A start at least!

[Lee m22]

Hi All,

 

Well after breaking a 2 year absence from RMweb and also model railways, I'm finally in a position to start again...this time, in N gauge!

 

So a quick brief for my first layout;

 

*Needed to be small and simple...get stuff running quickly!

*Something generic as my mind wonders and I can't be sure on what era ill be modeelling in an hour's time, let alone next week!

*A wide range of basic skills to be practiced, particularly scenic....Water, fields, foliage, buildings....the lot!

*Be able to educate "The Boss", also known as Tracy in the art of model railways. Afterall, I have been given free run of the largest room in the house!

 

So after making the hard decision that it would be N gauge, and having brought the Gf railfreight starter set, I started looking for the right layout plan. Continually I was getting frustrated making a decision, and at this point, I'd already made a 6' x 2' frame. Then up comes an article in RM about the location of Golant in Cornwall!

 

I didn't want to copy the article step by step, or model a particular location, but their is more similarities than differences!

 

I started by getting the boards on the frame and using insulating foam boards, the landscape took shape. In hindsight, the foam was a bit deep...too late now mind! Paper n glue in vast quantities didn't impress me, and Tracy brought a load of plaster bangage landscaping stuff, so a second attempt had much better results in producing the landscape.

 

 

 

Adding the colour, Tamiya texture paints were mentioned in the mag, so I gave them a go. The dark earth varient wend down well - if a little expensive for the large area- but again, thinking about it, a second coat may have been needed. The grass texture one didn't impress Tracy at all though for the cow meadow, and so scatter became the favoured choice.

 

 

 

Onto foliage and first, I've cheated with the trees...Bachmann's have found their way to the edge of the line in a small copse beside the cow meadow.

 

I did get adventurous by trying to make my own reid bed ready for when the water arrives!

 

 

Litchen has been used to add some foliage to the bank and the tunnel portals....Im not sure if its right for N gauge like this...opinions welcome!

 

 

 

 

Progress continues, but would be getting further if I'd stop buying rolling stock, and if the new puppy wouldn't have the desire to eat all in sight!

 

 

 

 

I'd love any feedback or ideas on the scenery. I know this will only be a running in layout at the end of the day, but its a great place to practice the scenic skills before the big one....or the little one...or one of the other many layout ideas I can't decide on!!

 

Thanks for looking!

 

Regards

 

Lee

[Chrisr40]

Hello Lee

 

thanks for sharing your pics - very nice

 

Im cant claim to be a scenics expert but if any of this helps then you are welcome to use these tips.

 

Lichen - looks okay but even better if you use it as a base for adding scatter too - ie put some pva on the lichen and sprinkle on some ground cover - works particularly well wth the darker lichen as it makes it look like the darker inner woody bits of a bush with fresh growth on top.

 

Trees - around this time of year the old flower heads on hydrangeas are ready to come off - these are great for using as trees. If you can find a gardener who will give you their prunings then they look convincing with a bit of foliage added and the trucks darkened a bit.

 

I also saw that you had some peco hedges on your layout in a bag - I found that if you get kitchen scouting pads and cut them into strips, roll them in pva and then dip in even cheap old sawdust scatter they make a very good hedge for pennies compared to the ready made ones.

 

Hope that helps a bit - look forward to seeing the layout as it develops.

 

Chris

[Kris]

Looks like you have made a good start. I would suggest toning down the grass a little and mixing colours into it so that it does not look quite as bright and uniform.

[Lee m22]

Hey

 

Thanks for the comments! much appreciated!

 

@ Chrisr40; Thanks for the ideas! I had a failed attempt at scatter on the litchen the other day... I'll try again with the litchen before applying it to the layout.

 

Wonder if me mum has a hydrangeas? Thought I brought one last year when I did up the garden, but the pup has eaten anything that isnt shorter than an inch or as high as a tree!

 

The scouring pad idea is great. I don't imagine the little hedge in the bag will go far, so I'll deff have to give that a try....shame I just hoovered up a load a sawdust

 

Thanks again for the ideas!

 

@ Kris; I agree with the green. It's a bit flat... I've got some static grass that I want to put in there, but I think this will be too light against the green scatter.

 

I think the green of the original texture paint was quite good, but the finish wasn't right, and tracy hated it. It was a bit patchy too. I've got some dark scatter to go around the trees and I think some hedgerows n fences will help to break it up too.

Aside that I think a trip to the model shop in the week for some different scatters to mix up will be in order...and of course to browse the wagon cabinet B)

 

Thanks again!!

 

Lee

[jonas]

Looking good mate! Can't wait to see it in the flesh - I'm seriously considering this n gauge malarkey...

[Lee m22]

Hi All

 

Progress has been a bit slow while other distractions persist (12 week old Husky keeps chewing my feet!)

 

I've had a bit of time though to work/play with the cow meadow, and Tracy has also managed to sneek a few cows in for good measure too!

 

 

A second shade of scatter to break up the flat green effect.

 

 

An attempt at using scatter on the litchen went well, with the exception of the fact I need to buy a different colour scatter! The effect works well though!

 

 

 

Also added some darker scatter under the trees and some fencing and hedgerow.

 

Hoping to get round to putting a lane down the other side of the board this week for the cottages, and a small farm yard just to settle into the meadow. Also awaiting payday so I can place a decent order for some scenic bits to finish off this practice layout! Thoughts for the next two are already afoot!!

 

Other distractions from today,

 

 

Haven't seen 86's for a while!

 

 

Do, however, see plenty of 66's - under their own power mind!

 

 

Another break from the ususal 66-hauled intermodal services. Almost all the freight I've seen is hauled by FL locos atm, so a welcome change to see some red....or should I say brown??

 

Shots just south of Bletchley on the WCML. One of these days I'll remember to take my real camera up there and get some decent shots.

 

 

Finges crossed, I'll have some decent progress to show soon, and the next set of layout plans to perfect!

 

Regards

 

Lee

[jonas]

Those cows need weathering mate!

 

Seriously, looking good. As for the constructive criticism - perhaps you could mist over the grass with your airbrush with some olive/browns to tone it down a touch? Your prototype shots show what grass really looks like - its not as green as we like to think, if you see what I mean.

 

Mind you, you have built a layout, and I have 2 weathered wagons. So what do I know!

[Lee m22]

LOL, cheers Steve

 

Feel free to put ya weathered wagon pics on here steve...they will more than likley end up running on this layout first anyhow!

 

Perhaps a trade is in order.... you weather me 47 and I'll knock up some baseboards for ya. More good news is that the soldering kit does all work so I'm ready for some bigger challenges in the future.

 

On the airbrush front...after the last attempts we made to use that cheap lump...think I'll buy a proper one!

 

regards

 

Lee

[Lee m22]

Ok, so I've not really done much for 2 months!

 

Work and other tenuous excuses and all that!

 

So a little progress more in the form of buying lots of lovely wagons and a loco or two....(the stock list grows much faster than the layout!) We've managed to lay the road today using a woodland scenics kit. It's a bit rough around the edges (the attemt, not the kit!) but it'll do for this experimental layout. This week's agenda is to get a move on and get some of the farmhouse details done. Hopefully, get some foliage down and possibly paint the back boards before I go too much further.

 

More importantly, I aim to get a few photos of the stock up here, and start rounding this off so I can start designing a small micro layout to occupy my shunting needs, while I save to build something a little larger for the future!

 

So a couple of pics

 

 

 

My first atempts to really weather a rake of wagons...very much a work in progress! The bridge beams still need to be weathered and finally placed, but they have got as far as a quick spray!

 

 

The start of the road. In hindsight, it would have probably been best to have smoothed the base area below the road before applying the tape and plaster mix to form the surface...my excuse is that a more prototypical british lane has been achieved, complete with pot holes, sink holes, and large areas of missing tarmac!

 

 

The road after painting. Now a nice small stone wall and a farm gate should form a quaint little yard, leading into the cow meadow...A theory yet to be realised! LOL

 

Anyway, back to the modelling for now!, some real trains to finish on from walking the dog!

 

Victor Hugo 92 001 passes the Aylesbury bypass, heading towards Bletchley. A lucky catch for me!

 

http://s1207.photobu...nt=FILE0032.mp4

 

 

And another rather pleasant catch, passing south through Bletchley Station. I may have caught the OHLE bug after seeing this BR blue 86 101. I will try and arm myself with my decent camera next time!

 

 

Regards

 

Lee