marc smith

I haven't checked in to Harts Hill for a little while. It's all looking great, as ever. You may think you're only doing "bits & bobs" - but it's more modelling than I'm managing.... so keep dabbling Mike. Sorry to hear of your health issues. Fingers crossed that you continue to get well. Cheers now, Marc

Hi again Steve, How well I know the situation re the dining room table! I have done exactly the same thing for years PS. Please don't tell Mrs S - I keep telling her that must be herbs & spices on the floor.... not woodland scenics.... hope she doesn't brush it up one day and add it to anything we're cooking! lol Thank you too for your kind words re my encouragement. To me, that's what RM web is all about - help with designs, information, data and sharing of hints & tips, and encouragement where it's due... together with chatting with like-minded folk, even if they never actually "meet" in person. Looking at some of the pics in the thread again, I forgot to add how well the photographic backscene works on this layout. And as others have added - it really does have a great sense of atmosphere.... even with little or no stock on it. I like the clutter around that engine shed too; old rubbish propped against the wall, the corrugated sheet covering most of the window - it all adds to the atmosphere, together with the grime and excellent weathering. Cheers again, Marc

Looking great @SouthernBlue80s You say you have no space.... but to me - that's loads and loads of space! lol Sorry to hear of your redundancy woes - at least you have been doing some modelling, to take your mind off that... hopefully This layout is looking great. Conversely, I quite liked the engine shed in its' old position - as since reading Gordon Gravett's first book on 7mm modelling (years ago) - he argued that placing "obstructions" in the foreground, invited viewers to peer around them, and actually breaks up the foreground too. Although this doesn't always work in every situation.... and I also like the engine shed in it's new environs too.... it has more of an air of an abandoned corner. Looking forward to seeing the new bridge, and I think it will look more convincing when it spans the track at the back too.... Great weathering too, as others have said. One thing I like about this layout, is that if you ever inherited more space (a house extension maybe?) - then you could incorporate the layout into a larger, roundy-roundy layout... yet this still works as a layout in its' own right. Nice work sir

Nice work on that building Rob

Nice work on this layout sir I like the overall design, plan and concept. Nice work on the buildings & painting too. Thanks for sharing

Nice plan there - plenty of operating potential in a small area. I like that station building. Great name too. Nice lockdown project sir

Hi Gordon, sorry I've only just caught up with the thread.... after an all too long absence> Sorry to hear of your health issues. All the best for a speedy recovery. Hope you're railway modelling again asap

It has been way too long, since my last visit to Bethesda Sidings. I'm glad I popped in for a look though. It is looking absolutely superb Captain K

Stories? Stories? What do mean @Wrenn - are you suggesting the workers at Tyteford Halte aren't painting the Fascia? Great touch @MAP66 wish I could get some 4mm scale folk helping with my modelling

Oh dear.... I'm suspecting that you HAVE place that order.... Kyle will be the perfect place for it

Great to see this new project Pete. Really like the plan. But I was hoping to see Wenford Dries finished first!

Nice work on those dioramas there @kirtleypete. It's always nice to have a setting to photograph your new loco, or newly built / painted model. Plus, it can help you to learn modelling techniques and pick up hints + tips.... I agree that it can be good to photograph using daylight (on the right day of course). You could also make the backscene removable - so you can change the "setting". A simple, natural sky, with real clouds can also be a great backdrop, for those low-angled shots. As @TechnicArrowsays, there's a temptation to want to incorporate a diorama into a layout too..... hmm, I'm off to doodle some plans

Looking superb sir

Well this looks to be something a little different. Definitely looking forward to seeing this progress. I mean, who among us doesn't (even if secretly) like Rev Awdry's tales? Best of luck with it indeed

Sorry to hear you've tested Covid positive Rob. Hope you're well, and on the road to a full recovery.

Hi @Gareth001 Great looking plan. You've managed to squeeze a lot into a small area, and in rather neat fashion, it doesn't look cramped - that's a neat piece of careful design. Looking forward to seeing this project progress

Fantastic results Mark. I wondered about doing something very similar to this, and I asked myself the same question as @ManofKent above. I've used seafoam to represent small trees / saplings in the past, and it always seems so delicate and rather brittle.... I did try using very diluted PVA, to help protect and strengthen the sea-foam.... but that wasn't entirely successful either. I must say, the bark is very convincing

Looking forward to seeing this one progress

Haven't checked in on this thread in quite some time... Glad I looked in today though. Great progress - the low relief background buildings, and the perspective reduced buildings on the backscene really work. Must check in to Elbow Lane again soon

Another superb layout @Gilbert - cracking work good sir

@SteamingWales- 3 way points can be a bit of a faff to wire up, I know that. But I have been considering doing something similar, in a really really small space (smaller even than my usual efforts) Alas, with "other things" in life getting in the way.... the idea is consigned to some notional point in the future, along with my other ideas and hair-brained schemes It was nice to see this micro though.... and get the old grey matter ticking over once again lol Re the Scalescenes kits - I did have a bash at a couple, but found I somehow got glue onto surfaces where it didn't belong, and my corners were not crisp enough for my liking. Perhaps it's a lot to do with the quality of base card you use... and how careful you are with glue

Sorry to be so late to "the party" @SteamingWales- I can't believe I've only just found this thread. When reading the first few posts, and looking at the plan - my first thought was to suggest perhaps using a 3 way point, instead of the two in the deisgn But lo and behold.... I was too late. As it happens, with your ballasting & grime, soot and general filth - it looks fine anyway. Nice job on the scalescenes buildings - I never get them looking so neat.... so I always revert to using plastic-card. Watching this one with interest PS. I'm not in Deepest Darkest Wales - but it's pretty damn dark in this bit of Wales today

@NHY 581 - I had to pour myself a glass of whisky too..... But for the life of me, I can't recall the reason Looking great @LocksleyI really like this cracking micro project.

@MAP66 my apologies for not popping down to Tyteford Halte in absolutely ages.... I'm the one who has missed out because of this Very nice progress sir - although not great progress from Fred and Arthur - I'm sure they're sawing the same bits of wood as the last time I swung by! Looking great as ever, and it's looking more & more atmospheric for each detail you add. Excellent work