Braybridge - 5'x1' OO gauge - For sale

[jamest]

Love the steel carriers - and the texture of your hard standing is perfect!

 

Thanks McC, I'm pretty pleased with the hard-standing.

 

This week I've finished off the base layer of green with the grasmaster and added some trees and bushes.

 

For my bushes I use a base layer of hanging basket liner glued down with PVA:

 

 

And then I spray it with hairspray and apply my choice of scatter:

 

 

 

I've also added some ready to plant trees from the Hornby range (I know....I'll make them next time!):

 

 

I've also plugged the gap in the back scene above the river behind the bridge. There is a join line but I will disguise it a bit better later:

 

 

Next I decided to have a dark ballast footpath alongside the river (the river needs cleaning out after the static grass application). I have some long 'reeds' that I plan to insert into the river bank after re-heating the scenic water with SWMBO's hairdrier!

 

 

 

Need to work on the left hand bank next.

 

cheers,

James

[jamest]

Hi again,

 

Been practicing a bit more with the Grasmaster this weekend. I want to place some patches of grass on the layout and this months Model Rail reviewed different sources of such tufts of grass. One option they highlighted was placing a blob of pva on a biscuit tin lid in the shape you desire, and then applying your choice of static grass with a tool such as the Grasmaster. So I had a go and I'm really pleased with the results - It is much easier than doing it straight onto the layout and you can try it in place and move it around before fixing it in place. Its also very easy to recollect the extra fibres not used - just tip them back into the container.

 

Here are my first efforts - I'm thinking of running a grass line down the middle of the rural road over the station end.

 

 

I'm starting to see why people rave about the Grasmaster - I'll need to restrain myself on the use of grass on future layouts I think!

 

Cheers,

James

[Rammy]

James

 

They look great! I think you need to start selling them.

I could do with a few strips of them in front of my fence on First Avenue but can't justify the expense of the grassmaster for it.

 

Dave

[jamest]

James

 

They look great! I think you need to start selling them.

I could do with a few strips of them in front of my fence on First Avenue but can't justify the expense of the grassmaster for it.

 

Dave

 

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks - I'd do you some strips but I don't know how well they'd survive in the post. They seem quite sturdy - you have to leave them a good 24 hours to dry.

 

As for the cost of the grasmaster - it put me off for a long while but I plan (don't tell the misses) to be building stuff for a while and it does produce stunning results. I'm also lucky that my local model shop owner is excellent on price - he got me one new for £105 which beats most places - I notice he has four more in the shop now!!

 

If you in a group its a good investment - I haven't taken the plunge on joining one yet though.

 

The greenery you have done around your security fence on First Avenue looks pretty good to me.

 

Cheers,

James

[Rammy]

Like you say, they probably wouldn't survive the post.

£105 sounds a hell of a lot, but I suppose once you have one you've got it forever. But there again I could buy another sound chip for that money!

Now where are the lottery results???

 

Dave

[jamest]

£105 sounds a hell of a lot, but I suppose once you have one you've got it forever. But there again I could buy another sound chip for that money!

Now where are the lottery results???

 

Its my turn for the lottery win - wait in line!

 

I imagine the Grasmaster is like a sound chip - once you have one you wonder why you didn't take the plunge before. I'd better stay away from sound for a while!

 

Doing the tufts made me think about the possibility of making the road over the station a bit more 'rural'. So I did a quick experiment with a long thin squirt of PVA and I think it has potential. I'll need to 'grass up' the edge of the road too - and make it a bit dirtier but its a good start and the long tuft is pretty resilient and easily move-able.

 

 

I've also placed the base for the signal box down and covered the last bit of cork! I've ballasted around it and placed the bits and bobs on top before I paint the surface. Does this arrangement make sense to everyone?

 

 

I've also re-jigged the embankment down from the road bridge - this was my first attempt with the Grasmaster and I wasn't too happy with it. I've also added a tree in place of the bushes:

 

 

And while I had the camera out I snapped away at some of the scenery completed:

 

Grass tufts in place (a bit green at the moment)

 

Some other shots:

 

 

 

 

And a new one from the fiddle yard hole over the bridge:

 

 

Cheers,

James

[mudmagnet]

Hi James,

 

Using the Grassmaster does make a huge difference. Can I suggest that you add a paler colour in patches on top of what you have applied already, especially on the country road. You could do with adding a little grass down each side as well.

 

Keep up the good work.

[jamest]

Hi James,

 

Using the Grassmaster does make a huge difference. Can I suggest that you add a paler colour in patches on top of what you have applied already, especially on the country road. You could do with adding a little grass down each side as well.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Hi Richard,

 

Suggest away! I'd love to get somewhere near to what you achieve with your scenics.

 

I do plan to go down the sides as well on the road - I need to travel over to my parents to get a good view of one of these roads again (while looking out for tractors obviously)!

 

I have some noch fibres but they are all quite green with the exception of one that is pretty yellow. A pale green would be good - where do you get your fibres from? And what colours do you go for?

 

I've found the funnel is nowhere near as good as getting close without it - trouble is without it the fibres do go everywhere. But I am using 5mm fibres so they are quite long.

 

Regards,

James

[mudmagnet]

Hi James,

 

I've replied to your PM as well, but I've used the fibres from Minatur (I think that's the spelling) and bought these from International Models (off their stand actually at a show), but obviously you can mail order.

 

If you apply the glue in patches - i.e. where you want the 'grass', then apply the grass, it will only stick where the glue is (obviously) and the vacuum up the stray fibres (put a cloth over the end - e.g. a hanky to collect the fibres so that they can be collected safely). I've also used the nozzle of the vacuum to pull the fibres up and in different directions where the wind blows across whilst the glue is still wet.

[jamest]

I've replied to your PM as well, but I've used the fibres from Minatur (I think that's the spelling) and bought these from International Models (off their stand actually at a show), but obviously you can mail order.

 

Hi Richard/all,

 

I've ordered some autumn and winter fibres from international models and they arrived yesterday. I couldn't resist having a go with them today. I've dusted over the existing grass, first with the autumn green and then with a mix of both autumn and winter:

 

I have to take pictures under the lights of the garage at the moment so the colours look a little greener than they are in real life. But by comparing to earlier shots the difference is clear. I'm also getting better at using the Grasmaster:

 

 

 

I've also extended the grassy bank further up over the tufts I placed down in an earlier post. I think I may have gone a bit over the top - would the railway have allowed the grass to get so close to the line? It also looks a bit like a lawn at the moment so I need to add some un-unifirm growth in the shape of bushes, weeds, etc.

 

Here are the tufts before:

 

 

And here they after a growing spurt!

 

 

 

 

 

I'm really happy with the effect - I just need to reign in the enthusiasm a bit! Might need to get the strimmer out!

 

Cheers,

James

[35005CP]

It looks really good James and definately needs a trim. I hope you don't mind me asking; but do any of these tufts get caught up in any of the pickups of any of your locos?

[jamest]

It looks really good James and definately needs a trim. I hope you don't mind me asking; but do any of these tufts get caught up in any of the pickups of any of your locos?

 

Hi,

 

Not sure - I haven't run anything since I got the grasmaster! I'll certainly be making sure any loose stuff is removed and everything is clean before I run anything again.

 

Regards,

James

[jamest]

Hi again,

 

Bit of a photo heavy update again - but the sun was out in Bratton Fleming this morning and I thought I'd move the layout into the sun and take some better shots of the grass now I've mixed it up a bit. I've 'strimmed' close to the line with Henry the hoover but I probably need to do a little more.

 

It also enables me to get further away from the layout for a scenic section shot:

 

 

 

You can see the grass is not as 'green' now I've mixed in the autumn and winter fibres:

 

 

 

 

Thought I'd get out the 108 as well, my photoshoot companion of choice!

 

 

 

 

 

As I said earlier it needs to look a bit more unkempt and not like a front lawn but its getting there.

 

Cheers,

James

[maq1988]

Just read this thread, the picture of the 108 looking down the hill at the overbridge is a great shot, the real sunlight makes a huge difference to pictures I find. I must agree with others that whilst the Grassmaster is expensive it really does produce great results like you've achieved here. Fantasic seeing this come together.

[Ramblin Rich]

Hi James, I've been following this with interest as it's a nice example of minimalism.

Have to say the colours do look better here - whether it's the natural light and / or the new fibres, it's certainly improved. The grass colour also now matches the fields on the backscene! I do like the embankment by the bridge, that sixth picture (the "hurrying over the bridge, oh no, the trains already there!" one) is very convincing, but I'm not really sure of the "lawn" around the buffers - as you said, may be a little too overgrown?

[Rammy]

Great work James. Your grass looks superb now.

Maybe I should have bought that Grassmaster machine after all!

 

Dave

[mason]

The grass looks superb, really nice looking layout, I like the simplicity of it really nice work indeed, great job

[ess1uk]

Looks great, really feel like I'm stood on the bridge looking down.

 

[mudmagnet]

Hi James,

 

Coming together nicely. From my own experience, it does take a little practice to get the best out of the Grassmaster and the effects that can be achieved, but you have certainly done well.

 

I think that once you get some 'plants' around the buffer stop, this will loose the 'lawn-effect' - although what you have done looks good. I've used a few bits of sea-moss (broken off from making trees) with a little foliage to add a little bit of height. A few odd bits of rusting rails / chairs etc could be added as well.

[jamest]

Thanks for all the positive comments guys.

 

Yes - the clutter and weeds will come next - and that, for me, is the thing that some of the excellent layouts on this forum do so well.

 

I saw the article in layout topics on the point of posting here the other day. I understand the feeling when your layout drops off the front page in half a day without comment - but I really value the advice and encouragement I get from the forum - and the people I meet in the local shop. I don't really have access to the 'real' railway in North Devon - and when it was last here I wasn't into model railways. So the level of knowledge and reference data I have access to on here is priceless.

 

Thanks again,

James

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

Nearly a month since my last update!

 

It's been good modeling weather but I've had some decorating to do before I'm allowed back in the garage!

 

I have managed to get a bit further with the signal box area at the end of the platform. I've added a 'wooden' ramp at the front (might not be the right name for it!) and dirtied it up a bit more. I've also fixed down the hut and relay boxes and added a little weed and bush growth around them.

 

 

 

I've also bought a class 50 off a well known auction site. I've always wanted one and dangerously just missed out on one at a good price (under 50 quid). So the site then taunts me with other prospective 50's and I fell for it and parted with a few more quid for another one! Unfortunately it is one of the earlier 50's made by Hornby with the circuit board problem. It foxed me for a while until I googled it, and it seems to run ok (with lights) with the 'fix' of rotating the chip 180 degrees. It is a lovely model though and has a good range of detail parts to fit.

 

I've also invested in the new Bachmann timber wagons - they are an ideal use for the siding. I have applied some black paint to the sides of the scenic board and fiddle yards which is slightly visible in the following pictures:

 

 

 

 

And the spotter pics from the bridge!:

 

 

 

Cheers,

James

[gronk the shunter]

Really looking good now, excellent work with the grassmaster.

[rob D2]

very nicely put together scene..... I'd love eine grazmaster, I may have to settle for the cheapy FMR tea strainer version though.

[McC]

Looking better and better each time I catch up :)

[mudmagnet]

Looking great James.

 

Just need to weather those wagons and hoover now!