Hill's Cross

[Oncomin5torm]

Still waiting on the tag strip to crack on with the wiring, so I have instead continued with building the fiddle yard exit over bridge.

 

 

They took a bit of fettling, as the pieces are not just for use on the bridge kits.
I used super glue to build the kit, other glues are available for resin but this also makes it a touch quicker to go together.

 

I've used vallejo acrylic paints to do the base tones, Mahogany for the brick, and the blue is Grey Blue, I will do a mortar wash when its all totally dry, and then weather it all down using enamel washes and then some drybrushing once all that is dry also.

At the moment its flush with the end board, give me your opinion, should I step it out slightly and create a small bridge scene, be it rail or other, or just leave it as it is flush with the end?

[sb67]

Very nice project and coming along nicely. I always admire the way some people can build a micro layout based on a real location or photo's. Something I wish I could do, looking forward to seeing the layout grow 👍

[Oncomin5torm]

I've been busy again.

Not much time to do much modelling coming up over the weekend due to my 2 weeks off coming to an end and i'm working again on sunday.
So whilst I was waiting for the tag strips to arrive, which they didnt, I made a start on the platform edging.

Using the Peco concrete platform edging I used previously on Windle Hill Ive built the basic framework of the edging.

 

The plan is to scratch build the warehouses directly onto the platform itself, to hopefully stop the dreaded unsightly gap from appearing under the buildings.

 

Each of the shorter platforms are able to hold a single mk1 or 2 CCT or short parcels vans if needed. The longer platform can comfortably house 2 mk1 but can also accommodate a 3rd, but it blocks the points slightly, so if a 3 coach train is on the platform the rest of the bays cannot be used.

 

 

Class 128 DPU in fetching royal mail livery sitting in the bay.
Got to say this is the 2nd Class 128 i've owned and I have never had an issue with them, flawless runners and superb units all round, previously had a BR Blue unit which went onto a different home when I moved my operating era.

[TechnicArrow]

As soon as you get the platforms in it really starts to take shape! It looks gr at with the coaching stock, especially that 128.

 

Personally, I'd give the wall/bridge at least a 10mm offset, if only to give that bit more depth under the bridge. You could also angle a portion, or maybe a slight gradient, just to break up what is otherwise quite a flat wall. Unless there's going to be buildings in front, in which case it's fine as it is. But if course it's your railway, di what feels best for you!

[Ragtag]

This one's right up my street, following with interest!

[Oncomin5torm]

8 hours ago, TechnicArrow said:

As soon as you get the platforms in it really starts to take shape! It looks gr at with the coaching stock, especially that 128.

 

Personally, I'd give the wall/bridge at least a 10mm offset, if only to give that bit more depth under the bridge. You could also angle a portion, or maybe a slight gradient, just to break up what is otherwise quite a flat wall. Unless there's going to be buildings in front, in which case it's fine as it is. But if course it's your railway, di what feels best for you!

 

I think it'll get angled now. 

Not loads but enough to give it less of a flat feel. 

 

I totally love 128s, I'd have another if I could. 

[Oncomin5torm]

A busy morning spent under the layout.

I have wired up the track after the tag strip board arrived in the post.

 

Its neater than my last few micros wiring, it may not be to everyone's standards but I am happy with what I have produced.

 

The keen eyed of you will notice the point motors have been removed, this is because I was discussing with a friend the option of going DCC with the point motors too, and to do that with the MP1 type I was using I would need to spend about £50 on another component which I do not really want to do, as that unit will control up to 8 single point motors, so a bit of a waste for a layout with 2 points.

My friend promptly offered me 2 of his DCC Concepts Cobalt Digital motors at a mates rates price, I snapped those suckers up.
They work off the dcc bus, and require no extra components to be assigned a dcc address for controlling them.

 

I guess the next step is to get started with the buildings, or maybe install the bridge, time will tell.

[Oncomin5torm]

No updates on the layout as I have taken a week or 2 off from any major modelling.

 

Buuuuut a little bit of new stock has arrived for the layout.

Bachmann Thomson BG Full break in BR blue.

 

Bachmann CCT in BR blue with TOPS code NOV

 

The Thomson BG is weathered, but not enough for me, so that's another project for the future. The CCT is the first bit of new stock i've bought in a long time, it was on offer at kernow.

[Oncomin5torm]

I put this job off for the last 2 weeks, as I was unsure how to do it and I was concerned about doing it wrong, so it taxed my modelling mojo.
I got a prod this morning from my girlfriend and another friend, this was the outcome.

 

Not a sight you'll see often after this point.

The underside of the platforms on Hill's Cross.

Peco concrete edging, mount board from the range and I have the platforms built

Using pieces of mount board leftover I have made supports to keep the platform level.

 

I am not installing it permanently until I have the buildings on the platform itself, this way wiring any lighting up will be a lot easier.

 

 

I'm back to enjoying this build, I'm still taking it slow and steady, march is a busy month so it'll be stealing a few hours every few days on the build until mid April.

[woodenhead]

35 minutes ago, Oncomin5torm said:

I got a prod this morning from my girlfriend and another friend, this was the outcome.

 

Whatever they prodded you with worked 🤣

[Oncomin5torm]

A bit of "new" stock to Hill's Cross. Class 37 429 "Eisteddfod Genedlaethol" in Regional Railways livery arrives.

 

This is a Bachmann loco I have kindly got off Cheadle Ridge, it is a dummy unit which is perfect for what I am after. I want to occasionally drag a loco into the siding at the front of the layout as if it has managed to limp along to the main station (not on scene) and then had a catastrophic engine failure. It will have a bit more weathering applied to indicate this, maybe only on one side to show an engine fire.

 

Also neatening up my wiring which goes from the DR5000 to the layout(s) I used to have 4 individual wires on the plug, now I have a 4 core wire which looks so much neater, and it helps my OCD haha

[Oncomin5torm]

No updates recently, I've been busy working and doing small bits of modelling when I can catch an hour or so.

 

I started the rear warehouse for the backscene elements, it will be the full length of the sidings and majority of the layout itself.

It will have a canopy across the front to help during the lovely British weather when unloading the mail and parcels.

 

All the windows and doors are from LCut Creative, I was a little unsure about the size of the doors as I was concerned they would be too small for the use of unloading parcels but as a friend of mine said they are fine as nothing that can go on a parcels coach would be too big to fit through the doors.

 

I am also building a larger 3 floor warehouse which has a set of offices at the top as well.

The intention is to have a bottom floor that has no windows, as its right at track level, then the big windows you can see and the smaller office window at the top.
Just waiting for some plasticard to start cladding these buildings. Whilst waiting I have started the process of weathering the platform edging, and the retaining wall.

 

As I did on Windle Hill I have used Humbrol enamel washes applied thickly and most of it removed with a kitchen roll.

This is just the first step in the weathering so it will have a lot more applied before the end, some of it done when scenery is applied.

I'm off to the Rainhill Exhibition tomorrow, going to see my first ever layout Oakford Lane, I sold it on a little while ago and it is having its first ever exhibition outing, with its new owner.

[Sweet pea]

The windows and doors I think are really nice from Lcut creative, I have used them in the past. Nice weathering on the platform edges.👍

[Oncomin5torm]

11 minutes ago, Kevin Johnson said:

The windows and doors I think are really nice from Lcut creative, I have used them in the past. Nice weathering on the platform edges.👍

 

I've used them on multiple scratch builds, cheap, excellent quality, and super fast delivery too.

[Oncomin5torm]

A little bit quiet on updates recently but thats just how this hobby goes.

I sat down and deep cleaned my airbrush so I could finally weather the track, and get back to some stock weathering, I have a very lightly weathered thomson coach which requires some very heavy fading and weathering.

 

I used Dark Brown in the vallejo air range (71.042) for the track weathering, just a quick blast to get rid of the overly plastic look of the sleepers, the rail tops will be cleaned so conductivity is fine.

after that I painted the top surface of the platforms using a textured paint by Tamiya, dark grey tarmac effect, I didnt go to the back edge of the platforms as most of that will be covered, and if its a little patchy thats fine as it looks more worn, no weathering has been applied yet, but it will be once the main buildings are in.

 

The platforms are now also fully installed, glued those down using super glue yesterday.

Really brings the layout to life.

[Sweet pea]

I must admit an airbrush definitely saves a lot of time when painting and weathering and yours does look good. Me I'm old fashioned😉still do painting and weathering using a brush. 

[Oncomin5torm]

A busy weekend of birthday meals and days out out of the way (another on the way haha) I have got some modelling done.

Yesterday I set to with some final bits of trackside detail before finally putting ballast down.

 

Ive used Peco cable trunking down the side of the track, and scale model scenery tubing to pass cables under the tracks, orange as was in use during the era the layout operates.
I remembered I had from a previous layout a pack of 3D printed clamp lock motors for the points, so I installed those also, as well as the extra gubbins they need (the little grey boxes)

[Oncomin5torm]

Another project started was the weathering of the Thomson full break coach.

The coach has been masked up ready for its faded paintwork to be applied.

 

The next step is a layer of Pastel green mixed with light sea blue, this gives a faded blue/green for the base coat, once left to fully cure I moved onto the next step.

 

This was achieved by airbrushing faded blue and then french blue in light coats over the model.

This is then almost immediately taken back by diluting IPA with water and then brushed onto the model, working on one section longer allows for the fully faded paintwork effect to show though.

Next up is the roof, a good bit of rust for this sucker.

[Oncomin5torm]

Ive added some lineside details to the area by the pointwork, this is pretty much the main bit of S&T that'll be on the layout but I wanted to do it anyway and to a higher standard than I had before.

The clamp lock motors were bought 2 years ago by a guy who no longer does 3D printing sadly, but I have been told that West Hill Wagon Works now do a set, the relay boxes are also by the same guy.

The orange tubing under the rails is from Scale Model Scenery and the cable trunking is by Peco.

After a trip on the Merseyrail portion of the network last weekend I noticed the state of the cabling and trunking, so I have opted to put some cables down outside the trunking just like I saw at the weekend.
I used a fine single core wire I had sitting in a box which is actually the right sort of thickness for the cabling used on the network.

 

The next major step is ballasting.

[Oncomin5torm]

I have also had a bit of time spare to be able to do more to the Thomson Full Bake coach.

Ive added rust to the roof, using weathering powders fixed in place with a base coat of enamel varnish and applied into that mix.
On to that I airbrushed 2 different shades of greys which when filtered together blend to a nice faded colour.
To get the bleed effect I used enamel thinners and stippled the roof and gently the rust comes through and bleeds into the surrounding roof shades which gives you this fantastic bubbling effect.

 

The final stages of the weathering is now going to be general grime applied through the airbrush, and panel line washes into the recesses.

[Ragtag]

How's this one coming along?

[Oncomin5torm]

15 hours ago, Ragtag said:

How's this one coming along?

 

Temporarily on hold. 

Lots of things were not going right on the build so I had to take a step back. 

I've got something smaller being built atm, Old Hall Works, a micro wagon repair depot. 

 

Hill's Cross will be completed, just doubtful it'll be this year due to life and things getting in the way. 

 

[Sweet pea]

Can we see pictures of your micro wagon works please😊

[Oncomin5torm]

Of corse you can. 

 

I have to post an update on here as I tend to do Instagram and Facebook more. 

 

 

[saxokid]

On 08/10/2023 at 07:50, Oncomin5torm said:

Of corse you can. 

 

I have to post an update on here as I tend to do Instagram and Facebook more. 

 

 

Same as me i tend to have my own groups on fb,great work here though👌👌