Enfys_Rainbow

Some cracking opportunities for scratchbuilding some industrial structures! 

Hello all! 

Slow progress at the moment due to all sorts of other commitments. I've made a start on the left hand building. Still in quite a rough stage at present. The depth is to allow for it to be bedded into the surrounding environment eventually. 

And a shot of the layout sitting on top of its slightly larger, and also in-progress companion. 

Thanks for looking! 

Hi all, 

As predicted, progress has slowed right down now I'm back at work but I have managed to finish the first piece of stock for the layout - an old Parkside Grampus kit. 

It's meant to represent an older, rusty wagon and is based on some photos on the Bartlett site. 

Thanks for looking! 

Thanks for the responses, will give them a go! 

Hi all, 

Does anyone have any experience of bonding embossed plastic sheet to foamboard? 

I'd assume it can be done, but if so, what's the best adhesive to use? 

All the best 

E_R

Excellent! 

A winter scene... 

Or rather a simple paper backscene to hide the corners and a foamboard track base so I can "bury" any structures. You'll also notice a change to the view blocker building. I'll hopefully be using a kitbashed laser cut kit here. 

After tomorrow, I'm sure the updates and progress will slow down as I'm back in work. 

Further progress today - basic backscene is now completed. 

Next job is to fit some thin (1 - 2mm, can't remember!) cork and then finish the backscene to hide the corners. 

Still playing with the placement of some smaller structures and will hopefully build another mock up of the left hand view blocker in a more appropriate size to get a better idea of how it'll look too. 

53 minutes ago, simonmcp said:

Can you please tell me what is the make of that lovely little diesel?

 

Simon

 Hi Simon, 

Glad you like it! The loco is actually kitbashed from a Knightwing plastic kit. These conversions were quite popular a few years ago! 

Thanks for your comments about the levels. I have two other small layouts (well layout boards) on the go and the flatness is something I regret in hindsight. 

Today has seen the beginning of the backscene construction, sides still to be added. I actually don't think I'll be having an off-scene fiddle yard, I think I'll keep it all self contained. 

@sb67, I have seen Six Quarters, it's a lovely little layout. I'm also wary of the traditional road overbridge too, hence wanting to try something different!

Some more progress photos (buildings just there for context):

Thanks for looking! 

Hello all, 

More mocking up and cardboard tonight. Having shaped the trackbed (badly), it gave me a chance to look at the left hand building in more detail.

It was clear, even at this rough stage, that the idea in my post above (building with tall rear wall and scenery contoured around it) was not going to work from a visual perspective. It just looked awkward. 

Looking through some inspirational layout articles for ideas, I came across an old favourite - Woolverstone by Mr Rice. I always really liked the left hand corner of this layout and here was my opportunity to imitate it. 

The house, again, is borrowed and not likely to be used because I think it needs to be a bit higher. But it's enough to prove the idea. I'd be interested in people's thoughts however. 

Otherwise, I've added a roof to the warehouse and added a suggestion of another, central building and I think it could work. 

Thanks for looking! 

Hi all, 

Thank you very much for the comments. Bit more kitchen table modelling tonight, this time to create some mock ups of some of the kind of structures I'm thinking about to see how it'd look. 

So firstly, a "panoramic" view:

The building on the left, primarily a viewblocker, won't be plonked as it is now. The ground will be sloping down towards the baseboard front, so the back wall will actually be taller than here, but embedded into the landscape (hope that makes sense?). As I'm yet to cut the ply trackbed to size, I can't actually try this out visually yet. 

The building at the right hand side will be some kind of warehouse/goods shed. The inspiration for this is the shed on Barrowfleet, albeit shorter. Unfortunately I ran out of time tonight to do any more. 

The rusty, tin shed will be approximately in the centre of the layout. 

@Gziffo - the box set was bought with my daughter in mind. Although she enjoys Thomas, she's not quite ready for these books yet! 

2 hours ago, JeffP said:

Oooh, could you search "Crows nest tramway" for me, please?

February 1979?

I've checked and it is. My own searches proved fruitless so please accept my thanks! 

Hi all, 

You'll have to excuse the less than original/exciting topic name but I'm only at the primitive mock up stage. 

I actually have another "layout" under construction. Although technically speaking, it's not really a layout or under construction as it's little more than a baseboard and an idea and it's not progressed further than that in almost 12 months. I do want to actually build it, it's just stalled for more reason than one at the moment. 

So, let me introduce my latest idea. Measuring 1000 x 250mm (size dictated by an offcut of ply I have available). It'll be little more than a shunting layout, but will hopefully give me an opportunity to practice tracklaying, and enable me to scratchbuild some buildings as well as giving me somewhere to run my kitbuilt wagons. 

Some photos (imagination required!) 

All very basic, and all subject to change at this stage. 

Thanks for looking! 

Oh excellent, thank you! 

Hi all, 

I'm looking for an article in an old RM about scratchbuilding an ICI Anhydrous Ammonia bogie wagon in 4mm scale. It was a follow up to a layout article (I want to say Barrowfleet but could be way off the mark with that). 

I really can't remember much more than that sorry! 

Thanks for any suggestions! 

E_R

2 hours ago, PMP said:

http://www.shawplan.com/extreme_loco4mm.html
 

45A or 45B

 

the laserglaze windows and roof fan and grill are worth adding to both models if you’re into detailing.

Thanks, I'd looked at that list numerous times and missed those discs! 

1 hour ago, crompton 33 said:

Try shawplan http://www.shawplan.com/spcat.htm

I've already looked at Shawplan but cannot see either item. Maybe it's just me, could you point me in the right direction? 

Hi all, 

I want to detail a Heljan 26 and Vitrains 37, both 00 gauge, I've recently obtained second hand minus various parts. 

I'm after headcode discs, preferably etched, for the 26 and snowploughs for both the 26 and 37.

Gaugemaster do not stock either of these parts as Heljan spares. 

Do people have any recommendations for suitable parts - to me, Heljan ploughs appear more refined than the Bachmann equivalents but I'm no expert. 

Thanks in advance 

Hi all, 

This project stalled badly - I just can't face making the windows individually at the moment, or at any point in the last 12 months! 

I did start kitbashing the classic Wills signal box kit into something slightly different, progress below... 

Thanks all for the positive messages. 

Development will be slow. I've been "working" on the layout for a few months so far but have very little to show for it as the photos demonstrate!

 @SteveyDee68 I'm aware of the Scalescenes building, however all structures will be scratchbuilt. I don't have much space for the dryer building, as can be seen in the mock up below:

Thanks 

E_R

Hi all, 

OK, where to begin?

I've always had a passing interest in China Clay operations. I think my interest was initially piqued with the Pengwynn Crossing article in RM in 1994 (?). Ever since, I've kept an eye out for layouts that feature China Clay.

I don't know why, I guess it could be the ramshackle and run down nature of some of the locations and lines.

In terms of size, this will fit into a footprint of 4' x 1'. Maximum train size will be four clayhoods. Locos could be 25's or even a 37, of which I have a red stripe one stashed away but more likely however, is an 08 and a Hornby Sentinel for a bit of fun. 

I've elected to make the baseboard using a couple of Scale Model Scenery's lazer cut kits, but I've added a one piece backscene to disguise the joins/corners:

Trackplan will be simple using Peco flexi bullhead, and my intention was to use Code 75 points, but I may now wait for the medium radius bullhead ones to be released. 

I've built one clayhood so far, using the Ratio kit, but with a Parkside underframe. One down, three to go! 

I've also built an SR brake van, using the Cambrian kit. I saw a photo online of one of these at Pontsmill and that was all the excuse I needed! 

Work is also ongoing to detail a Bachmann 08 - this is going to be a representation of 08945. For what it's worth, I decided to replace all of the body side handrails with 0.33 wire - a long job! This has since had new buffers and screw link couplings added, but the project has stalled somewhat. 

A start was made on producing a generic store building, mainly to practice a concrete effect. I've subsequently replaced the roof - I just didn't like the corrugations. 

Progress will be slow and irregular. I have plenty of distractions including work, an 18 month old toddler (hence my username of Enfys) and I keep getting sidetracked by random stock building projects! 

Just to highlight this point, see my assortment of brake vans on the workbench! 

Thanks for looking. 

E_R