Gill Head: Kirkby Luneside's neighbour

[Physicsman]

16 hours ago, Andrew P said:

There's always the Garden with the Ellis Clark Black 5 on its way. 

https://www.ellisclarktrains.co.uk/collections/ellis-clark-trains-black-5

 

Very nice. DCC sound (smoke is of no interest to me) for around £1200.....

[Physicsman]

33 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Never mind the sunset, compare the wall to your model, you can see the surface texture well at this angle. I think you're being too modest!

 

 

Further up country and not too far from the S&C, this more sheltered spot has allowed a blanket of moss several inches thick to form. Not sure how I would model that!

 

 

 

 

Peter, Rob - again, thanks for the encouragement. Being self-critical is a useful trait, but can be taken too far. I'll be counting rivets next!

 

As for that mould. I think a mixture of WS Burnt Grass and Earth Fine Turf, in PVA, with a dominance of the former might get close to the colour and texture.

[Winslow Boy]

I was going to suggest diluted yogurt but on thinking about it your suggestion sounds more practicable.

[MrWolf]

33 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

I was going to suggest diluted yogurt but on thinking about it your suggestion sounds more practicable.

 

That's part of the process of making modern garden ornaments look like Victorian antiques.... So I heard...

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, MrWolf said:

 

That's part of the process of making modern garden ornaments look like Victorian antiques.... So I heard...

 

Yes I believe so.

[JustinDean]

The main thing that strikes me about Robs photo is how the walls appear different colors in each; grey on one and brown on the other. This is a constant ‘battle’ I have modelling a Peak District setting. 
 

PS. I think your new walls look great Jeff, but then I didn’t have an issue with the old ones! Hats off for having the patience mate. 
 

Jay 

[Physicsman]

28 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

The main thing that strikes me about Robs photo is how the walls appear different colors in each; grey on one and brown on the other. This is a constant ‘battle’ I have modelling a Peak District setting. 
 

PS. I think your new walls look great Jeff, but then I didn’t have an issue with the old ones! Hats off for having the patience mate. 
 

Jay 

 

Yes, Jay - the walling can look DRAMATICALLY different when taken from different angles and under continually varying lighting conditions.

 

I worried a lot about this when painting the DAS on the viaduct. But in the end I went for a "central" grey-coloured wash that meets most conditions.

 

As for the re-walling. Problem is - as you probably already know - that once you come up with an improved technique it renders a lot of previous stuff obsolete. For me, as will be the case in the Peak District, the walling is about the equal most important landscape "characteriser" (what a word, bet it doesn't exist!!) So if I'm not happy with that, I'm bu99ered!!

 

J.

 

 

[Physicsman]

7 hours ago, PeterBB said:

Seems like some responses above 'did not' but still amazed by the quality of your detail and the explanation (instructions) of how to do it.

 

Just keep "nagging" at me, Peter. It's amazing what rubbish I can spew out!! 

[Pteremy]

14 hours ago, Physicsman said:

 

I worried a lot about this when painting the DAS on the viaduct. But in the end I went for a "central" grey-coloured wash that meets most conditions.

 

 

I think that is why the overall effect is so good - on a model it allows the contrast in texture to show through more than a possibly more accurate darker colour would do. 

[Physicsman]

I've attached some pics to show what I'm currently doing, re-walling wise, on Gill Head.

 

The first pic shows the state of the wall/path/vegetation leading up to the viaduct, as of a week ago.

 

Since then the "old style" (6 months!) walling has been ripped out and new stuff is under construction. Each wall length is around 70cm and contains about 1400 stones. The present stage is without copings.

 

The phone had problems with the white balance owing to the proximity of so much "white" due to the DAS stones. I've jigged things a bit, but the problem will reduce once the walls are built and some washes added.

 

I'll say more about what's going on in a few days when further progress has been made. The trees and walling aren't fixed in place. Having spigots in each tree also makes it easier to move them about/replace them, should that option be required.

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Jeff,
I think you either need (another) PhD in the design, construction and application of model stone walling , with special reference to North Yorkshire and Cumbria, or to seek medical help...
 

[Rowsley17D]

Just been a a north-west show and a guy was modelling trees and had some for sale. Yours would have put them in the shade, as it were, if they had been side by side.

[Donw]

I haven't been keeping up lately Jeff so it is a big difference quite stunning. Your walls were the best I had seen on a model now you managing to top that. One thing we do know ( I say we because Marion is better than me at stone walling)  is that the walls are different according to the stone. Limestone will vary quite a lot.  Yours match the area I feel.

 

Don

 

 

[Physicsman]

3 hours ago, Rowsley17D said:

Just been a a north-west show and a guy was modelling trees and had some for sale. Yours would have put them in the shade, as it were, if they had been side by side.

 

1 hour ago, Donw said:

I haven't been keeping up lately Jeff so it is a big difference quite stunning. Your walls were the best I had seen on a model now you managing to top that. One thing we do know ( I say we because Marion is better than me at stone walling)  is that the walls are different according to the stone. Limestone will vary quite a lot.  Yours match the area I feel.

 

Don

 

 

 

Jonathan, Don - much appreciated comments on the trees and walls. And Jonathan, if you'd like one, I'll make you a "generic" tree and bring it with me when we head off up the S&C.

 

Let me know how tall you'd like it, to fit in with Derwent Spa. Up to, say, 12cm (30').

 

Don, I was always very pleased with the original walling (it dates back to the mists of time.....2013ish!!), and it gradually improved. However, putting a bit more effort in - and thanks to discussions with Jamie Warne and Steve Gibbons for inspiring me to do this - the new "product" is, I think, a step-up.

 

And btw, Don. Great to hear from you. I hope you've got your potential home move sorted.

 

I added over 400 coping stones to yesterday's walls and gave the DAS a quick "wash" over. It's started to bring out the wall detail and the pics are better balanced than last nights. So here are 3 "updates". By the middle of next week it should look a bit more "natural" and complete!

 

 

 

 

[Physicsman]

5 hours ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

Jeff,
I think you either need (another) PhD in the design, construction and application of model stone walling , with special reference to North Yorkshire and Cumbria, or to seek medical help...
 

 

Peter, the first suggestion is a very good one. Nuclear Physics and Model Walling. Contrasting specialisations!!

 

However, I think your latter comment is the more likely.....

[Peter Kazmierczak]

When I taught up in Derbyshire, I once took my class to the National Stone Centre; yes, there really is such a place.  I remember we had a crack at actually building a bit of (real) walling.

[PeterBB]

15 hours ago, Physicsman said:

 

 

 

 

 

All I can say to this is "Wow" - so realistic.

 

[Physicsman]

The copings on the path walls are now complete and the wall sections have been given another wash of paint and fixed in place.

 

The path will need re-doing as it was easier to alter the levels between the walls than trying to accommodate the existing levels. A gravel path of some sort will be added-in over the next few days....

 

First pic is a close-up of the walling, as requested by a couple of people.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by Physicsman

[Rowsley17D]

Thanks for wall close-up, Jeff. Finer stones and more courses. I get about 10 courses in places plus the coping stones which is, I guess, about the limit someone can do for a 4mm scale drystone wall. Unless there're completely bonkers, of course (see what I did there?)

[Physicsman]

Path installed (mix of medium/fine ballast and chinchilla sand), base coat of 2.5 and 1.5mm fibres added around it. Work in progress - the earthing nail will vanish when no longer needed!

 

 

 

[DeadRinger]

I always thought your walls were very realistic, but looking at your latest efforts I am blown away by the realism you are now achieving.  Carry on the good work.

DeadRinger

 

[Dragonboy]

Superb modelling Jeff. 
 

You could start your own business producing stones for others to use on their projects …………

 

looking at the section of wall which has sustained some damage, will you be adding some random stones around the area as I’m guessing in reality the area wouldn’t have been tidied until a 12” to the foot Jeff came in to repair the wall?
 

Brian

[MrWolf]

Not forgetting that in the real world when you come to repair such a wall you can never find all of the fallen stones, as if by some unwritten law of the cosmos at least twenty percent of them go missing.

 

[Physicsman]

Good observations, lads.

 

There'll be a post and plank section of wooden fencing across the rest of the gap - I'll post the prototype pic later. And quite a number of bits of wall debris scattered among the grass/vegetation that'll soon spring up in the area.

 

Off to make the fence poles now - as I used to the rear of the diorama. I'm on my tablet, will nip and put those prototype pics up so you can see what I'm aiming at.

[Physicsman]

The first pic pre-dates the second, so you can see that the gap in the wall has been repaired. However, I think a section of wooden fencing and a broken down wall provide additional features, so they'll be included.