trisonic Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I remember that, very nice it was too. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 Hi again.... A few quick images to show the stages of creating time weathered Slaters 7mm brickwork. Wetted DAS air-drying clay was applied yesterday. Today sees the start of the tidying up process, with the removal of the blobby bits. This is done by CAREFULLY scraping away the clay with a flat-bladed jeweller's screwdriver. Being cautious also ensures that the underlying paint remains intact. I avoid digging at the blobs because this would prise them off, leaving bald patches. I then work away at exposing the brick runs, removing clay that is lying unnaturally on the surface. I don't find it at all boring - quite theraputic in fact. A couple of days should see the eight feet of retaining wall ready for the thinned wash of black enamel. Because I am working in a confined space, I wear a mask and goggles. The second and third images show the same stretch of wall after about ten minutes of scraping. Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Hi again.... A quick update - I've ripped out the brickwork 'across the canal' because I felt it was a tad underscale. I have to wait until I can get hold of more Slaters English Bond before it's replaced. Meantime, the rest of the retaining walls are 'scraped' ready for the next stage. I used the ripped out walls as a crude test piece.... Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 I think this closeup of the previous image shows how effective the DAS technique can be.... Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I think this closeup of the previous image shows how effective the DAS technique can be.... Randall image.jpg Superb effect. I shall try this technique. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 Hi again.... Another quick tip about using items from other scales.... I've been experimenting with fencing for the retaining walls.... Removing every other vertical from Ratio 4mm GWR fencing seems to do the trick? Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 Hi again.... Having been unsuccessful finding Slaters 7mm English Bond brickwork locally, I've ordered more sheets from just over the border in Gloucestershire - Eileen's Emporium to be precise. Order now flagged as 'Shipped' so arrival is expected this week, thankfully. I will then be able to get on with the rebuild of the walls one one side of the canal that I think should have been more substantial. Meanwhile, I have been busy painting sleepers and chairs in dirty brown, and railsides in reddish rust and then a wash of a more orange, lighter shade prior to starting the ballasting. I will be using Woodland Scenics Dark Brown medium ballast, with some finer ballast where necessary, before final finishing with more dirt and 'oil-stains' as appropriate. Test pieces have been promising. Also, this evening, I have been very thankful for being able to use my Como minidrill/cutting wheel, as I have been de-sprue-ing the plastic seats from my Easybuild Class 108. Having started off using a minisaw, I soon saw the light and speeded things up with the Como. That's one boring, time consuming task out of the way once and for all. Perhaps I should now turn to construction proper...maybe not... Plenty of tasks to be doing, so I think I'll concentrate on the retaining walls as I'm really pleased with the results so far, and I'm looking forward to the painting stage. Randall. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 Hi again.... Replacement walls and steps now in place. I'm very satisfied with the improvement in appearance, as I felt the original ramped walkway looked a tad underscale. Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 Hi again.... I'm rather impatient and I wanted to see what the new wall structure was going to turn out like, so I've done a quick mock-up.... The old chap is sitting on a bench nicked from Maenol Mine... Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Hi again.... The Inland Waterways Association have been busy refilling the canal at Costleigh.... Their next objective is restoration of the canal banks. Perhaps they should get a new Project Manager. Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 Uh oh! Something said out of turn...possibly about turn-ups? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Uh oh! Something said out of turn...possibly about turn-ups? image.jpg Very nice figures. What brand? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Figures look like Phoenix http://www.sanddmodels.co.uk/products_43_figures.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 14, 2013 Author Share Posted September 14, 2013 Hi again... Things have been progressing slowly on Costleigh this past few weeks. The platforms and the below tracks exit have seen most work. The platform structure is freelance but closely based upon the structure on Oldham King Street Parcels by David Hampson which is the layout that provided the inspiration and blueprint for Costleigh 7mm. The canal footbridge has been given a lick of paint, too. I'm nearly ready to apply the finishing touches to all the brickwork, but being on call this week has delayed things on this front...knowing my luck I'd get called out as soon as I start - it's always the same... STOP PRESS: Got a call whilst typing this update! A wash of dilute matt black will see things change dramatically. I've left the 4mm stock in-shot deliberately to show the forced perspective I feel will add something different. Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Ballasting has commenced this evening...laid dry on over half the layout. Hope I don't get a sneezing fit! After the adhesive has set (I'll be using dilute PVA), I shall be further weathering the trackwork to represent badly oil-stained ballast and sleepers. My intention is to portray a work weary, unkempt station during a period of nil investment. Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flexible_coupling Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 That crisp clean Type 3 needs a bit of 'nil investment', I suspect! Funny how much more effort is required to make things look as though no effort has been taken......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSE DAZ Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Very nice great layout and progress. Can I ask what ballast have you used? All the best Darren NSE DAZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 16, 2013 Author Share Posted September 16, 2013 That crisp clean Type 3 needs a bit of 'nil investment', I suspect! Funny how much more effort is required to make things look as though no effort has been taken.........Ha!...too true.A few cycles in the washing machine followed by a few months out in the wind and rain? Maybe not! Because my move up to 7mm was very recent, I've not had the time to work on the locomotives and I want the layout to be more or less complete before that aspect begins.... Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 16, 2013 Author Share Posted September 16, 2013 Very nice great layout and progress. Can I ask what ballast have you used? All the best Darren NSE DAZ Thanks Darren.... Ballast is Woodland Scenics... I firstly laid down large black cinders as I had plenty left over from Maenol Mine wagonloads - this more or less filled up the gaps in the sleepers. This was followed by a sprinkling of medium sized dark brown ballast. Tamping (mixing the colours slightly) and tidying with a paintbrush then followed. The next step was to sprinkle either fine black cinders or fine dark brown depending on the area being dealt with. Black was heavily used where locos would be likely to stand...see the photo. I was influenced by Chaz's Dock Green where he used sand to 'degrade' his ballast....I already had the fine stuff, so I used that and it worked. Bear in mind, it's not been glued yet, so the appearance is all down to care in the application. (I'm a little bit worried that the PVA/water/washing up liquid mix needs to be right, else it'll be washed all over the place - a major disaster). A test piece worked fine, so I live in hope.... I'll probably use acrylic washes to finish off, with a coat of Johnson's Klear for oil patches, maybe....we'll see how it goes.... Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 Hi again... The dilute black wash has been applied... Thankfully, things have gone as well as I'd hoped. Had to metaphorically hold my breath while the wash was being applied....phew, I'm glad that's done... Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Hi again... The dilute black wash has been applied... Thankfully, things have gone as well as I'd hoped. Had to metaphorically hold my breath while the wash was being applied....phew, I'm glad that's done... Randall image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg This is very convincing, especially the third photograph. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 This is very convincing, especially the third photograph. Thanks Chris....The retaining walls do look good from the normal viewing distance, but in close-up, I feel that the wash has made the mortar runs too uniform in places - it is almost invisible against the bricks....Therefore, I am now wondering whether I should go another mile or two and try to get the appearance more or less like the image below....at the risk of spoiling what I've got....and it's a lot of work, albiet theraputic. It's achieved by scratching the mortar with a blade, exposing the DAS beneath. Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 29, 2013 Author Share Posted September 29, 2013 Hi again... The jury is out...perhaps some white limestains will swing it? Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 29, 2013 Author Share Posted September 29, 2013 Hi again... The four images show the development phases of the below-tracks exit from the platform. The first image shows the structure with the thinned black wash applied. I felt this looked too bland...the mortar merged with the bricks and the benefits of using DAS were lost. The second image shows some of the DAS scratched away which looked better, but still left something to be desired. Image three shows the attempt at applying limestains..far too contrived (or poorly applied?) The final image shows the money shot, and I'm really pleased with the outcome. It was achieved by simply removing the limestains with a wet (water) cotton bud. The more I rubbed, the more of the black wash was removed, exposing the subtle colours of the brickwork and the mortar... The dirty cotton bud has coloured the exposed white DAS... Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyWales Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Hi again...The first image has had some courses slightly scratched to lighten the mortar. The second image has seen some work with a wet cotton bud to remove some of the black wash to reveal more of the underlying colours. Randall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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