Andy R

I have been down to the railway room last week to get some updated photos now I have progressed along the junction station a little with track, buildings and scenery. I thought I would post over the next few weeks a little at a time, starting from the Budden Farm end (RH as operator sees it) moving along Hawkinsfield Junction towards the goods yard end (LH as operator sees it). The first attached photo is an 'overview' one of the station area generally as one enters the railway room. Budden Lane/Farm on the right... As posted previously there are many years work ahead but this junction station is emerging into a scene I feel comfortable with. There are lots of detail to be added yet of course but the idea was to get trains running and move along this station side first from one end to the other working up the form and structure of the area before going over later with those little extras that really count. regards, Andy R

Forgive me John -I had forgotten your earlier reply and have referred to it on your Hintock topic. Thanks for your helpful info Andy R

Hi Westerner, you work fast and looking forward to seeing how the terminus emerges on this site. Andy R

John -what's your opinion on the use of kaydees on British stock? You certainly seem well settled on this approach. Do you standardise the numbers for locos and wagons etc...? thanks, Andy R

Ardmore, many thanks for your excellent illustrated description of the building of the viaduct. This has helped me in my thinking about the viaduct at one end of my layout which also needs to be curved but not through 90 degrees like yours. I may not necessarily use the Wills kit (looking at one on internet for potential purchase and they do look sharp) ... I might yet follow my normal technique of using foamboard as the base covered with slaters embossed stone. But your step by step illustration gives me confidence to move into that area of the layout for the next scenic steps. So, thank you for taking the time to reply to my query. Your baseboard consruction is very thorough and beautifully crafted looking at the photos. Look forward to more posts as you are able. Andy R

David- absolutely no problem about the names. We can all sit back and enjoy Les's excellent modelling and learn from his good layout design tips. regards, Andy R

Many thanks for your positive feedback John, which I really appreciate coming from an experienced modeller like you. The plan is achievable as a long term aim with plenty of work ahead. I am retiring at the end of March and so may get a little more time in the man-cave. While the mechanical and electrical side of things are my weak suite, the landscape creation pushes the buttons. Down the track reliable and enjoyable operation will be the main aim, so automatic coupling is in the back of my brain as a future challenge- you run kaydee I note, which from my looking at English layouts recently appears to be taking hold more than in the past. All my American modeller friends say its a no brainer -even with 'toy' British stock! thanks again -Andy R

With a holiday weekend here in homebase I thought I would sketch out a layout plan to try and assist illustration of the layout project. This is not to scale but readers will get the idea I trust from the plan. As will have been gathered from my earlier posts I am currently working on the Hawkinsfield junction side although I have DCC running over the whole track laid to date (apart from branch see below). Have got all track working well, ballasted, and all points wired and controlled by temporary push-pull rods, Polarity is changed by the Bluepoint manual switches sitting directly below each point, and I have found these to be excellent if you want manual control. They are American and easily available here in NZ. I have turned attention to scenic and building work, moving along the junction station and vicinity from the junction end (Budden Farm/Lane) to the goods yard end. The main road bridge serving the station and goods yard has only been mocked up so far (it is behind the engine shed), and the turn table is digit (finger) controlled, but can turn locos. No start has been made on the branch other than the junction and related trackwork leading up to the just past the rear junction bridge over the branch. Also the branch diamond crossing has yet to be wired for running into that track, but all trains run through the mainline part of diamond. As noted before there is a long way to go but the project is enjoyable and relaxed as I work quietly away at it bit by bit. Thanks, Andy R

Les- many thanks for your comprehensive commentary on your hedges. They are certainly time well spent and they look great. Les, do you know where we might get rubberised horsehair in NZ? I have asked several upholsterers to no avail, and the local model shops don't have any of course. Any idea? Also, have you managed to find source of multi -strand wire offcuts for the tree making? regards, Andy R

David; I can only echo the views expressed already, this layout is evolving nicely. May I ask about the viaduct please...is that scratch built or an adaption of a kit/purchased one. It looks really good and seems to have a slight curve? How have you gone about that? regards, Andy R New Zealand

nice scene. I am still loving the trees Les. Hedges also look great. Have they used green dish pads with foliage over them? Small detail but one I am still trying to perfect. Andy R

A sunny summers day in NZ today, but at Budden's Farm on Budden Lane in Dorset, every day is summer. Pigs and horse loving the warmth. This country scene is at the junction end of Hawkinsfield and served by a hump back bridge over the branch line. I will be adding further trees to the area where the lane merges into the back scene. Andy R

David- I think you are referring to Les rather than Andy R? This is his topic. I agree with you that his little layout is looking very nice. Les lives in the Waikato and I'm in the Bay of Plenty- we both have GWR /western interest. (see my Hawkinsfield Junction topic). One day we might even meet each other at the local Hamilton exhibition.! Andy R

thanks Les. Appreciate your feedback. Its nice to create little cameos within a large canvas, just as many have in this forum; Much Murkle for one example -stunning.

Nick -I have just got the Feb issue of BRM here in NZ and the layout article is superb. You can be well proud of the results shown in here and in the magazine. Great example of uncomplicated modelling that captures character really well There are so many ideas for modelling scenes on this layout which assist us mere mortals to try harder as we potter along. Andy R

A quick look at the finished loco service facilities at Hawkinsfield Junction from the other direction of earlier photos, towards the marshalling yard and junction bridges beyond. Station buildings visible (but work in progress) to the left of picture. To the right the line heads back to the turntable (also a work in progress). The navvy seems in need of a good feed, and I should aim to replace the poor lad with a more portly sole at some stage. These things always show up in pictures- the camera does not lie! Andy R

I am liking the photos Les. Nice, subtle touches. Will you be exhibiting at Cambridge show? Andy R

Les -hope I can get to see you at Cambridge . Unsure which layout I will be helping with at this stage-probably O gauge one from Hamilton MRC (not Lymbridge which we exhibited at Mount last weekend) Thanks for the tree photos- this is an interesting technique using the cut string...like it. will experiment. regards, Andy R

Hi Les- further great photos and nice, straight forward track plan. Yes I am the owner with a friend of the GWR layout called "Dymstock" which we have exhibited mainly in the Hamilton MRC exhibitions over the years. It is rather tired now and probably overexposed in the small modelling circle we frequent in the Waikato in my view. I am also a co-owner of the o gauge layout Lymbridge Harbour that you may have seen around Hamilton exhibition too? I have another exhibition layout in my head that I need to sell to my co-owner John, and if I do I can get on with that idea in due course, after I retire. In the meantime my own home layout Hawkinsfield Junction (see my topic) is taking up sufficient modelling time. See you at a Hamilton exhibition (April in Cambridge or October in Hamilton-please introduce yourself). Regards, Andy R

I have just read through this topic for the first time and the quality of the modelling, and particularly the scenery techniques/treatment and finishing is superb. Your explanations of your modelling process are very helpful. I join many others...nice work Andy R

sorry -having looked again the trees are very good- I would love to know how you made them? I am finding this part of my modelling work in progress too and challenging. Andy R

Hi from Tauranga, NZ. I am thrilled to see another NZ RM web member displaying their work. It looks really nice from the photos and employing different scenic techniques to me but we are all striving for the same general aims. Great stuff. Andy R

New year greetings to RM web members. I thought I would post further photos of the early scenic thinking and construction of the engine shed area off the marshalling yard at Hawkinsfield Junction. This early thinking evolved a bit over the next few months to current, which I will post in due course. You can see that the engine facilities are served from the outside siding of the marshalling yard, which is a little limiting but works to keep a few locos ready for exchanging when required. The shed is of card construction and unusually for GWR, wooden- which I think is stretching the credibility a little, but a friend gave it too me and it sits well in this spot. It can accommodate two locos without difficulty. This part of the marshalling yard is cork tiles laid over the plywood base, with the SMP track PVA glued down on this. Ballast is 2mm fine ballast sprinkled over, sprayed with water/washing up liquid solution, and then diluted PVA dripped with eye dropper- the tried and true techniques known by many. dried grass and weeds etc... are randomly glued through the yard using the old carpet felt tuffs and some static grass in some areas also. For example, I subsequently decided to put in a turntable and further feeder road to it curving in front of the engine shed, and that required some scenery 'redevelopment' and expanding of the track roadbed, but hey, isn't that what makes developing a layout fun! I hope this is of interest for some -I am trying to 'unfold' the layout in pictures and text by looking back to the early days and then moving through in steps to the present. I only get a couple of hours a week in the man-cave and there is a long way to go. Andy R

the other side of the junction bridges; first showing scenery construction techniques and second the same area later in the process. Railway fencing to be added later.

And to complete the day I attach a photo of the bridge area during construction showing the basic scenery technique approach I am adopting; My sequence is card lattice, cover lattice with brown parcel paper wetted with PVA, then carpet underlay, then mixed acrylic colours and then a final blast with my Noch puffer bottle of static grass.