Ynyslas - 70s Cambrian micro shelf in N

[James Hilton]

Often I like to build a little project over the Christmas holidays. Last Christmas, after a few weeks of mulling over different ideas, I settled upon something ‘Cambrian Coast’.

 

 

A peculiar blend of nostalgia, familiarity and Hinterland had led me to this point and I settled upon modelling a test piece using an IKEA Mosslanda shelf. I had a few things I wanted to try out in N, and this seemed a good fit for complexity and scope.

 

The basic concept was to build a short embankment and typical Cambrian trestle inspired by the line between Glandyfi and Ynyslas which runs across the bog between the mountains, the Dyfi estuary and Borth.

 

After a basic ‘board’ was added to the shelf, to allow removal at a later date if required, work could turn to the scenic elements. The bridge was constructed using a template to ensure the trestles were as consistent as possible, using Evergreen styrene section. 

 

From an early stage this project began to have real promise and fuelled by the success of these trestles I moved quickly forwards during the Christmas holidays spent at home near Llangollen and at my Mum’s in Pembrokeshire, the journey allowing another stop off at familiar locations to soak in the atmosphere once more!

 

I also built a small jig to allow the handrail stantions to be cut to length and drilled consistently, these things make such a difference and need not be complicated. In this case some styrene scraps and a U section of brass.

The finished structure was beginning to feel just as I had hoped. My intention was to mount this towards one end of the shelf, with a short section if track on one side and a longer one the other. British Finescale Code 40 bullhead flex track was selected for this, but as it’s only 500mm long I needed to splice two pieces in the end, as the shelf is a little longer.

 

The river was made next using some clear styrene and Humbrol enamels painted on the underside. Once dry I used some Deluxe glue-n-glaze to add water effects on the opposite side. This worked well in N, but the glue didn’t dry entirely, remaining tacky, so a spray of gloss lacquer cured that and added additional texture.

 

 

The bridge was airbrushed dark brown and then dry brushed with paler shades. A rusty shade was used on the railings and strapping.

 

 

To begin to bed this in I used balsa, as it’s light and was to hand, to build up the embankments which were then coated in polyfilla. Usual ground techniques and static grasses in wintry tones were used to give a distinction between the embankment and the bog.

 

The finishing touch was a water colour back scene, I painted this on mounting board which wasn’t ideal but actually worked really well. This project was a test piece, the bridge, the water and the backscene all ideas I had wanted to try in N, and largely successful. It was never intended to be operational and as such I didn’t build a cameo box for it, or even wire it up. 

I sold it on earlier this year to clear space for something new, not before enjoying taking some photos on it shown here and in my new book (out in October, all being well). The next stage was always intended a proper Cambrian layout and to that end more trestles we’re built and structures started but a friends plans changed in the summer and what was to be a joint layout now looks like a solo one - and in the meantime I had already started my latest Gerald Road.

 

The shelf idea lives on and I’m currently building a tiny working cameo on a Mosslanda based around Wrexham Central station! There is a short video that introduces the project and some of the techniques involved. If you’ve any thoughts, questions or words of encouragement to start he Cambrian layout I’d love to hear them! Thanks for reading - more about my modelling on the blog, updated daily!

 

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by James Hilton

[scottystitch]

Outstanding work. An inspiration.

 

Best

Scott.

[James Hilton]

Thanks Scott, it was a great little project and I learnt a lot from it in terms of scaling texture and a more muted palette in N.

[Porfuera]

What a brilliant little shelf layout, thanks for sharing. An inspirational little project - that final photo is very atmospheric.

 

Cheers, Neil.

Edited September 19, 2023 by Porfuera

[James Hilton]

Thanks Neil, certainly a lot of fun putting it together. Even writing this post I’m drawn back to my plan for its exhibition style cameo successor…

 

https://paxton-road.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-cambrian-cameo.html

 

Perhaps now is the time to make a start!

[James Hilton]

[Sweet pea]

James your Cambrian micro shelf is fantastic. The attention to detail throught the build is nicely done. It just goes to show what can be achieved in such a tiny space. Thanks for sharing most inspirational.👍

[James Hilton]

Another, the 24s are gone and now 25s run the coast pick up goods whilst DMUs cover most of the passenger services…

[James Hilton]

 

This is the last one for now… showing how a small layout or diorama can be transformed by staging. In this case from the Cambrian coast to the North Devon coast beyond Barnstaple…

[marc smith]

Stunning little cameo scene James. :) 

[James Hilton]

Thank you Mark! Barely a layout but wonderful to build and enjoy.

[Steven B]

Lovely work James.

 

Have you ever considered building a T-TRAK module?

 

 

SB.

[Ben B]

The great thing with the Cambrian and the trestles, is that you can legit have anything from a GWR Pannier up to a 158 crossing that bridge, and it would look accurate :)  It's a lovely bit of model-making, really captures the location

[James Hilton]

2 hours ago, Steven B said:

Lovely work James.

 

Have you ever considered building a T-TRAK module?

 

 

SB.

Thanks Steven, I must admit I don’t know what a T-Trak module is, but as I’m a bit unsure of modular layouts in general I don’t think it would be my cup of tea.

[James Hilton]

2 hours ago, Ben B said:

The great thing with the Cambrian and the trestles, is that you can legit have anything from a GWR Pannier up to a 158 crossing that bridge, and it would look accurate :)  It's a lovely bit of model-making, really captures the location

Thanks Ben, I will revisit the topic again I’m sure, it was a lovely little project!

[aac]

Lovely shades of Morfa in EM on this site, lamented by many when it had to be dismantled for a house move.

Congrats on a nice piece of work.

 

aac

[James Hilton]

On 23/09/2023 at 21:13, aac said:

Lovely shades of Morfa in EM on this site, lamented by many when it had to be dismantled for a house move.

Congrats on a nice piece of work.

 

aac

thank you, Morfa very much am inspiration for this project!

[2mm]

James splendid work on your micro shelf layout. The bridge structure looks great.

[37114]

Lovely bit of work James, the bridge looks very effective 

[James Hilton]

Thanks both, it is interesting to reflect that it’s a year ago that I built this project. A trip to Harlech beach last week had me yearning for another bite of the cake, we’ll see what happens in 2024.