Popular Post themagicspanner Posted March 29, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted March 29, 2014 (edited) I have to admit to lurking on here for a quite some time and thought it was time to actually show off some of the modelling I've been doing for the last 9 months or so, so here's 'Somewhere in the West Highlands' (A layout in need of a name). When planning this layout I knew that space was going to be at a premium, with a space of about 6' x 5' available, so plumped for an N gauge terminus layout in the corner of the living room. I love the aesthetic of the West Highlands in the mid-eighties with large logo 37s and the classic blue and white Mark 1 coaches so it had to be set in a fiction location with plenty of interest. Here's the track plan and an overview of the layout. The main line is the one that leaves the scenic area at the bottom and there's a branch that leads to an industrial facility a little further up the coast - an excuse for plenty of freight and a variety of wagons. Annoyingly, at the planning phase I made the mistake of putting the branch to the industrial facility behind the goods yard and dock turnout, making holding wagons in the dock a bit more convoluted than it should be. Oh well. Anyway - the right hand end of the layout is fairly advanced with just a bit of development need. The left hand end needs loads of work. I'll keep posting photos as I keep developing the scenics and maybe post some from the early days... I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have so far. Mike Edited October 10, 2014 by themagicspanner 21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Country Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Welcome to RMweb! I like your track plan and you scenic work looks great. It looks like you have a lot of potential for shunting - are you planning to stick with rapido couplings or are you planning to use remote uncoupling (eg Dapol?). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks. Probably going to experiment with the Dapol couplings at some point - not a big fan of the big magnets above the sleepers though so I'll be looking to retrofit some other option. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 One of the main areas that I've been working on recently are the rocks. My technique has developed quite a lot lately and I've really settled on using DAS Clay formed into the basic shapes and then panted when wet - the stage the above photo is at. Once it's all dry I file away edges and cracks to create more texture and then create depth and highlights with washes of light and dark paints. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve22 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Another layout to capture the imagination. The track plan and that first overall picture shows a seemingly quite small layout. The following pictures somehow portray a much larger scene. That twenty looks a great distance from the sea. Have you employed some perspective modelling? And I do admire the rocks, they look very realistic. Is that the Knightwing bridge? It looks very much like one I have, also painted red. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks Steve, I'm glad you like the layout. The layout is very small. The following photo shows the space between the main line that the Class 20 is on and the rocks at the front: One thing that probably makes a bit of a difference to the perspective is the length of the grasses at the front - they are far too long and need cut down. The bridge is the Ratio one built upside down. The way it's designed is totally non prototypical for the UK. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I like your layout and the scenery good to see another Scottish layout on RM keep up the good work,perhaps Kaydee couplers will be the answer for you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stivesnick Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Hi Like this a lot, the scenic work so far looks great. I especially like the way you have managed to give the impression that the branch and main line are separate and head in different directions. At the station end, have you thought about how you are going to include part of the town that the station serves? It would help give the layout a good sense of place. Regards Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 Thanks Nick. In my original plan the branch was actually just a loco refuelling point so it's just by luck that it points away like that. With regards to the town, I must confess that I made a bit of an error when I planned the station - there's not really enough space behind the platform to suggest much in the way anything behind there and I'm not really a fan of low relief buildings. That's why I've gone with the quarried out rock at the left hand end. I think I'll have to try some kind of back scene tucked in behind the trees that are going to be at the top of the cliffs. Anyway, here are another few photos... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Having noticed you were a follower on Arboretum Valley, I dropped in to see what you had to offer. OMG What lovely scenery. You are not only smaller being 2mm...but you have some great usage of materials. I like what I assume is gorse, and the trees appear to be sea foam, and you are on PIR or similar. Like your DAS rocks as well especially when you consider the smaller gauge. I am now definitely following you. Great work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Hey Jaz, thanks for the kind words. The seafoam works quite well for the trees so long as you don't look too closely. The gorse has turned out quite well - just some Woodland scenics bushes with yellow enamels painted on. Here are a couple of views from the deck end of the layout: 37027 catching the evening light. Edited March 30, 2014 by themagicspanner 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sasquatch Posted March 30, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2014 Very nice work! You have captured the atmosphere of a West Highland branch terminus vey well. Will there be some sort of ferry waiting in the loch? Regards Shaun Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 Will there be some sort of ferry waiting in the loch? That's the plan although finding something suitable in N gauge may be a challenge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 It's been all go this weekend. Here are a few of photos of the engine shed and dock area: All of those sets are hand scribed into a layer of Polycell Onefill. A painstaking job if ever there was one but quite worth the effort to have something that doesn't look too uniform. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 This layout... wow. Amazing. The scenery is incredible, keep up the fantastic work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sasquatch Posted March 30, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2014 There's this one. http://nscaleships.com/n-scale-ships/125-harbor-cruise-ship-port-welcome/ A bit pricy but nice! And this could be kit bashed http://nscaleships.com/n-scale-ships/125-uscg-active-class-cutter/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Probably a wee bit more than I'm willing to pay, and a bit big for the little dock I've built. Nice models though. I was thinking of something from this range: http://www.langley-models.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Boats__Ships__quayside_walls_etc_63.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Hi . I love all the scenic work . Great rocks and gorse bushes . Can I ask what you used / method used to make those please ? Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted March 31, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2014 Hi there, Lovely layout and great scenics. Have you considered Artitec for the boat? Cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Ian, The rocks are roughly formed out of DAS clay to get the overall shape I want. Having lots of nooks and crannies makes for good texture and depth. Once I have the shape I flood everything with water and then apply a small amount of Payne's Grey and wash it all over trying to have a good variation in the colour - darker in the recesses and lighter on the edges. Once that lot's dry, which can take quite a while, I use sandpaper and a file to bring out more detail and then put another wash of colour to pick out the highlights. A little bit of brown help with the variation. The gorse is simple - a mix of Woodland Scenics Dark Green Bushes, Medium Green Clump Foliage and a little Light Green Coarse Turf mixed in to take the harshness off the colours and then a few dabs of yellow enamel paint for the flowers. I'm glad you like it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Ben, It looks as though they are the ones on the Langley Models website. Good looking models although they might need a little modification so that they don't look too 'Euro'. http://www.artitec.nl/index.php/en/kits/category/n-ships Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Wonderful scenery, the gorse is excellent You might consider replacing those old steam era Esso tanks with some Farish TTAs to complete the 80s feel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 You might consider replacing those old steam era Esso tanks with some Farish TTAs to complete the 80s feel Consider it done... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted March 31, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2014 Hi Mike Yes, it dawned on me after I posted the above message that I'd seen Langley selling Artitec kits before, so they were probably the same! I always thought the shrimp cutter could probably pass for a Scottish fishing boat to the casual eye...if suitably painted and lettered... Thanks for posting the photos you have and please keep them coming! cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 A few more photos... 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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