winterbournecm

Hi,

as promised, here are the St Blazey box pictures and some other small buildings in the yard area including the red brick Chargeman's cabin and unique yellow & blue bricked MOM building:

There are more if required, let me know.

Best wishes

Craig

There's something deeply unsettling about doing a major scenic job, and thinking - heck is that going to look right!

But a few days to let the plaster to dry, and the room stop smelling of sweating feet and it was time to paint it brown and add the foilage.

The steeply sided ravine needed the greenary added by glue gun as Bostic or PVA wouldnt hold it in place. Once set (and some sore finger tips later) the foliage was sprayed with Fast-tack aerosol glue and woodland scenic scatter blown onto it horizontally. Quite pleased with the diorama here, as the trains second fiddle to the scene. Just got the water effect and beach to do now.

A rainy day, and up early off nights so the apron was out (not a pretty sight), and the mixing started. Used a mixture of plaster & Paris and multifinish for a bit of added texture. It looks like a massive cake icing, but hopefully will take shape over the coming weeks.

The dwellings along the harbour front. The bank behind will house a footpath and be will mostly covered with foliage.

The waters edge using a rubber mould to make the cliffs at beach level and a hanging basket mat covered in sand dunes tracks above.

Thanks Jim

The 25's tend to hamg around working short freights and Parcel traffic around the district or filling in for 08's when out of service. I have to say they are one of my favourite locos on the layout performance and looks wise. Anything Bachmann just seems to runs well anytime. Some 40s & 45's stick sometimes, but oiling them is a swine of a job.

I also have a soft spot for EE type 3's too.

The harbour scene is gathering pace now, and I'm trying to finish off the area time permitting, but that is in short supply at the moment.

Best wishes

Craig

Another running evening and some pictures and U Tube uploads:

40118 & Nemo sit in the stabling spur at Mount Charles:

An infestation of rats at Sandy Hill:

56049 runs across the cottage rooftops at Tregrehan Harbour:

40118 with a Sheffield service in plat 2 at Mount Charles:

Recent U Tube fun clips taken from the cutting at Coronation Street:

Thanks they were scanned off a real photo and shrunk to size. Pretty pleased with the results. Still lots to do there yet.

Have a couple of visiting evenings with some friends stock & locos appearing, and added some bits to the harbour scene. Here are some photos:

33201 shunts the silver bullets at Sandy Hill

40118 & 45128 on shed at Sandy Hill

50018 stabled at Mount Charles

The Sloop Inn in June

A bit of a mid summer update: The layout hasn't made much progress scenery wise due to over time at Par box. I have been buying bits for the harbour and scenery in general including crab pots, fishing nets and rubbish bins. Planning to get some seagulls and emmets (holiday makers) to bring the scene to life.

I did get around to constructing a super Knightwing crane kit for the Crane Raod around the back of the TMD. This concreted area is useful for visiting locos to be roaded onto the track off a low-loader if required. I sprayed it with Plastikote textured paint, then used brown/black acrylic mix to paint it, whilst wet, a terracotta wash was randomly drawn over it to give a rusty look.

Another scene complete!

Hi - nice to see the forthcoming dates and look forward to seeing the layout out and about. Andrew in Kernow models said you guys were intersted in photos and info regarding St Blazey. My website contains quite of lot of photos from the area over the years, and I now work in the area working the boxes so can obtain any photos or info you need.

Cheers for now - keep up the excellent work.

Craig

I wouldn't fancy taking the steps with a skin-full, though I did accomodate a landing half way up for a breather!

Have been gently working away on the harbourside as time allows. Been at Par on a monster week of nights this week. But cahnge to Days on Sunday in time for the 40 / western touring railtour.

Here are some scenes around the newly contructed black bridge, which may be an 1/2 inch too high, and the approach to Tregrehan viaduct.

Just spoke to Greg at Kernow, 3 months approx to a new batch of weathered bullets, many different ranges coming out including semi weathered (clean patches) I've pre ordered 2 already.

Port Wenn would have been a great name for the bay. Better stick to Tregrehan (Tregrain) as around the district. I will try to get a Doc Martin character with case walking along the front kicking a dog though!

Thanks mate. I was at Polzeath recently and saw the cottages above the beach which gave me an idea, North Cornwall theme - I think you're spot on. Although the Sloop is from St Ives, and the steps from the Bluff at Hayle.

Thanks for that, I want a "corner" of Cornwall somewhere on the layout. I'm toying with palm trees for the stations, but can only find wide leaved ones on the market, rather than the thin leaved ones we have. May have to make some myself.

Here is the progress on the cliff faces and slipway area of the layout. The cliff faces came to life once painted with powder paint and acrylics then dusted with weathering powders. Now concentrating on finishing touches and applying the water to the bay. Not sure which method to use. Varnishes built up in coats or using Woodland scenic "real water".

I'm planning to use a ladder to disguise the join in the wall sections (cheat!!)

At last the Tregrehan harbour scene is taking shape. This is a signifigant project, as the layout will be largely complete once this area is done. The is the first layout I have completed for many years.

Here are some pictures showing progress so far.

The Sloop Inn and cottages around the slipway.

View of the bowl shaped area and viaduct spanning the area.

Work moves along a little showing plaster sheets and added plaster to the areas on top of the ready made cliff sections.

The cottages up on the ridge and steps down to the Sloop Inn being constructed.

37671 crosses the viaduct. This should be a good vantage point once decorated. Really pleased with the depth of field here.

Couldn't wait to get some greenery down. Here is the valley semi decorated

Still loads to do, but fun so far!

I intend to matt varnish one clean one apart from the data panel & nacco signs and apply a little brown weathering powder and see what happens.

Hi fellas - thanks for the support! Ian I think a panel is quite technical for a manual Signalman like me. But a nice idea!

You're right Rick. I enjoy having a mix up of coaches, blue/grey with NSE or Intercity sprinkled in. I dont really go back beyond 1979, but dad does, so we'll have lots of blue & yellow with green & maroon on his monster layout later this summer.

Traction mag has thrown up some wonderful images during the "change-over" a peak in green with a small yellow panel on a complete rake of blue & grey, Blue westerns (1967) with maroon coaches. Dad has famous cine footage of 3 x warships on the Up Riviera at Hayle, two blue and a green sandwiched in the middle! Glory days eh? I was tad young for 800's on the main lineas I'm 1969 vintage.

Making a start on the harbour scene soon, so will be popping over to your thread occasionally!

Here are some pictures of my recently purchased Dapol, Kernow Models limited edition Silver Bullets. I'm delighted with them.

The weathered bullets sit on the reception at Sandy Hill

Close up of the end detail on the wagons.

Contrast between the gleaming Dapol standard wagons & Kernow specials.

The wagons in the carriage sidings for effect.

I HAVE THEM AT LAST! Here straight out of the shop this afternoon. I'm not going to say much, I think they're awesome. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Hope you get some soon.....

Hey - I'm early turn PZ so can pop in later to collect mine - wont hold my breath though.

Here are the buildings almost completed. Just need gutters etc... and signs for the pub.

Here's the real Sloop pub in St Ives:

Here's my 00 gauge attempt:

Here are the cottages:

I think a preserved class 60 would be popular. Is there any way of running one without the silencer? The 37/9's had very little thrash when they had silencers fitted.

I bet they'd sound fab with that deep growl unleashed!

Found a shot of 37413 (I think) passing Par in the early 90s with the down Bullet empties, obviously when they were being cleaned. Pity it wasnt a sunny day though.

Hi mate - lovely new photos. Love the thousand with the clays - looks like the loops at Lostwithiel (where I am today - early turn in gloriuos sunshine - no 1000's though). I'm about to start on the harbour scene on my layout and wanted to know what you used for sand. I love the dunes and steep cliffs you've done. But being a Hayle man, I would wouldn't I?

Cheers mate