woodland scenics 7mm medium green, 7mm light green and 4mm dark green mixed together to get a variety of lengths and colours. Id really recommend the woodland scenics grass though, it is a little more pricey compared to javis and peco but the colours are so much more realistic.

Many thanks Luke for your reply. I will get some grass ordered tomorrow.

[sb67]

23 hours ago, luke the train spotter said:

They are ready made washes and look like these: (picture pinched from Google). I've had the flowing problem with acrylic washes I've made up myself in the past especially ovaer plastic but these ones don't seem to have that problem. Something also important to note is how they don't really smell of white spirit or any harsh thinner which is important in my house since my family like to moan when I stink the place out with fumes. 

 

Thanks Luke, I know what you mean about the smell, I'd like to move on to using acrylics too.

[luke the train spotter]

So though the layout hasn't really had any work done on it I still like to run it. I thought doing a running session in a British pathe 1960s documentary style could be fun so here you go (think I need to work on my British accent but I'm sure I'll do more of these)

 

[AireValley1962]

2 hours ago, luke the train spotter said:

So though the layout hasn't really had any work done on it I still like to run it. I thought doing a running session in a British pathe 1960s documentary style could be fun so here you go (think I need to work on my British accent but I'm sure I'll do more of these)

 

 

Very cleverly done, Luke! I quite like that idea. Nice and smooth running too.

 

Cheers,

Will

[sb67]

Great video Luke, it gives a nice idea of how you operate the layout too.

[MAP66]

I say Luke, just watched the video - Absolutely spiffing commentary and running session. Good show old bean, looking forward to more of these.

Very informative and enjoyable watching the shunting movements.

 

All the best

Mark

[Sweet pea]

A great video Luke with some nice smooth operations.

[luke the train spotter]

Just been playing around with a few ideas of future projects now that Cronton is nearly finished and the idea of an inglenook popped into my head. So when I was originally designing Distillery Yard I did design it so that it could be operated as an inglenook shunting puzzle as a 3-2-2 variant rather than the larger more common 5-3-3 variant. For this I use the fiddle yard loop as the headshunt and then the distillery siding, scenic headshunt and run around loop as the 3 sidings. I was impressed by the enjoyment I got from completing the different shunt puzzles and think I will take this concept and apply it to a layout I will build and take to uni later on this year hopefully. That's all very nice but some pictures are in order! The ruston was in charge today and I just can't get enough of this loco. I may accidentally purchase one of the distillery Queen Anne versions some time since they're going cheap at the moment. 

[sb67]

The Ruston certainly looks at home there. What sort of ideas do you have for the next project Luke?

[Sweet pea]

Luke I agree with Steve about the Ruston looking at home on your layout. I’m ordering the distillery Queen Anne version this week to use on my little diorama.

[luke the train spotter]

5 hours ago, sb67 said:

The Ruston certainly looks at home there. What sort of ideas do you have for the next project Luke?

So I've got a couple IKEA knagglig crates knocking about and I'd also like to take a small layout to uni. Currently I've got some sketches drawn up for a small 3-2-2 Inglenook based on part of the internal Distillery system as well as the Distillery engine sheds though that has less operating potential. All ideas in the works bit first I've got a diorama competition entry to design and build!

[sb67]

7 hours ago, luke the train spotter said:

So I've got a couple IKEA knagglig crates knocking about and I'd also like to take a small layout to uni. Currently I've got some sketches drawn up for a small 3-2-2 Inglenook based on part of the internal Distillery system as well as the Distillery engine sheds though that has less operating potential. All ideas in the works bit first I've got a diorama competition entry to design and build!

 

Sounds like you've a bit to keep you busy, I shall look forward to seeing any progress. 

[luke the train spotter]

Well doesn't time fly! This layout was invited to the 2022 Ebor model railway exhibition (due to be held in February) but was postponed to the 2/3rd July which are dates fast approaching! For those interested in attending here is a link to all the details:

 

https://ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/23684-EborGroupofRailwayModellers_Exhibition

 

It's a really fantastic little show with  great atmosphere, layouts and second hand stall. It's quite exciting for me since this will be my first exhibition exhibiting at since pre-covid too so a show I'm very much looking forward to. But distillery yard needs some work doing to it first! A couple things on the job list include sorting out and fitting a new layout name board, brighter and better lighting, repainting the fascia and extending the scenery into the fiddle yard to give the impression of a much larger system. 

 

I have started the later today by building a foam board extension of the bridge (currently removable so I can scribe the stones into it), building up the landscaping and ballasting. Nothing too serious just to create a nicer backdrop for viewing than looking directly into rows of stock. 

 

I hope to share more photos of the scenery developing so you can see the difference it makes.