CazRail

The thinner 'posts' are dropper bars, which only tie the wires together, and dont need to be in the ground(depends on their length). The more dropper bars there are, the further the distance between posts. Changed countless numbers of these ar work!

Only just found this thread, this layout is excellent! The section of Sydney Gardens looks superb.

Don't think Ive seen anything to do the job, but what about little dots of Humbrol Maskol or similar where you need the 3 circles then paint the rest lenses black? Trouble is the paint might not adhere to the plastic without a 'key', so when you take the maskol off it might take off some paint.

Ive replaced the running lights to represent the newer WIPAC clusters, by using 2mm lighthouse LEDs. I used one white for the 'main beam', then two bi-colour white/red for the tail/marker lights.

I filled in the old marker lights with super glue, filed it flat, then painted the clusters black.

Having just got the Colas 67 for Crimbo, the NR Mk2f coaches are a must!

Happy New Year everyone!

So the first bit of progress this year, is to tone down the ballast on the trackwork. This was done using the 'New Junction' method from YouTube, as I don't currently have a compressor for my airbrush. 

The jist of it is, using Acrylic Railmatch Sleeper Grime, use a brush to sparingly coat the ballast with it, leaving me with a subtle hint of weathering of the ballast. I plan to so some more to it using blacks and more browns later on.

Here's a link to the YouTube video...

Looking forward to see this one develop. Im myself making a layout based on the Amlwch branch.

Some slight progress tonight in the way of... trees!

I bought a box of seafoam trees, and to be honest, they look good as they are! Of course Ill be using some scatter/flock to make them green, for which I will try 3M Spraymount as an adhesive.

Here's how the raw product looks...

This is where my desicion to use only polystyrene with no hard cover to it. A simple hole poked with a cocktail stick is sufficient to hold them dry, easy to re-locate or swap about the trees if in not happy, and if i decide to permenantly have the trees in, fill the hole with glue and plonk the tree in!

Not a huge amount to update with, just plodding on with the scenics as and when finds allow.

So to showcase my work this week, I've posed my Limby 31296 'Tren Nwyddau Amlwch / Amlwch Freighter' with a pair of my (ok, unprototypically EWS examples!) Seacows as if they were taking the leisurely-paced run back towards Gaerwen after dropping some fresh ballast north of Llannerch-y-medd... 

And then a photo from Harry from the terrible trio of Tom, Dick and Harry, taken from the footbridge, which I still need to build...

My usual technique was employed for the scenery at the front of the track, plonking bushed where I think they'd be, then using pieces of Heki wildgrass to blend it all together. 

Ive taken two ex lima RFMs apart before now and will honestly say never been so nervous to dismantle a coach.

I like the names, gives the locos some personality

Mine delivered today, but as its a Christmas present from the missus, it was quickly swept away out of sight for another 22 days and counting...

Looking good mate that re-sprayed RFM really blends in well with the rest of the coaches

Very nice indeed Caz, although I'm not sure "cute" and "nuclear flask" would often go together....

Thanks, DLT, probably right!!

Not much to update on, just further work to scenery. This evening i glued some more tall grass along the lake shore, and added to the bushes.

Afterwards, I decided to pose a nuclear flask train on part of the layout. I've been running my Heljan class 33 in EWS livery with two EWS livery hoppers and a brake van. I can see this being a regular runner on this layout as a bit of a 'what could/could have been' scenario.

Dare I say it, a "cute" little train...

Always coming home from work checking for a new video, great work Richard!

This is excellent.

 

Really well captured

 

Ian

Thanks Ian, much appreciated!

To take a break from modelling using wildgrass matts, i will attempt to model ivy on the bridge's wingwalls and embankment walls through the lake.

Update 04/11/2013

Arrived back home from the rugby trip to Cardiff today, and decided to do some more to the layout. Before I set off to Cardiff, I'd made a start on the water for the lake, using a layer of toilet paper as a base to provide a rough texture of waves. So today when I arrived back, I wasted no time to paint it, using tester pots from Wilko's. The two colours I used are 'Neptune' and 'Turquoise'. These are the results...

This will then be covered with clear acrylic gloss medium, which will give the water some 'wateryness' and maybe a little depth.

Also arriving this week is some scenery materials to carry on board 4, then it'll be to think how to create the rock cutting...

Fencing wire added to one piece yesterday, the wire will need painting, as its way too shiny!

And a new addition to my main fleet, which may one day find itself on the trek up the branch...

Hornby's 60087 in Colas Rail Freight. Hoping to aquire the Colas 67 and LoadHaul tripple grey 60...

The class 175's case has gotten stronger with the new Transport for Wales livery...

Finished off adding what fence posts I had, amazing the difference just the posts make.

31296 Trên Nwyddau Amlwch/Amlwch Freighter on a light engine move to Amlwch Octel Sidings...

Around 25 years later, a class 67 (TfW, ofcourse) on a route learning run...

Hopefully you'll agree it's coming together nicely.

A package arrived today from Model Railway Scenery, a packet of post and wire fencing; and galvenised farm gates.So, between looking after my daughter, I decided to make a start installing the fence and gates on board 4, around the crossing.

Pictures from both Up and Down sides.

I then decided to track down the Network Rail Land Rover to see how the contractors were getting on with the fence. They'd gone home...

Ill close this update with a question. Of course the fenceposts come with wire in the packet, but is it really worth using it or will just the fenceposts be sufficient for the effect?

Cheers,

Caz.

Sad indeed it'll be stange driving through there with no bridge

Lovely work, captures the feel of the branch really well.

 

Shame about the bridge on Glanhwfa road isn't it!

Thanks E_R! 

I've tried to capture the line as if it was in regular use, although still showing signs of overgrowth particularly lineside. Having said that, the more 'out in the wild' parts of the line seem to be less overgrown, with the line clear boundry to boundry along much of it's length and ballast and sleepers in good condition!

It's a very big shame! I've always imagined trains running over this bridge, so sadly now there's a very slim chance that'll ever happen again. At the minute nothing had been said about what they'll do, whether it's extensive repairs to the current superstructure, a new bridge or simply leave a gap until they need a bridge there,The bridge was removed from it's parapets today for the first time since it was installed (barring a few knocks), leaving the parapets and wingwalls looking  very bare!