MAP66

And then the paint went on... Oh, and the pigeon is back!

My next stint of modelling involved the flatbed trailer. I wanted one stack of deckchairs to be partially on view and the two remaining stacks to be covered by a tarpaulin. I represented the two covered stacks by cutting a piece of polystyrene foam to size and then glued a folded deckchair to the top and bottom of the foam block. This saved me using 24 folded deckchairs which wouldn’t be visible. For the tarp, I cut kitchen towel to size, folded it over the trailer and then applied dilute PVA with a brush and allowed to dry. This is what I ended up with…

Thanks Mikkel, I have recessed downlighters in the ceiling and by placing the diorama directly beneath one of them you get a lovely natural light effect shining through the tree branches from above and casting shadows onto the ground, sort of like dappled sunlight. It actually looks like, to me, that the second image was taken outside in natural light. The chap on the bench gets around a bit, you may remember that he is actually came from the garden diorama, sitting in a deckchair. Any way he now has a Tesco supermarket carrier bag glued to his leg, so I guess that now makes him a permanent resident of the park scene. One area I still need to resolve is how to create a convincing looking ‘park themed’ backscene for image taking. The photo ID scene I use at the moment is just put in place to hide from view my untidy work bench as the background. 😀

B*gger off squirrel and keep your eyes off my Tesco meal deal. 😠 My next idea for adding the detail, is a flatbed trailer stacked with deckchairs, ready to be put up by a couple of park staff. The trailer below is HO 1/87 scale and came with a load of moulded on resin hay bales which I managed to remove using a razor saw. I need to make good the saw marks and scribe in the wooden planks and then stack with folded deck chairs. I think a tarpaulin half pulled away would also look good.

My latest erratic splurge of modelling activity has seen all the music stands completed along with chairs for the musicians, although, only one band member is modelled in a seated position. I also managed to fix the broken piece of trumpet and so, apart from the conductor, we now are joined by the trumpet player.

Yes, it is wonderful, I couldn't agree more. But what makes it even more wonderful is the way you present your modelling. It is always a treat Mikkel to be shown your latest project and marvel at how you achieved it. Happy New Year, and can't wait to see what you have planned next. On another note, if you are still looking for empty buckets, I saw these at only 99p you might be able to use/adapt them? https://www.westhillwagonworks.co.uk/workshop-depot-c-24/pack-of-6-buckets-p-230

While out walking in the park, I managed to capture this cheeky chap on my 4mm scale camera. Apologies for the slightly blurry image, but he is quite tiny and was hurtling at speed along the top of the railings. Lucky to catch him at all really.

I didn't use paint but sticking the fur on was tricky 🤣 🤣 Joking aside, I am enjoying this miniature painting lark, I just need to stop breaking stuff 😬

Hi Steve, nice to hear from you. Here's the link https://seriousplayscenics.com/

I seem to be going one step forward and three steps backward at the moment, not content with destroying musical instruments, I now find myself standing on litter bins (It accidently fell on the floor and when I got out of the chair, I stood on it). Luckily, I have others. On a more positive note, we now have a squirrel. The cheeky fellow has jumped down from the oak onto the railings to embark on his daily trip to the litter bin (bored with acorns I guess). Anyway, he will be an angry squirrel when he discovers that some clumsy clot has squashed the bin! And not forgetting the poor old litter bin...

I have just about managed to assemble the first brass music stand from the Langley kit which also includes seats for the band members. A tad fiddly but I think I have the hang of it now. I have left it unpainted to show the brass and have glued a piece of sheet music onto the top bit. Meanwhile I repaired the damaged trumpet then subsequently knackered the Tuba when attempting to remove it from the support sprues, 😠 I think that a bodge of some sort can be achieved to make it play again.

Below is an image of how things look on the cobbled road sections before they get better. I think its good to show where all the bad fitting angles are, to highlight that I hardly ever get it right on the first, second or sometimes third attempt when measuring and cutting out. Which is why I always have plenty of filler to hand (the white stuff). When all painted up and blended in you would never know where the gaps where 😉 The close up has also revealed that I need to get the black gloss paint out again for the bits I missed on the railings!

Excellent work Chris, your leap of faith has paid off - welcome to the messy Universe.

That’s a Stirling effort Chris and looking much more natural than the first version. Do you have any of that polyfibre tree netting stuff? as strips of that teased out would look good draping over the capping stones and grass verge itself (as mentioned by Kevin), as it can be made to look like sprawling weeds or other undergrowth. I would even go as far to say that more height could also be introduced in places by using small pieces of seafoam covered in flock etc.to represent bushes. The more uneven the better really, but that’s only if you can get your head around the natural unattended dishevelled look. 😬

Season’s Greetings All 🎅 Well, I’ve been dabbling in the background engaged in short sessions, over several days, restoring lost images from pages 1 to 4. All now done, please enjoy 😀

Merry Christmas Chris and Happy Modelling for 2023 🎅🚂

Thank you, much appreciated. I am still working on retrieving the lost images but it will take a little while yet before there all back 🙂

Thank you for your kind comments Mikkel, Pigeon painting is a bit of a tester, I must admit. There will only be 2 or 3 pigeons featured, as many of them had their feet broken off as they are too fragile. Never mind, they can still be used by placing on grass to disguise the missing feet. There is going to be a squirrel somewhere! I’m leaning towards placing it on top of a litter bin (yet to be installed, probably on the pavement). Like all my dioramas, ideas keep on coming to me for more details to include. 😄

There might be a bit of a wait getting the band members painted (everyone’s patience is much appreciated) hopefully the finished article will be worth the wait. The fiddliest thing, apart from the painting of the 3D figures, is releasing them from the support sprues undamaged. I have already suffered one casualty by way of a broken trumpet, that’s not going to sound too good! At 1/76 scale, the detail on these band instruments are really at the limit of what currently can be 3D printed. You can imagine how fine and fragile the trombone is for example. So, I’m afraid it’s not going to be a full brass band, I don’t think my pockets are deep enough to go to that expense, they are a bit pricey. If all goes well we will have a reduced in numbers representation of a brass band 😄 🎼🎺

Some pigeons arrived in the post today, not my favourite creature but I thought I should have a go at painting something that small as they have a place on this diorama along with a squirrel or two. I have installed the hoop top railings and weathered in some pathways the other side of the railings, along the pathways I plan to place a couple of park benches. Here’s another couple of progress pics, just the one deckchair at the moment occupied by big band enthusiast Harry ‘The Horn’ Blower, he brought his own deckchair not realising that the park will provide seating. However, Harry has arrived far too early, even the band haven’t arrived yet!! Meanwhile, a sole pigeon, others to follow, is first in the queue for a 99 🍦

Thanks Mikkel, Quite right about the ice cream van, I would normally apply some weathering to dull the colours on vehicles but who would want to buy an ice cream from a grotty old looking ice cream van 🍦😄

A few progress pics of the diorama. The diorama base is 4mm ply, onto which I have now stuck some grey board to make it a bit thicker. The scene when completed will depict a bandstand with brass band, seating for the audience (probably deck chairs), pavement with railings, a service road for use by the park staff, seated and standing figures, ice cream van and finally the oak tree. The York pavement sections are by Wills SS77 and I believe the cobble sets are also by Wills, but I have lost the packaging. They received a spray coat of grey primer and when dry a brown wash, followed by a grey wash. Then some final detailing with MIG sun bleach filter. The cobble sets still require additional detail painting. I used various green colour blends of 1mm static basing grass for the grassed sections in front of the band stand where the seating will be. For the strips where the pavement meets the grass and around the base of the oak tree I introduced some dead grass colours in 2 & 4mm lengths. I built up the layers with a liberal coat of hairspray in-between and finally I sprinkled on some fine scatters to represent a few flowering weeds. The path leading up to the bandstand will probable be made using a mixture of brick dust and very fine grit, but I need to experiment first. I also plan to add a few puddles and fallen leaves in the gutter and on the pavement. The oak is not fixed permanently as yet, as its easier to work on the diorama with it removed. That’s it for now folks.

Dave Arch getting in some last minute practice before Strictly on Saturday!

Another incredibly researched, observed and beautifully modelled representation of railway history. Very clever Mikkel, very clever indeed,

Well done for giving it another go Chris, lots of relieved followers here 😌 Just make sure all your lids are on, no more spillages.