The Furness Valley Railroad

[chaz]

Doesn't everybody do this sort of test just once?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knH9zyRDA_U&feature=youtu.be

That's twenty cars, including the caboose, coupled behind that little 2-4-0 #7 and it gets its train moving without a trace of slip. Plucky little devil isn't it? A train that length looks absurd on my layout so the normal maximum will be five plus a caboose.

 

Chaz

[BG John]

Doesn't everybody do this sort of test just once?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knH9zyRDA_U&feature=youtu.be

That's twenty cars, including the caboose, coupled behind that little 2-4-0 #7 and it gets its train moving without a trace of slip. Plucky little devil isn't it? A train that length looks absurd on my layout so the normal maximum will be five plus a caboose.

 

Chaz

I was expecting the loco to appear again before the last car cleared the bridge!

[chaz]

I was expecting the loco to appear again before the last car cleared the bridge!

 

Not quite. I suspect you could probably fit 80+ cars on the circuit, although I don't own that many and I'm sure #7 would need a helper or two for that load. I did also try one of the Broadway 2-8-0s - it coped with the 20 with no problems. It's not going to happen again - five and a caboose looks a respectable train. In any case neither the staging tracks, nor the planned passing sidings will be long enough for anything longer.

 

It's all good clean fun.

 

Chaz

[chaz]

The layout has a voracious appetite for bushes. The five bushes that I finished recently have all gone into this small area, along with two of the smaller trees.



Although I have a fairly clear idea of what I want the area to look like I do, of course, make it up as I go along, adding such items until I'm happy with the effect.

 

 

Helicopter shot - no realism but it does show that track cleaning should not be too much of a problem.

 

It's nice the way that scenic work progresses - there is enough to do in the Furness Valley that I never find a pause when I can't do anything. If I have just done some ground cover and am waiting for the PVA to dry? No problem - glue postiche on the next tree armature. If I have just glued on the postiche and am waiting for the PVA to dry? No problem - start on the wire armature for the next tree.

 

I am up to 24 trees finished and planted on the section from the tunnel to just beyond the bridge. (that's proper wire armatures with bark-mix and scatter foliage - not the silhouette backscene jobs or simple bushes). It looks like my original estimate of 30-40 trees for this section is not going to be so far out.

 

Chaz

Edited August 30, 2016 by chaz

[chaz]

For a while I have been stuck over what to do with the area over the tunnel. It ought to be covered in trees but the slope of the ceiling makes it very tricky. I suppose I could have covered it in static grass but that did not appeal.

 

 

After a discussion with Sue when I showed her the problem I did a quick test piece. I cut and glued together few layers of thick corrugated card and painted the result dark green. Her suggestion looked useful.

 

Once the glue and paint were dry I glued Woodland Scenics foliage clumps in place with PVA. I found the best way to apply the clumps was to coat the edge of the corrugated card and the back of each clump in PVA. The clumps have a tendency, being springy, to bounce away from the surface. Placing each with a pair of tweezers and holding them briefly in place with a finger or a small paint brush handle while the tweezers are withdrawn worked.

 

Next I cut a stack of pieces of the card, shaped at the back like a ziggurat and at the front like bulging tree shapes. I glued the stack together with squirts from a glue-gun (much quicker and less messy than PVA). Adding the foliage clumps is a straightforward, if tedious job.

 

The corrugated layers are wedge-shaped so the "thingy" can be pushed into place.

 

I still need to do a bit more work to the top edge and to the left hand side as it curves round.

 

I will soften the effect with a couple of small bushes in front of the "trees", and there is room over the tunnel mouth for one small tree if I can get a hole drilled.

 

The result is like a 3D version of the flat silhouette trees that I have been adding to the backscene.

 

Chaz

Edited August 31, 2016 by chaz

[chaz]

Mind the gap.

 

 

Yesterday I started glueing postiche in place on the big tree that is to stand in the gap. A tedious job.

 

 

Did I say "big"? This tree is about 12 inches tall - in American O that's only 48 feet - not that big then. Still on the FV it counts as a big one. The vice in the picture is extremely useful for this job. The ball and socket mount allows the tree to be revolved and tilted at any angle for easy placing of the postiche without the need to keep removing and replacing it in the jaws.

 

Chaz

 

PS   I should have said that the tree is rather spindly and unconvincing in its bald state. I am confident that once the foliage is on it will work. Remember this one is very much a background model filling in a gap, once it is in I can plant the foreground trees in front of it - these will be much more carefully detailed.

Edited August 31, 2016 by chaz

[chaz]

Tree #25 finished and planted yesterday.

 

 

I will not be able to do much more to the scenery at this end until I have laid the switches which will start the track layout at Stoke's Ferry.

 

 

Chaz

[chaz]

I have done some full-size planning for the station at Stoke's Ferry.  I cut some pieces of thick lining paper and drew out the track centre lines first in pencil. Once the design looked OK I went over the lines with a thick blue marker pen.

 

 

In the picture the Bachmann combine is standing on the main line; the rectangle in front of it is the footprint of the depot building. The flat car is standing on the passing siding and the boxcars are on the storage siding. The rectangle behind the single boxcar is the footprint of the foundry.

 

A view from the other end of the station shows the two switches bringing the sidings back to the single track.

 

 

The tank car is standing on the line of a short stub spur - a team track. I am not sure if I will include this or not as it will only accomodate one freight car. The blocks of wood are only there to keep paper flat!

 

A closer view showing the area around footprint of the foundry building.

 

 

The curve on the main line is 24 inch radius - I have had to sharpen the curve of the two sidings to 22 inches to get them round. The dotted line around the foundry shows how the hill behind it will be arranged, with a wall to support the slope and a narrow access way between building and the wall. Access to the foundry will be by a grade crossing across the tracks.

 

The open corner in the foreground will have a triangular fillet fitted so that the main line doesn't appear to come so close to the baseboard edge. I did this on the other side of the room where the track emerges from the tunnel and curves round - it does improve the look.

 

I can't see any reason why the two switches needed for this end (both LH #5) can't be made and fitted soon.

 

Chaz

Edited September 1, 2016 by chaz

[chaz]

I didn't draw attention to it but the eagle-eyed might have spotted, in the photos in the previous posting, my special length of string. It is cut to the length of a C16 + five freight cars + caboose - my maximum loading. I used it to check the length of the main line and passing siding in the station; being flexible it can be laid out to follow a curve. What are the chances of being able to find it the next time I need it?

 

Chaz

[relaxinghobby]

No need for complex track planning software, just get a piece of string!

[chaz]

No need for complex track planning software, just get a piece of string!

 

YEP!

 

Actually I have always done track planning this way - a roll of lining paper, pencil and straight edge and some paper switch templates (in this case downloaded from the Fast Tracks website). No nasty surprises if you do you planning full size in situ.

[chaz]

A tree to fill the gap.

 

As the postiche can be almost invisible against some backgrounds I put the tree in front of a white wall to check it.

 

The tree has its foliage - I deliberately left the lower part of the tree bare - for variety, I think.

 

Planted in position. This area looks a bit unfinished but I will continue the line of undergrowth along the edge of the trackbed. I can't do this yet as I have run out of horsehair "blocks" to make bushes. No problem as I am off to Telford tomorrow.

 

I will need to do something to that odd gap to the left of the tree - possibly another, smaller tree?

 

Chaz

Edited September 2, 2016 by chaz

[Donw]

I prefer to do the final planning on the actual baseboard. I will draw a sketch of what I think but on the baseboard using bits of stock and odd items for a mock up you often find moving something an inch this or that way can makes a lot of difference. I find a bit of hardboard cut to the minimum radius you will accept handy placing against curves drawn semi freehand ( i.e using a thin batten) will show if you have created any knuckles that dip below the minimum radius.

 

Don

[chaz]

I prefer to do the final planning on the actual baseboard. I will draw a sketch of what I think but on the baseboard using bits of stock and odd items for a mock up you often find moving something an inch this or that way can makes a lot of difference. I find a bit of hardboard cut to the minimum radius you will accept handy placing against curves drawn semi freehand ( i.e using a thin batten) will show if you have created any knuckles that dip below the minimum radius.

 

Don

 

We are of one mind on this Don. I like planning full size - it resolves a lot of potential problems quickly. Certainly paper rectangles cut to the footprint of buildings of kits that are still unbuilt are very useful. I used to use a beam compass to set out curves with the pivot supported by a block of wood in the Workmate (if, as is so often the case, the centre is off the baseboard edge). This got rather tiresome so I prepared a set of thick card curves cut to the radiuses required. 

 

Chaz

[BG John]

I'm planning my layouts on the computer using SCARM. I find that adding some basic buildings and landscape, then using the 3D views is a great start. It's not enough though, so for my 7mm scale layouts I'm building a full size mock-up, complete with simple models of the buildings. I've just done this for my planned O-16.5 layout, using a printed track plan from SCARM. Then I can do some tweaking to it to get everything perfect, before starting to build the real thing. I'll be doing the same for the O gauge layout soon.

[chaz]

I'm planning my layouts on the computer using SCARM. I find that adding some basic buildings and landscape, then using the 3D views is a great start. It's not enough though, so for my 7mm scale layouts I'm building a full size mock-up, complete with simple models of the buildings. I've just done this for my planned O-16.5 layout, using a printed track plan from SCARM. Then I can do some tweaking to it to get everything perfect, before starting to build the real thing. I'll be doing the same for the O gauge layout soon.

 

Nothing wrong with that! I prefer the "clockwork" method to a computer generated one for planning but there is certainly room for both. If you go back and look at the early postings in this topic you will find details of a card model that I made to help design the tunnel to girder bridge section. I'm confident enough of my plan for Stoke's Ferry not to need to make a planning model of the model.

 

Good luck with your layouts.

 

Chaz

[chaz]

I had an enjoyable day at Guildex in Telford on Saturday and bought everything on my shopping list! (A first for me) One of the things I bought was some rubberised horsehair - essential for bushes, brambles etc. The mate I went with said to me "Did you buy horsehair? I wish you had said you were going to, I've got loads and can give you some." When we got back to Hampshire and I dropped him off he gave me a generous chunk of the stuff. When I got it home I left it in the hall where it was instantly christened the orang utan!

 

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Yesterday I didn't feel like doing too much work but I did snip a strip off of the orang utan and use it to make half a dozen bushes.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Another look at the tree "thing". I have done more work to it, adding more foliage clumps to the top edge and round the side.

 

Next a view of the back, revealing its very simple construction.

 

And last, a view of it in position above the tunnel.

 

I have added some scrunched leaf cover to the ground in front and to the left. I will use a couple of the bushes (above) between the "thing" and the top of the tunnel mouth to finish the view and hide that unsatisfactory area where the closeness of the ceiling makes things difficult.

 

Chaz

Edited September 5, 2016 by chaz

[chaz]

One thing I have (re)learnt in the last few days is to allow for the overhang of stock on sharp curves. As the Bachmann ten-wheeler probably has the greatest overhang I have started using it to check clearances.

 

Here I am checking a bush that will be planted in front of the crib wall. I had thought there is plenty of room - not so and the bush has to be slimmer.

 

After adding the foliage scatter I glued the bush in place. The cocktail sticks are a temporary fit, to hold the bush firmly in place. Fingers crossed that when they are removed the bush doesn't spring out too far and so encroach on the required clearance.

 

A passing freight plays peek-a-boo through the trees and bushes. This corner is pretty well finished. Some work on the short stretch from here to the tunnel needs to be done and then the first section can be "signed off".

 

A close up of the corner. The tree in the foreground on the right was rather wobbly - it was one of my early efforts and the "peg" on the bottom of the trunk was not sufficiently stiff. I have buried the spreading "roots" under a layer of bark-mix (filler plus PVA/water 50:50 mix with a dash of acrylic paint). I hope that this will anchor the tree firmly upright.

 

Chaz

[Donw]

I wonder if you could trim the bush back as though the MOW team had done it.

 

Don

[chaz]

I wonder if you could trim the bush back as though the MOW team had done it.

 

Don

 

Already done, Don. I slimmed it before adding the foliage and I'm pleased to say the cocktail sticks did the job. I put plenty of PVA underneath the bush and when I removed the sticks it stayed put.

 

Chaz

Edited September 6, 2016 by chaz

[chaz]

Testing the "wobbly" tree I find that the bark-mix around the base of the trunk and covering the roots has set and the tree is now rock solid. It's an obvious way of fixing a tree when there is no way of drilling for a peg. Thr resulting mound at the base of the trunk looks perfectly natural.

[alant]

Hi Chaz,

 

I have used the hot glue gun to secure wobbly trees in the past. Can usually disguise any glue with foilage and grass etc.

 

Alan.

[chaz]

Hi Chaz,

 

I have used the hot glue gun to secure wobbly trees in the past. Can usually disguise any glue with foilage and grass etc.

 

Alan.

 

Thanks for that Alan. I can see that that would work and would set quickly, it might well be a useful option.

[chaz]

I went up into the roof mid-morning to do some work on the crib wall - adding green stuff - before I ruin the access by planting trees along the front of this section. I got some of it done and then the ********** sun came out and the temperature soared. Opening both windows often does the trick but only if there's a breeze. So it was either sweat buckets (not nice) or come downstairs. I suppose what I ought to do is to set up the airbrush and start weathering some of the stock.......hmmm......not a bad idea, if it's still tropical in the FV after lunch I might just do that.

 

Chaz

[chaz]

More work on the scenery behind the line - before I put the trees in the foreground.

 

 

I should say that these two photos were taken just after I did the work and before any excess material was vacuumed up.

 

 

I imagine that the area around the tunnel, in the gloom amongst the trees, would be quite damp. The MoW guys might struggle and fight a losing battle with the encroachment of greenery.

 

Chaz

Edited September 7, 2016 by chaz