Eastwood Town - A tribute to Gordon's modelling.

[trisonic]

:D

 

That was my first though GN and the more I think about it, I can visualise a few lengths of sleepered track and other debris because as it stands, there is no way of getting in or out of that particular area. I'm probably going to add some access to the signal box via a small tunnel through the wall, wider enough to take a trolley or bike, but not much more. A few bits of track and maybe some discarded iron work would be more in keeping with the industrial/urban area I'm going for.

 

Stuff grew everywhere even in the heart of London - remember how the bomb sites looked? However I would keep trackside weeds to a single season's growth at max. I do think you need more access points - there were all sorts of weird ones in the long artificial "cutting" into Liverpool Street. They also had the refuge arches. Eastwood is coming alive!

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

I have a slightly different view of this, Gordon.

I think what you have done is very good but, perhaps, there is a little too much of it.

What makes it stand out is that it's fresh and clean foliage, as opposed to sooty and bedraggled.

That makes the transition from wall to plant life very pronounced.

One trick is to use a similar colour material to indicate moss/lichen type growth in, say, the joins of the wall (with restraint).

 

As it's your first attempt - it's brilliant.

[45156]

Gordon

 

I like it, but I agree that for the era that you're depicting, there is a good case for not having undergrowth in that position, as I think the lengthman would have had the saplings out well before they got to that size.

[gordon s]

Thanks for all your input guys, much appreciated as always. Bushes were ripped out and have been replaced by a few piles of ballast and sand, a couple of lengths of old track, a few bits of rail and a few abandoned sleepers. They need some detail highlighted but are starting to look reasonable.

 

Overall it does look much better. Clearly there is going to be little foliage down at this level.

 

At least I'm making some progress at last...

 

 

[45156]

Overall it does look much better. Clearly there is going to be little foliage down at this level.

Looking good now Gordon - I've seen just that sort of thing at many locations.

[trisonic]

 

At least I'm making some progress at last...

 

 

Gordon,

Your "Progress" has been by leaps and bounds ever since you dreamed of this layout.

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

[martin_wynne]

Hi Gordon,

 

That's looking excellent.

 

{pedantry mode=on} Some of those rails should have two fish-bolt holes in at least one end -- it's very unlikely that a pile of old rail would all have been sawn or flame-cut at both ends. Also disused rail tends to weather to a more rusty colour than track in use. Although old sleepers are often left scattered about, old rails are usually stacked a bit more neatly than that, if only for the safety of those handling them. And it's difficult to imagine how that top sleeper got there -- why lift a heavy object onto the top of a pile of rails when you could just drop it on the ground? {pedantry mode=off}

 

I posted this link once before, but it's interesting in the present context: http://www.flickr.co...57622970345171/

 

Notice that there is no vegetation at track level, but plenty of it on the top of the retaining wall on the right -- nicely in the firing line for any sparks. If modelling high summer in steam days, a few burnt patches in such areas might be appropriate.

 

That little hut between the hoardings would make a nice model detail. I wonder what was in there?

 

regards,

 

Martin.

[trisonic]

Here's a vaguely interesting shot of Liverpool Street approaches from above, fairly recent, however:http://www.flickr.co...N05/3934773437/

 

It means nothing to you, of course, G., but look how the intense catenary disappears from above.

 

Best, Pete.

[trisonic]

Cue: Gordon: Silence, sounds of hair being pulled out.

 

Oh, hang on, he did that already!

 

Best, Pete.

[ColinW]

Thanks for all your input guys, much appreciated as always. Bushes were ripped out and have been replaced by a few piles of ballast and sand, a couple of lengths of old track, a few bits of rail and a few abandoned sleepers. They need some detail highlighted but are starting to look reasonable.

 

Overall it does look much better. Clearly there is going to be little foliage down at this level.

 

At least I'm making some progress at last...

 

 

Hi Gordon,

 

I like how you have done that lineside, although think the grass might be a bit dirtier from the loco,s going past.

 

Colin

[gordon s]

Thanks guys, getting there...

 

Martin. No worries at all about your pedant mode. I would expect nothing less.

 

Within reason, (now there's an open door ) I'm quite happy to accept your observations, that's why I'm asking. Watch this space in the next 24 hours and I'll see what I can do.. Totally agree about the single sleeper.

 

Colour wise, I still have some work to do on the grass and agree the rails need rusting. I'm toning it down/weathering it in small steps. I agree it's still too bright as it stands so will correct that after I've tackled the mods to the rails.

 

Once the ground cover is reasonable, I want to tackle the walls to ease them visually. Wet patches, limescale marks, cabling? are all possibilities.

[250BOB]

Hi Gordon

Just catching up on your thread after a couple of months.......wow, have you been busy.!!! Really is looking very good indeed, even more determined to see it in the flesh at some point.

Hope you are all keeping well...........Bob.

[DDolfelin]

Popular Gordon:

As you know, I really like the signal box.

Are there any signals?

[Scale7JB]

Missed this for quite a while.. but looking absolutely fantastic... Keep it up Gordon !!

 

JB.

[Guest Max Stafford]

A cable run along the wall might be rather nice, actually. B)

 

Dave.

[gordon s]

Thanks for that Paul. I really like your work, the changes in colour are so subtle and very natural, Trying to keep a consistant contrast and colour palette certainly seem to help. I've just started tackling a backscene this afternoon and early signs are reasonable. No doubt I'll be back to tap into your experience once again.

 

You'll be glad to know all your teaching on using an airbrush has been invaluable. It's hardly off now....

[gordon s]

Been thinking for months as to what is needed behind the layout, in terms of a backscene or whether to just leave it bare. I tried the International Models backscenes which are probably the best quality I have come across, but somehow they just didn't suit Eastwood. The whole thing was pushed to one side until a few days back when I came across an industrial backdrop from Gaugemaster. It comes out nine feet long and just a foot high, but the thing that appealed to me was that all the industrial buildings were some way away and slightly hazy in focus.

 

This lent itself to be sat behind a wall on the goods relief road and gave the opportunity to have low relief bushes and trees that would match up with the foreground on the backscene and hopefully make it look reasonable from normal viewing distance. I've mounted it on some 2mm mdf which will then be screwed to the back of the baseboard. The walls are my normal construction with Slaters 7mm sheet stuck onto 2mm mdf with Obechi strip used as the coping stones and string courses. These are then painted light grey, dry brushed dark grey to pick out the stones and then finally air brushed and weathered, once assempled on the layout.

 

Still early days yet, but hopefully it will look fine once in place. Fingers crossed.....

 

 

[Colin parks]

Hi Gordon,

 

I've just seen the picture of the trackside debris and discarded track parts. Absolutely convincing work!

 

Colin Parks

[gordon s]

Had a chuckle as I noticed this in the last pic of the wall component parts. Do they mean us?.......

 

 

So, the walls are rough painted and have yet to be airbrushed and weathered, but thought I would play around with the Woodlands Scenic materials. These clumps have just been laid onto the backscene, but give an idea of what I am proposing.

 

Few questions to you experienced landscapers. Do you start at the back when fixing foliage to a scene or are you better to start at the font and work back?

 

What adhesive would you recommend for attaching the foliage?

 

These are just loosely placed in position. Do you mix up all the colours or simply clump them in groups?

 

Do you recommend airbrushing the foliage to increase colour variety and give a sense of light and shade?

 

I'd be grateful to hear of any tips / recommendations / methods that you have used with some success.

 

 

[trisonic]

My tip has to do with avoiding harsh shadows of the foliage onto the backscene. Either crush it up right behind them or leave enough gap that any lighting you install can penetrate between the two. It's more noticeable when you take photos with flash; so avoid it. It's difficult to asses from 4K miles away when everything is in the horizontal plane, just be aware of that, though. One of the interesting things about Rod the Mod's layout in MR is the lighting he uses.

 

Are you still building trackage, Gordon? I'd like to see you do a step by step on building curved crossings (diamonds), particularly the higher angle kinds.

 

Trees and shrubs look fine btw.

Have a great week, it's my trash day too............Recycling tomorrow.

 

Best, Pete.

[artizen]

I think your "low resolution" trees look quite OK. I would start at the back only because it is a total pain to do anything that creative while trying to reach across a mostly finished layout.

[gordon s]

Thanks Pete. In this case, the foliage will be stuck directly to the backscene as is the retaining wall. I'm just trying to blend the 3 dimensional layout with the flat 2 dimensional backscene and to be honest, I'm just guessing / experimenting.

 

As far as a crossing is concerned, I do have this one in my shed section which has two lines crossing, with different radii / curvature direction. Not sure how to set the sleepers yet, but no doubt Martin Wynne will be able to give me some clues.

 

I'll try and give it a go in the next couple of weeks.

 

[gordon s]

I think your "low resolution" trees look quite OK. I would start at the back only because it is a total pain to do anything that creative while trying to reach across a mostly finished layout.

 

Apologies Ian, probably didn't make myself clear. The backscene will be completed on the table before fixing to the layout. By starting at the back, I meant the foliage itself. Do you start with the back ones and overlay the front ones or start with the front ones and then tuck in or thread through the back ones into the front foliage.

[ColinW]

Hi Gordon,

 

Like how you are doing the back scene and will be interested to see it in place on your layout soon.

 

Colin

[CUTLER2579]

Gordon,

you seem to turn your hand to so many things its really quite remarkable. The layout is coming on a treat and you should feel very proud of yourself.One shame is that it will not be capable of being exibited at an exibition,unless of course its the Ideal Home Exibition where they build a house in a few days so moving your layout up the M4 and then building a Replica of your house should not be to hard for them to contemplate!!

Seriously super modelling from a super Gent.Kindest Regards,Derek.