Physicsman

A couple of pics of the developing vegetation coverage in the cutting approaching Gill Head viaduct (aka Arten Gill): a

Thanks John, David. Here's a cropped-down version of number 1 - which I like because it includes the viaduct! And, just for you, I've cropped #3 further...

I'm currently working on the "large" cutting near the Bunker door. I hadn't quite realised how large this is until I started adding additional vegetation on top of the static grass, previously applied. I have (HAD) a decent stock of fine/coarse turf and underbrush....I need to restock. I've also given the 4' x 18" backscene board, behind the cutting, a few clouds and a distant hill background - to go with the pre-existing blue sky. Most of the land below the viaduct at the south (cutting) end has only had a cursory 2.5mm grass covering, so I'll start to work on that. Anyway, most of you couldn't care less about what I'm doing as long as I post some pics.... The last 2 pics are cropped parts taken from photos of the real Arten Gill cutting, taken in early summer and late September. I'm NOT trying to copy these - they contain FAR too much vegetation. And these (relatively) recent pics show the tree growth that's been allowed to take hold in the last 30 years. I'm modelling somewhere between 1960-1975, so trees will be minimal!

Jay, I think that given the size of your project and the location, what you've painted is appropriate for the backscene. Statistically speaking, I should have done something similar with Gill Head. But the thought of storm clouds filling the Bunker made me take a more optimistic view of the weather. With the Ais Gill "plank" and a couple of dioramas in the offing, this layout of yours has really grabbed my interest. Excellent stuff! Jeff

I stand enlightened.

Facetious comment: why's that, are you in the titles? Sensible comment: I never watch the programme....Please enlighten me!

Have to admit, I've managed zero. The moon "may" be in a clear sky (haha), above 45 degrees altitude, at an acceptable azimuth and the phase I'm interested in (for particular craters), but the air is incredibly turbulent. I could get some decent whole disc images, but at an effective focal length of 3-4000mm the view in the telescope or on the laptop screen looks like I'm imaging through a tank of swirling water. I think there's a limit to what you can achieve in the UK and increasing aperture and focal length runs into a brick wall. The best C11 images - rarer than a sunny day in the Dales - are way better than from the C8. But it's disheartening spending hours processing the damn things to get relatively mediocre results. I'm effectively imaging at 200-300 frames a second and still getting "crater bounce" - ok, only noticeable for small details, but if you're aiming for the best you can get it's simply not good enough. J.

I didn't fancy feeling suicidal when I went into the Bunker, so I imagined a visit to Dentdale on the one day a year when it's nice and sunny. About right given the lack of astrophotography opportunities this year!! Jeff

For anyone that's interested, here's the modified corner backscene. I've also painted along the bottom of the side-wall sections to give the idea of a neutral coloured, background hillside. I am no artist, but the blue sky, ground colour and clouds cheers the place up and it's a little bit more realistic than a magnolia wall! The painted backscenes also don't suffer from wrinkling and, if necessary, can be removed from the wall and given a touch-up.

Yes, Peter. But climate change is melting the glaciers and they are now "on the move"..... So time to get some more modelling done....

Ah, now I understand the historical context behind Peter's work. Radiocarbon dating on that 'box confirms an 1888 (Eighteen) build, in line with that booklet, Steve. If Peter cares to look at the pic on page 67 of KL2, he'll find his old "mate" who was also around at that time! Seriously, Peter, thanks for your signal box pic. Jeff

I've done one of the corner boards - it just sits in place and is easy to lift out. Needs further work - tomorrow.

Great idea, Jay. The prototype photos give you plenty to work with. I'm sure you'll enjoy building this! Jeff

Nah, I was just being sarcastic - though photoshopping means I'd still get in the corners with "ease". I'll be painting 2 corner boards in the coming week - IF I've got some ply! J.

Shall I Photoshop the backscene gaps in?

A couple of panoramas. More vegetation is going onto the cutting that's in the foreground of the first picture. I'm going to need to make myself some spindly, wind-blown trees for the sides of that one. Another skill to look forward to!

All the best to you, Mac. I hope 2022 is a lot more successful for you than the present year has been. Jeff

What's this, Andy? Are you playing Father Christmas 2021 with a layout to sell? Just curious.

To the person who sent me the PM about hyperspatial effects causing distortions in perception of modelling quality (things looking better than they really are), and causal translations resulting in layouts being completed before they've even started (warp speed - why so slow?).... Thank you very much - greatly appreciated ... I've gone online and taken out the relevant 20 year subscription for you. Follow the relevant guidance and you will no doubt benefit immensely. Just beware of transformations of the cat litter!! Jeff

The issue of "mojo" or enthusiasm raises an interesting angle on the way some of us approach railway modelling. When I was a kid I'd open my Triang Freightmaster box, get the track set up and the loco or train whizzing round as soon as possible. To a certain degree, when I re-discovered model railways in my late 30s I had the same attitude: buy a Hornby track plan book, go out and chuck money at locos, buildings etc, buy a piece of ply and get the "layout" (hahahaha) assembled on the board and running in a few days. At the same time I'd notice some of the layout plans, especially the "Railway of the Month" in Railway Modeller, and stand at the shelf in WHSmith shaking my head in disbelief that an 8' x 3' layout could have SO little track and tons of buildings/scenic context. I suppose there was a point when I "grew up" and learned that a proper LAYOUT did NOT appear at warp speed. It could be planned, prototypes consulted (especially with the advent of the internet) and the whole could include your own input: scratchbuilding. That point was probably about 12 years ago when a couple of people influenced me in a certain direction - to take my time, always try my best and to LEARN from some of the phenomenal work being displayed on RMweb. The relevance of these comments to mojo? Well, quality can take a lot of time. I mean quality in a relative sense. If you build something that's the best that YOU can do (and skills improve with time) then that is quality for you. It might be sh1t compared to a master, but so much better than buying everything in (though that, of course, is an individual choice). One of the consequences of working this way is that it CAN be bloody frustrating and time consuming (as in David's example, above). It can also be demotivating if the mojo dips when part way through, with a building half completed.... BUT the project doesn't have to be completed in a few days or weeks. As "Ramrig" has in his signature "a layout is for life, not just for Christmas". So.....enthusiasm/frustration etc cycles up and down, but at the end of the day - even if it takes YEARS - we edge forward.... I was getting pi55ed off with the viaduct at times, but the end result was a desired goal and it got done. I'm dreaming about static grass and DAS at the moment, but I'll give it a break and come back to it. And now it's the 80% built station building....I've done the hard work, so why do I keep putting off completing it? A break needed - then "on with the show". The VERY BEST layouts on this Forum have taken years. It tells us something AND encourages us to keep going when going into the railway room may be the last thing we want to do. Disclaimer: No Ready To Plant material was hurt in the making of this post. The view expressed relates to Jeff only. Other philosophies are available!

More embankment "vegetating" today. I need to move on to the areas below the viaduct which, to date, have only received a grass covering. Not a lot needs doing there, but then there's the deep cutting by the door.... Enthusiasm surges at times, then - usually after a couple of weeks of a similar task - eases off. That's the case here. Keep looking in. You never know what might happen next. Jeff

If I could be bothered I'd have sorted out some videos to upload. But I find it hard enough to keep this thread going with updates, so I've never done more than that. In a way, I'm quite happy doing my own thing and generally only respond if someone asks a specific question. I guess everyone has things that give them a buzz, and I know you've always enjoyed the video side of things. You'll be taking over Sam's Trains next!

Jam, of course it's ok to post stuff like that. The more, the merrier! I like your idea of a spinning disc - it would work great if there was a central light source. Nowhere near as crazy as an idea discussed around the time of the original Kirkby Luneside thread.... ....The idea was to rig up a rail arcing across the wall, starting low down, rising to its high position at the due South point, then descending. Onto this rail would be fitted light(s) - nowadays they'd be different coloured LED jobs. The lights would be motorised and move along the rail in real time, reaching due South at noon etc. In theory you'd get different angles of illumination, including rising and setting, and could create a whiter light at noon and a redder light at low altitudes, simulating atmospheric scattering. All a bit bonkers, of course, though if I had a lot of space around the outside of a layout I'd be tempted to give it a go, even if it was a failure. I don't doubt that someone, somewhere, will have done this very thing. Nice, moody, pic of Ribblehead btw! Jeff

Yes, if I bought another box I'd omit the rear walkway. The sun was still shining on the station area. Here's a 3 image composite....

I've continued to add vegetation to the main embankment areas and - not surprisingly - have run out of a couple of the key components. More on order. Here are a few pics, from slightly different angles. The mini-panorama involving the viaduct, not a great pic in itself, clearly shows the effect on colour that different lighting angles can have - bearing in mind the grass surfaces are all very similar.