Greenwood - For Sale

[spiket4]

Another great little layout

 

Regards Mark

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

Back with some belated updates on Greenwood.

 

I'm afraid it has been gathering dust under my sons bed for quite a while - I did think of selling it "as is" but I recently got a bit more storage space in the form of a new garden workshop (12'x8') - so I've had a place to set it up and mull over my options:

 

 

 

 

 

I've decided to simplify the trackplan and set the layout in a more modern era. I was going to try to accomodate 3 coaches but I think the station board will remain very similar - I plan to remove the small bay and extend the platform a little. It won't give me three coaches, but it will mean two will look a little better.

 

The main changes will be to the station approach board. I plan to remove the engine shed road and make the 'entry' road the longest line nearest the front - not the back line. I will attempt to explain with photos but maybe an anyrail mock will follow. The board will also be shortened by about 5 inches to allow me to have a 42" fiddle yard along one side of the workshop. I did not design the layout with the shed in mind, or buy a shed with this layout in mind!

 

This will mean I will run mainly DMU's for passengers, with the odd loco service too, and also have freight and departmental stack arriving, running around or unloading in the sparten goods line.

 

Not enough room for a denet fiddle yard here - I don't want to make the layout permanent in the shed, or go around the corner:

 

Ok here is the new point layout the entry road will be into the first right hand point and the other point will be a trap or lead to an overgrown short siding. The left hand siding that was to be the engine shed will go.

 

The bay will go and the platform will lengthen slightly and become a little more realistic (but only a little!!)

 

 

So the coaches are in the new loop the exit to the fiddle yard will be on the line to the right of the coaches - the siding will go.

 

I've made a start lifting track and cutting the board today - so I hope to report progress soon.

 

Mojo returned on this one!

 

Regards,

James

Edited November 20, 2016 by jamest

[mudmagnet]

Good to see you have plans for this one.

[fishytrains]

Glad the mojo has returned.

 

Mike

[jamest]

Hi again,

 

Ok here is the anyrail plan of the simplification modernisation:

 

 

I'm sure most got the idea from the above post but I'm pleased with the improvement made quite simply. The approach road now runs into either terminus road and the run-around loop is in good proportion to the capacity of the fiddle yard/station sidings.

 

So lots of potential for all sorts of freight that wants to run around and make its way back down the line. I did wonder about having an 'industry' or branch off from the short siding/trap point near the fiddle yard but I want to convey the image of a single line approach to the station, and I need the two points on this board as close to the fiddle yard as possible to keep the run around large enough. I'm coming to the conclusion that 'less is more' when it comes to track and I can have a nice scenic run on the appraoch board.

 

All the best,

James

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

Long time since my update but I have been hard at work with the layout - time for some staged updates!

 

I seem to go through highs and lows - I'll hit a blocker and stall then have a flash of inspiration and move forward quickly - I'm sure that sounds familiar to all but the most effective of planers on here.

 

There have been a few updates to the plan shown previously - I've decided not to store locos under the scenic board as it is too tight on height - and I have given the option to run through the station and on if I need to. Seemed sensible to include this option now even if it comes to nothing later.

 

Anyway a picture tells a thousand and all that.....

 

I have ripped up the old platform top in preparation for the longer surface without bay

 

 

The scenic board has been relaid and the overlooking structure added in 6mm ply

 

 

You can see the 'quarter' pieces of 12mm ply at the baseboard edges in the the contour of the bank. I plan to fill this in with insulation board and cut it to shape before covering with plaster bandage. I plan to use a old disused Bachmann signal box in the foreground. I was going to do away with the bridge over the platform but I think it helps disguise the short layout/platform.

 

The eagle eyed will also notice a hole in the end of the layout - I plan to cover this end with another bridge/possible overstation and provide the option to run through passenger DMUs on the singled line beyond. This may only happen outside of the shed depending on what I do with the main fiddle yard.

 

 

Thats it for now - more updates to follow.

 

All the best,

James

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

Ok time for update two.

 

As you can see I have now produced the upper level on the station board as well as re-modelling the platform a little longer. As I mentioned before I wanted to keep the road bridge over the platform edge to help break things up.

 

 

 

 

 

I have added the insulation board (left over from insulating the shed), cut it to shape, covered with a layer of plaster bandage and painted it brown with a Wilco's tester pot. I saw javis scatter used on another layout on here and thought it was a much more effective cover for areas devoid of grass or on the boundary between nature and the railway. So I have scattered some of that over PVA in some of the areas shown.

 

 

 

 

I've also made a start on the stricture around the plate girder exit bridge. I plan to have a row of scalescenes terraced house backs overlooking the straight track with a road and brick wall leading to the embankment.

 

 

 

All the best,

James

[RAY NORWOOD]

Hi James.

It's looking fantastic James. You have made a big change to the first plan.

Keep up the good work.

[danstercivicman]

Looks excellent, I really like the high level

Looks excellent, I really like the high level

[jamest]

Hi again,

 

Third and last rapid update - this brings us up to date.

 

It took a while but I have completed the terraced houses for the back drop of the scenic board. I have placed them on some 1.2mm card with pavement surrounding it. I've also used that method for the pavement along the bridge. I was a bit hasty cutting out the bridge width so I had a decision to make - wide road lanes with no pavement, or normal width with pavement one side only. I opted for one side and decided that the pavement side would be the far side to enable me to put some walling to hide the backscene hole (where I planned to have storage roads under the houses) and provide a better visual stop. This does mean any car exiting the road at the back of the houses onto the road will have crap visability looking right - I have lowered the wall away to address this but it seems doubtful this would have arisen in reality. I'm happy with how it looks though.

 

I have completed the girder bridge with a Wills vari-girder pack and painted it dark grey in preparation for a bit of weathering. The wall along the back of the alley road is made from scalescenes printed paper too - very easy and effective. It is a bit of an 'attack' of red brick with little, or no, variation but I am pretty pleased with the overall effect.

 

The photos are a little cruel if you look at the roof line - but I've seen several terraced houses with undulating roof work!

 

Terraced houses:

 

 

 

 

 

Bridge and road:

 

 

 

Overall view of board - just green stuff to go! Edit - and chimney potts!

 

 

All the best,

James

Edited May 4, 2017 by jamest

[fishytrains]

That is a good lot of progress you have made there. I do like that backdrop section, it really conveys the setting of the railway in the scene.

 

Mike

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

No pictures but some great news regarding my shed.

 

Subject to me dodging the rain to dig a channel for the wire this week - power will be installed this saturday!

 

The layout can then take up home permanently and I can stop transferring it to the garage when I want power or lights.

 

Regards,

James

[sb67]

Nice layout. I like the use of Scalescenes stuff, the terrace backs look great. Looking forward to seeing your layout progress.

Steve.

[danstercivicman]

Highly impressive stuff

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

No update for a while, but I have been busy working on the station board. One of the unfortunate results of not planning ahead is you spend a lot of time musing how you will cover certain areas and arrange certain things. I did think the staion building could be on the upper level with steps to the platform, but I've decided to go with a platform level building with a ramp down to it. I tried several options for the building but settled for a scalescenes example.

 

I've also decided to straighten the siding and add a hardstanding so that there is access to the old 'middle' line. It also means vehicles can access the middle line over the track rather than having to provide access behind the buffer stop.

 

I've started the hardstanding and I need to ballast the moved track either side of the card. I will also fill in-between the tracks too. I've also weathered the ballast/track with sleeper grime and black where the locos will sit and operate the most. This has blened the two colours of ballast used well.

 

I no need to link up the upper level and ramp to the 'tunnel' mouth with a low wall. I then plan to fill in behind with vegitation.

 

Here are the essential pictures......

 

The transition between boards:

   

 

The bridge and upper level above the station:

   

 

The beginnings of the scenic break - although there is an option to run through on the platform line. This is supposed to represent a double through line previously (hence the tunnel mouth span):

 

The moved siding and plain card hardstanding (will be painted):

   

 

And finally shots showing the track weathering:

   

 

 

All the best,

James

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

I've now filled in the walling behind the station building and around the scenic break at the end. I've also painted the hardstanding a basic colour and I will weather this down later. I've also ballasted at either end, which will also require toning down to match the other track/ballast.

 

Scenic break - there will be 'green' added behind and over the wall and portal:

 

  

 

  

 

Here is the station area and surrounding wall - still got to decide what to put behind the station on the upper level before blending to undergrowth for the left hand side of the station behind the lower wall:

 

  

 

  

 

Getting close to firing up the noch grasmaster!

 

James

[jamest]

Hi again,

 

Well the grassmaster has been fired up and here are the results. I've started on the busehes and undergrowth on the house side - the other side of the appraoch board is still lawn.

 

I'm happy with the results so far - it certainly brings out the houses and makes the scene come to life - now the stage I am always wary of.....when to stop adding undergroth and trees and leave it alone. I'm sure there will be much tweaking of green stuff in the near future. I'm glad I went to the trouble of putting down the javis scatter first as in slightly bare areas it shows through and looks good.

 

Next jobs - alongside adding more green - are to decide what goes above the line at the end of the station - and to add a low relief factory behind the station.

 

I am regretting the low backscene now - it was intended to be stored under a bed, but after the change in location I think I should have gone higher - bit late now.

 

Anyway here are the pictures of the progress so far....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the best,

James

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

One month later and I've added some more undergrowth and seamoss trees. The seamoss is simply cleaned up, sprayed grey and covered in gaugemaster leaves scatter.

 

I've added some Peco flexible fencing along the embankment near-side and added some more modern fencing upto the hardstanding. The hardstanding is weathered with an airbrush around the edge of the sections and toned down with powers sealed with matt varnish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've also started to address some of the gaps against the backscene. I plan to have the back of a shed between the houses and the road - the wills corrugated sheet roof is resting in place at the moment to give you an idea:

 

 

 

And I plan to put a double apex factory end behind the station - just gluing the windows in place!

 

 

 

All the best for now,

James

 

 

[RAY NORWOOD]

Looking fantastic James. The tree are fantastic as well. Keep up the good work mate.

[Fluo66]

Wow! What a difference with all the grass, bushes and trees. Like it very much!

Edited November 6, 2017 by Fluo66

[60091]

Hello James

Hadn't seen Geenwood until today. Very impressed with your work.

You've created a very realistic layout, with some excellent scenic work, in what is a fairly small space for 00. Also good to see you'll be running blue diesels

It's seeing layouts like this tempt me to start dabbling in 00 again.

Now following progress on Greenwood.

 

Regards

Alan

[fishytrains]

The latest progress is looking very good.

 

Mike

[Brian D]

Just caught up with your work James.  Excellent stuff, nicely atmospheric and great use of Scalescenes' kits and textures.  Well done!

Regards,

Brian.

[jamest]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for taking the time to post your comments, it is very encouraging.

 

With regard to scalescenes - I've recently had a binge on several of the scratch building textures (plus some low relief flats and offices for a future project) so I'm thinking of going for different colour brick for the low relief factory and shed - I'm not sure the 'old' brown brick looks right.

 

I'm thinking Dark blue brick for the factory and dark red for the shed - as opposed to the red brick seen throughout the station, walls and houses.

 

Hope to have some photographic evidence by the weekend.

 

In the meantime here is a pic that didn't make the cut the other day - my first car was a Capri so we had to have one on here (wish mine was a sportier one like this one!).

 

 

Cheers for now,

James

[gismorail]

Very nice layout developing here ........oh to have such a tidy model railway room ........excellent