chaz Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Chaz This is coming along nicely. Those low level shots look extremely convincing and give the layout a very realistic feel. Looking forward to the next stages. Stephen Thankyou Stephen. I am very pleased myself with the way the scenes are coming together - right from the start I planned for a "hemmed-in" look, with a natural backscene of retaining walls. Of course everything is far too clean (apart from the rolling stock) but this will be dealt with before the first show. There is still a lot to do. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) I couldn’t resist taking a couple more pictures to post on forum. As the siding that serves the warehouse platform is so close to the baseboard edge I fitted a wooden fence – a vigorous shunt into the far end of the platform could lead to a derailment, with the chance of wagons going over the edge…. I think the fence, which is all wood, has turned out a nice feature, although it does block the view of the running gear of the wagons. The up-down-up-down planking was a Great Northern Railway feature. The vehicles on the bridge are parked on the start of the station forecourt – the passenger station is imagined to be just behind the warehouse….. Another view of that collection of grubby vans so typical of BR days standing under the canopy, the two nearest the camera are of LMS origin, the three bauxite liveried ones are ex-LNER vehicles. A few weeds can be glimpsed at the foot of the fence. No activity, it must be a Sunday! Now, I really must get on with some modelling - the girders for the bridges over the canal. Chaz Edited September 10, 2012 by chaz 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted September 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2012 Brilliant work Chaz, not sure what else to say! Those van look superbh models as well, do you have thread running on them? Thanks, Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) Brilliant work Chaz, not sure what else to say! Thank you Dave, your comment is much appreciated. Those van look superb models as well, do you have thread running on them? Not yet, but I will start a thread on the rolling stock later. It might have to wait until after October 21st, when Dock Green goes to the Wimborne show. All the rolling stock is from my "home" layout - you could say that Dock Green is a portable version of it. I plan to use Dock Green as a backdrop for the photos. Chaz Edited September 10, 2012 by chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 This has come on cery well since I last looked, Shame I no longer live in Swanage otherwise I would of come over to Wimborne for a gander. Think I would get into trouble from the financial dept, if I came now. I have seen a similar method of doing the brick work before, but I think yours is far better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) This has come on cery well since I last looked, Shame I no longer live in Swanage otherwise I would of come over to Wimborne for a gander. Think I would get into trouble from the financial dept, if I came now. I have seen a similar method of doing the brick work before, but I think yours is far better. Hmmm, Brazil? A cunningly timed, unavoidable business trip.........?... Don't despair, Peter, I will post lots more photos as the rest of the layout comes together. Progress has accelerated since I got the invite to show at Wimborne, in fact it's all got a bit frantic. In a couple of week's time we are going to set up the whole thing in the kitchen (it will just fit) for a shake-down test. I have my fingers crossed that we don't find too many faults. Chaz Edited September 11, 2012 by chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warspite Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 In a couple of week's time we are going to set up the whole thing in the kitchen (it will just fit) for a shake-down test. Chaz Chaz Now why do Wallace and Gromit come to mind .............. Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Chaz Now why do Wallace and Gromit come to mind .............. Stephen A timely warning, Stephen. I will check for penguins before we start......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Hmmm, Brazil? A cunningly timed, unavoidable business trip.........?... Don't despair, Peter, I will post lots more photos as the rest of the layout comes together. Progress has accelerated since I got the invite to show at Wimborne, in fact it's all got a bit frantic. In a couple of week's time we are going to set up the whole thing in the kitchen (it will just fit) for a shake-down test. I have my fingers crossed that we don't find too many faults. Chaz Not business, I now live here. Not the easiest place to do model railways especially UK prototype. But there are many benifits. Looking forward to seeing more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 (edited) A bit more progress. I sprayed the water tank with dark grey enamel. It's a strange contrivance, lurking half under a bridge and very narrow. I needed something here as a view blocker to mask the transition between the yard tracks and the cassettes. In the picture above the track to the right of the water tank is the entry/exit track. This supposedly leads to a goods line in the passenger station, but actually goes to the cassette area, immediately behind the retaining wall. Of course this view, with the camera towards the back of the baseboard, will not be available to viewers at an exhibition. Another view of the water tank. You can see that the ballasting on this baseboard is now complete, Peter has done an excellent job. In fact we both feel that it’s a bit too good for a yard and we may alter it in the future to represent more closely the sort of ash ballast that was generally used in areas such as this. The canal bridges today I have been working on the bridges that will span the canal. Both of these will be simple plate girder affairs, one with rectangular girders and the other with fish-backs. This picture shows a pair of rectangular girders. You can see the one in the foreground with the detail built up from Plastruct angle and T section. The top edge and the ends have angles on both sides, and these are overlaid with flat strips. I pressed rivets into these and these can just about be made out in the photo (as usual white HIP is very difficult to photograph). The girder behind is face down to reveal the plastic plate which will be screwed to the underside of the plywood roadbed to secure it in position. The joint between them has been strengthened with a couple of pieces of plastic angle. Pictures of the fish-back girders will follow as soon as I have made them! Chaz Edited September 12, 2012 by chaz 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Ballasting at baseboard joins When ballasting track some care has to be taken at baseboard joints, it would obviously be quite possible to glue the baseboards together. When Peter ballasted the track on Dock Green he stopped at the baseboard joins, leaving the gap between the sleepers that was divided between two baseboards to be done later. Once the ballast glue (50:50 PVA and water) had dried we prepared the join. A polythene bag (the very thin type) was cut into strips and pieces fixed to both baseboards ends with Sellotape. As you can see the very thin polythene does not interfere with locking the two baseboards together. Normally we would pour the ballast on from a plastic bottle and spread it with a paint brush, but for this small task something more precise is needed…. Once the glue has set the baseboards can be separated and the polythene peeled away. While I’m on the subject of ballast the picture below shows the result of a test piece done recently..... On the left the track is ballasted with fine granite. On the right some fine sand has been added over the top and brushed so that it fills gaps in the granite. Once the resultant mix had been glued it was painted with grey acrylic. I think this looks promising as a way of down-grading the ballast to the standard appropriate for sidings. Chaz 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warspite Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 While I’m on the subject of ballast the picture below shows the result of a test piece done recently..... On the left the track is ballasted with fine granite. On the right some fine sand has been added over the top and brushed so that it fills gaps in the granite. Once the resultant mix had been glued it was painted with grey acrylic. I think this looks promising as a way of down-grading the ballast to the standard appropriate for sidings. Chaz Chaz The track on the right looks extremely realistic for sidings. The colour and texture looks just right. You could also throw in a few weeds for good measure ........... Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted September 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 13, 2012 Chaz The track on the right looks extremely realistic for sidings. The colour and texture looks just right. You could also throw in a few weeds for good measure ........... Stephen Absolutely agree, You've created a perfect look for old/grotty sidings, never an easy acheivement. . The other is too "mainline". All the best, Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Chaz, Really inspirational, keep up the good work. Alan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Chaz The track on the right looks extremely realistic for sidings. The colour and texture looks just right. You could also throw in a few weeds for good measure ........... Stephen Thank you Stephen. I doubt if there will be time to do this before Dock Green's first outing but after the Wimborne Show we will probably do this. Weeds? Oh, yes, lots of them, but again I may not have the time this side of October 21st - more important to get everything running nicely! Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Chaz, Really inspirational, keep up the good work. Alan. Thank you Alan, much appreciated. I am much encouraged by all the positive comments people have added to my postings. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 (edited) Absolutely agree, You've created a perfect look for old/grotty sidings, never an easy acheivement. . The other is too "mainline". All the best, Dave. Thanks, Dave, you are quite right to say "too mainline", definitely ECML - however it may well have to serve as-is for this first show. It was a friend of mine, who is doing the S&DJR in 7mm who suggested the addition of sand, an idea that he has used on his sidings. My one reservation is that the acrylic paint I used has allowed the colour of the sand to show through here and there. I think a larger test on a section of one of the sidings will tell me if I need a more opaque paint (possibly matte enamel) although I think the touches of lighter sandy colour here and there may be a plus. Chaz Edited September 14, 2012 by chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 I spent today making girders for the canal bridges and this evening I did a trial fit.The photo below shows the nearer bridge with two rectangular girders in place. I fitted one of the fish-back girders to the further bridge but the second girder can’t be put in until some woodwork is cut away. However this gives me a good idea of how the canal will look. A picture from a lower viewpoint..... Two strips of foamboard added to show, on the right, the width of the towpath, and on the left, a narrow ledge which will separate the canal from the brick cutting wall. Chaz 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I spent today making girders for the canal bridges and this evening I did a trial fit.The photo below shows the nearer bridge with two rectangular girders in place. I fitted one of the fish-back girders to the further bridge but the second girder can’t be put in until some woodwork is cut away. However this gives me a good idea of how the canal will look. A picture from a lower viewpoint..... Two strips of foamboard added to show, on the right, the width of the towpath, and on the left, a narrow ledge which will separate the canal from the brick cutting wall. Chaz When I lived in Reading many years ago the Kennet and Avon canal was that colour. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 14, 2012 Author Share Posted September 14, 2012 When I lived in Reading many years ago the Kennet and Avon canal was that colour. Thanks for the reassurance Peter. My own memory of canals in London was that they were all that colour (or something very like it) and totally opaque. Of course there would have been very little current to refresh the water. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted September 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 14, 2012 Amazing progress on this layout - everytime I check, there is something new...and often! Very inspiring... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Chaz, On the subject of ballast for sidings, I've used a mixture of fine granite ballast, ash (from the barbie), sand and a fine grey flock previously in 7mm scale. Alan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 I read somewhere that fine sand mixed with black mortar colouring powder then applied like normal ballast is quite effective. JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 14, 2012 Author Share Posted September 14, 2012 Amazing progress on this layout - everytime I check, there is something new...and often! Very inspiring... One of the advantages of being retired Pete. Thanks for the encouraging comments. Crunch time is Wednesday when Dock Green gets assembled complete and we give it a shake-down test. I have my fingers crossed that we don't find too many problems. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 14, 2012 Author Share Posted September 14, 2012 (edited) I read somewhere that fine sand mixed with black mortar colouring powder then applied like normal ballast is quite effective. JF Sounds good, but too late for Dock Green, I'm afraid. However the fine sand is probably going to come to the rescue (see posting #161 above). Edited September 14, 2012 by chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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