Powerhaul 70 Pey

Managed to fit and paint 2 more back boards. I may have a back scene but undecided yet. I am not sure that the 3mm hardboard I got for the facias are the best material as they had bowed since yesterday so I have put some more screws in and if they bow again then I will get something a bit more substantial and try again.

Good evening. Not much progress since my last post. Tonight I went to B&Q for some wood. Began to put some edging along the edge of the boards to hide wiring, rough edges etc. This will be painted black at some point. I also have some 6mm MDF sheets for the backboards needed to the right. I will try to fit them tomorrow then paint them blue for now. More buddleia and ragwort made. Tedious process.

Signals look great Jack.

Hello everyone. Not too much to update but I did manage to form some land contours on the right side of the tunnel portal. I was thinking of having these railway cottages here instead of the farm buildings and the farm buildings on the other side of the tracks as there is more room. I intend to get a static grass machine soon. I've never used one before but looking at other layouts the results can be amazing. I am really pleased with the mill/canal scene below. The mill building on the left side has been sunk into the ground and the ground cobblestoned. Started the walls around the girder bridge etc, attempted some graffiti that you can just make out under the bridge. Needs messing up with weeds and vegetation against the walls and buildings.

Here we go, I've plucked up the courage to upload a quick video of Durrington Central. The video was done a week or two ago so a little more progress has been made since.

Hello Jim, that GBRF M.O.D train could look pretty special with some more of those army vehicles on those flats.

Thanks for your kind comments they are much appreciated. Plenty to be done yet, I just hope I don't lose my modelling mojo. My drive is to get the 2 pairs of tracks connected to each other then I can run trains and to end.

A quick paint of the canal so I can see more clearly what this area is going to look like. Having googled canals, this is more like a sea colour and canal water is almost brown in colour so a 2nd coat is definitely needed. A more overhead view.

Good afternoon. In the end I went with a red brick wall by the mill as I thought it would be more authentic than steel security fencing. A coat of brown paint has been applied over the modrock banking. A bit more progress on the canal scene with some boards cut and loosely placed with more buildings that survive from yesteryear. I will keep plodding along!

Good evening. I have formed the banking from the mill to the track bed using MDF contours and then layers of modrock across them. Needs a brown undercoat tomorrow when dried out. The photo below is a bit of a rough mock up of what I am trying to achieve in this area. Hoping for a compact red brick industrial setting with the railway passing over a murky canal on a girder bridge in between the buildings.

Thanks for the comments and likes Jack, much appreciated. Those trees are the woodland scenics tree armatures and fine leaf foliage. I have plenty armatures left but I have run out of foliage so I need to get more.

I have some trees that I have made and the layout is currently suffering from a lack of vegetation so I think they will look good here around the pub beer garden to which the tunnel portal is below. The pub is still closed and may reopen on the 4th July. The first two lengths of flexi track have been laid which will pass from the mill scene. Hoping to have a girder bridge going over a murky canal somewhere here. I want to avoid too much straight track and have some gradual winding railway lines. Also reduces the amount of joints.

Fitted 2 nice plugs, 1 to the main bus wires (left plug) and 1 to programming track disguised as the disused siding. More work done to the pub car park and service station.

Good evening. Managed to get in the garage for a hour or two. Applied a cobblestone surface to the low relief mills. I need to make a banking coming down to track level, fit security fencing and apply vegetation. Completed the red brick on the main road bridge into town which spans the 4 tracks from the station.

Finally got my hands on some Metcalfe builders sheets and some lengths of flexi track from Ashton Model Centre in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan so I have put some cobblestone in the ginnel between the terraced houses. I have also layed tarmac sheets for the T junction to end the road. I have also been trying to complete the road bridge over the railway with red brick sheets.

Looking forward to this layout developing. I went to Dawlish last year, really nice place. Love coastal railways.

Good afternoon. A quick coat of paint was applied to the plaster bandage whilst escaping from the sunshine to cool down.

Hello. Some contours of the land have been formed by the tunnel portal. Not too much room here but I can fit my Metcalfe farmhouse and barn in. . . Just! Not sure which configuration of building to have yet.

Many thanks Neil.

Repair time. The yellow steps on one of the bogie frames on my Bachmann Colas Rail 70 fell off and I couldn't find them so I ordered a new bogie frame from Bachmann as you can't just get the steps. It arrived today so I have fitted it. Once again great service from Bachmann regarding availability of spares, price was £7 and prompt delivery.

Tunnel portal retaining walls and coping stones fitted. The next job here is to form the landscape around the tunnel.

Some location boxes and cable troughing (both Wills kits) and some orange piping ( capri sun drinking straws). As I have seen some location boxes facing up/ down the line and parallel to the line I thought I would have a mix. I am happy enough with them.

Hello everyone. I have cut the board to accommodate the other tunnel portal which is behind the service station on the left and white pub, The Swan on the right. I need to attach the retaining walls, edging stones and paint it. From here it is a 1 in 75 down gradient/slog which ever way the train is going probably through some farmland. My idea from here is that the 56 takes a sharp curve and will pass through a seaside bay which I am looking forward to attempting!

Hello and thank you very much for your comments. The Wills kit does not include the railings, I have cut down some white plastic fencing and painted it yellow. The rock cutting is a layer of mod rock and then some poly filler spread on top. Once dried I get a Schreiber and etch out any rock features I see in the poly fillers rough surface. Then I paint it and add foliage.

Hello everyone. There is not too much progress on the layout as I have gone back to work due to being furloughed for a few weeks. During the week the Wills relay boxes arrived so I have been making them and placing them on the layout on approach to the station. Lots of weeds and wild flowers required by the buffer stop!