Merc435 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Thanks, would be good to see the layout in real life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Just spent ages reading through this thread and i have to say its one of the best small shunting layouts i have seen. The detail and scenics are outstanding and the stock is equally impressive. I wish you lived nearer as i would have loved to have had this at our Little Layouts exhibition. Really great work and look forward to seeing more. Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 Thanks, would be good to see the layout in real life. Next time you're in Edinburgh... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 (edited) A few more bits and bobs dotted around the scene tonight. Trying to get myself prepared to start on some of the masonry... Anyway, here's a short video of some wagons being propelled! Mike Edited October 16, 2014 by themagicspanner 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 Thanks Neil. I'm pretty happy with the way things are progressing and I'm glad you like it. Here's a wee bit of tonight's progress. I'm particularly happy with the way the track looks in that last shot. I spent a bit of time highlighting the sleepers in gloss black to suggest that the oil stays wet for a bit longer on the wood than it does on the mud. I've also had my first shot at a twisted wire tree. The paint and PVA mix is still wet but you get the idea. 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc435 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 (edited) I'm about 50 miles west of you! Not thinking of hitting the Greenock show this weekend are you? ps; we really need a "MUCHO LIKEY" button on this thread! Edited October 16, 2014 by Merc435 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I think the track is superb and using the clay is something im looking at trying in the future. The clutter looks great to, everything ticks every box for me. A little run down trackside hut would look pretty cool to, bit of junk on the roof and the odd bit of faded white graffitti tag. Stunnung work and love the video Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Not thinking of hitting the Greenock show this weekend are you? Didn't even know it was on. Maybe I'll be able to make a visit on Sunday. Mike 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 I think the track is superb and using the clay is something im looking at trying in the future. The clutter looks great to, everything ticks every box for me. A little run down trackside hut would look pretty cool to, bit of junk on the roof and the odd bit of faded white graffitti tag. Stunnung work and love the video Cheers Neil. The whole premise of the layout was based on the idea that I didn't want to have to do any ballasting, hence the muddy industrial setting. Not that I'm no good at ballasting, I just hated when I had so much to do on Tarbhit. There are going to be a few fairly dominant buildings in the background but an old hut, as you describe, right at the front may be just the ticket. I'm keen to keep the sense of space at the front although I would like to give the sense that the viewer is looking into the yard from outside, hence starting on some trees. Mike 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc435 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 If you make it on Sunday, ask for Andy. I'll be in the halls somewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Andy Good to meet you through in Greenock today. Consider that invite accepted. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 When I was walking along the canal this evening I can across a really nice looking plant, the top part of which was dying back. Hmm, I thought. That looks like a pretty convincing bit of scrub that would be perfect for the front area of Thorburns... I think I'll have to head along the canal again. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc435 Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Brilliant. Good to meet you Mike. Hope you enjoyed the show. Andy. 12 months and counting! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 The show was good. A nice local atmosphere. Thanks to Davy for signing me up to MERG... I think it was all this flashing LEDs and the prospect of knowing what on earth to do with a servo! Anyway, it looks as though the pressure's on to get this model at least mostly complete by next year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 I've always believed that you should try to avoid using natural materials in models because they don't scale well. That was until the last couple of days when I started collecting bits of plant to 'plant' on the layout. On the way from the bike shed this morning my eye was attracted to a particularly nice bit of twig and into my bag it went. Some of the bits I pulled off the tree stump were scattered about on the grass. A new puddle has filled up overnight too. Must have been all of that rain at the weekend. Good excuse for a gratuitous reflection shot... 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) The old tree looks perfect in that location. You certainly couldn't model something as realistic as that. The secret is to be able to recognise something which will scale down well to 4mm. Reminds me of an article in Railway Modeller many years ago... how to make trees from dried yarrow. Alan Edited October 20, 2014 by 60091 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 Cheers Alan, Yes, that's the secret. Not every bit of twig of the same size, even from the same plant looks right. I've even been back to check if there any other suitable bits. Interesting info about the dried yarrow. I guess the equivalent these days would be the sea foam which I used on Tarbhit. I thought it was passable in N gauge with lots of flock but I knew it wasn't going to be up to the job in 4mm when I'm trying to model bare trees. I've used is in a couple of places so far to represent small bushes but I'm not sure about them. I think I'll use more of the random plants I found along the canal. Mike 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Building work has started but not on the granary. Here's a general shot of the layout And an arty shot of the foreground! The static grass machine made an outing tonight for blocking in more of the front portion of the layout. Thinks are coming together quite nicely. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Lokks great, nice to see an overall shot too, great scenics and i like the small building at the rear corner Great job Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 Some plant parts do scale down well, simply cos they are a scaled down version of the real things big bits. What I've noticed, whilst scouring the verges of all the footpaths in Edinburgh, is that there are quite a number of plants that become quite two-dimensional once they get to a size that could be useful for modelling in 4mm. My next experiment is going to be with heather. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 Lokks great, nice to see an overall shot too, great scenics and i like the small building at the rear corner Great job Cheers Neil, The building in the corner will joined by another few as time goes on. I've never been that confident with buildings so I'm going to take my time to create something I'm happy with. Lots of other mini projects to be getting on with too. I built up a Will's Vari Girder the other night. A totally disappointing representation of a riveted girder in my opinion (I'm a bridge engineer mind). I won't go into the deficiencies right now, but lets just say I'll be ordering the one by Masokits. Mike 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mudmagnet Posted October 23, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 23, 2014 Great work Mike. The first building is coming on well - afterall most buildings are boxes with bits added! Will be interesting to see how your bridge looks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 I'll post some pictures of the girder when I get a bit more time. In the meantime here's a wee bit of shed progress. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 (edited) Tonight I managed to extend the shed out to the back of the layout, creating an apex in the roof. I was a little disappointed with the way the sheets butted together, leaving a pretty obvious joint. The door got some warning stripes, mainly because I love they way they look, and the whole thing got another coat of paint and some weathering. All it needs now is a roof... My next focus is going to be on creating a steel rack. I'll be using the Wills transparent corrugated roof light material for a bit of variety. It's also thin, unlike the normal stuff. Edited October 24, 2014 by themagicspanner 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc435 Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Hi Mike, like the shed. The butt joints in the wills sheets can be a pain to blend, I use a thin strip of plastic across the joint. The metal rack looks like a good challenge. Andy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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