Jaggzuk

I sort of feel we have been transported to somewhere down south. Are those not the white clifs of Dover? ;-) Great update Al.

wow serious progress. looking good. But you are going to have to do something with that foul drain pipe soon!! Very inserting, that loco gets around a bit, I am sure I saw it at Foxwood Park last night on an Class 37 hauled local evening passenger service ;-)

Now you see the advantage of having long sweeping curves, what a great view point looking between the platforms down to the bridge. The 108 and 40 look fab. Adding a bit of rolling stock makes a huge difference. Nicely impressed with the 40 weathering, certainky not looking so Railroad any more. I can just imagine hearing it echo up the Hope valley, ok frothing now!

A few more trials with hanging basket liner. Really enjoy this, a very nice martial to work with. This time selective use of PVA so that I get localised clumps and areas where bare ballast shows through. Trying to give the impression the grass has grown up through areas of ballast. Might risk doing some on the layout next....

I found the incline kits very flexible and easy to install. I was initially a bit hesitant due to both cost and never having used such a system. I had first thought of using MDF inclines, but very quickly realised that all my inclines were going to be curved and the use of MDF/ply just seemed too hardwork; lots of curve cutting, no thanks. The other reason to use the kits was that my baseboard was solid so the risers could be easily glued down to a solid foundation. I think if I was building a bigger layout with an open frame I might try timber risers and wooden track bed as well. I have not had any post installation trouble with the inclines. They have remained fixed and are very robust. I used no nails (PinkGrip) to glue them together. It did slightly melt the polystyrene but set pretty quick which was good as it meant the curved bits bid not pink back to being straight. I also used bamboo skewers to stake the various levels together during gluing. It was recommended by a local model shop to used grey cardboard on top of the polystyrene as a ground formation and then to top this off with rubberised cork track bed. However, I would not use cardboard again as it buckled when being stuck down with PVA. I would use something a bit stiffer perhaps cork tiles cut to shape with the rubberised cork trackbed on top of that. The key thing is to ensure that you have covered all the zig-zag gaps in the polystyrene risers. Otherwise when you come to ballasting you have lots of gaps the ballast falls down. The other element to get right is the transition from level areas to inclines. I did not have enough space to create good transitions, so it is a bit harsh. Also, keep the gradients as shallow as possible, I went for 2% kits. Anything greater and older locos will struggle to haul anything up the slope. If you want to create two levels where one track crosses another, you will need quite a long incline to do this at 2%. But a trick I was told here early on in my planning was to create a split level layout. Such that ground zero is actually say 40mm high. You can then rise one line by 50mm and fall the other by 40mm giving you a combined clearance of 90mm but in half the incline distance. See here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/104302-a-new-family-8x4-layout/?p=2064466 Would I use it again, yes and I really liked how quick the inclines were created. Hope this helps.

That was a question I was going to ask you Al regarding the use of hair spray. How sticky and permanent is it? I see all these TV ads about firm hold and keep that salon look. Yet they all seem to say easy to brush out. So is hair spray only good if the senery is not touched. How robust is it for using a vacuum near like when de-dusting the track area? I take your point on use of an airbrush. I did try using a paint brush on a sample with WS green earth colour and indeed it just matted it all together, a mess! My next trial is to use less PVA and to leave bare patched to see how that looks when the liner is scraped back. I sort of want to try and creat patches where bare soil or ballast shows through. I can then dab glue in these areas and use staic grass as a variation of texture and look. I am just so pleased to have found an easy way to go grass that I am really happy with

Here is the result from my first trail of hanging basket liner http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/106602-family-8x4-oo-layout-hanging-basket-liner-grass/?p=2517638 I am very pleased with the results and will certainly using this on most of my lineside grassed areas. Cheers for the inspiration Al.

After seeing the scenic efforts of acg_mr on his Grindleford Station Hope Valley Line 1960s BR layout (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/112086-grindleford-station-hope-valley-line-1960s-br-flockage-and-trees/page-24), I decided to have a dabble with hanging basket liner for my lineside grassed areas. Well, I am no expert on this but the first result from last nights trial are very pleasing indeed. Maybe I just got lucky with the particular liner I bought, but it is full of subtle colour variation and just looks perfect for the typical railway embankment and cutting grassed areas; that green/brown tufted clump look. The liner I bought has two sides, the hairy side and a side with a green polypropylene backing for moisture retention. I stuck the hairy side down on quite thick neat PVA. Once the glue was dried I pealed off the green backing and then with a sharp point scraped away quite a lot of the loose liner fibers. I then trimmed it quite short, to about 3-4mm long. I then patted bits flat but kept a lot of the tufts. I can see that with a bit of added paint (probably airbrush) and some static grass, the whole look could be significant enhanced. On top I would add materiel to look like brambles and other linesside foliage and bushes. The great aspect is that it was so quick and simple to do, I am seriously converted to this product. One other notable feature is that it appears to be very tough wearing and so will be a lot better for small hands "playing with and around it". A nice post summer/autumn clumpy look Close up view showing just how much colour variation there is with this particular liner, even some reds, purples and dark greens. The liner is made by https://products.sgpuk.com/our-products/hanging-gardening/liners-smart/ and was one of the round basket ones, sold in a House & Home shop in York. But I think it is similar to the "Gardman Hanging Basket easy liner" version as the description matches. (edit - liner make)

Great work Al. The scenery is coming on leaps and bounds. It has a great feel and the muted colours look just right. Following inspiration from your great efforts, I decided to have a go at something new, so today I came home with a sample purchase of some hanging basket liner. I will see how I get on with it.

Project HST has been completed, well sort of. Cab lights, seats & console detail and driving lights all finished and really pleased with the results. I am still waiting for a postal delivery of drivers from Pete Goss Railway Modelling to add that final touch. Both HST power cars are now chipped and all DCC elements work well; power, cab light and directional lighting, phew. However, and this is the really annoying bit, the motor is just life expired; traction tyres are loose and slipping, there is too much play with the plastic gears and they keep disengaging from the axles and the bushes are well worn. The 3 pole motor itself is fine and runs well, but it just fails to pull more than one coach on my gradients now. When bought it was OKish, but I guess after too much handling and taking to bits during DCC conversion and service, it just does not work any more. And here's the rub, the parts I need for it are like the proverbial hens teeth. A couple of the spares suppliers have some of the parts, but I am not sure what to do? Parts or whole new drive bogie, and if new (secondhand) what should I go for?

Wow that is seriously back to square 1, but some track down is a good start.. Looks like a very large empty space, so you have been very self conttroled witht he layout size ;-) But I bet it is nice now not to having to deal with roof rafters any more? It looks like quite a crawl to get to the central operating hole, or is that just the photo angle?

Yep still following, shalll look forward to new photos and progress updates.

Hi Lee Some really inspiring work shown on your topic here. The quality and shear volume of your work has created quite a good resource and the photograph you take really show the detail off well. It is seeing your recent photos of Haymarket Cross, your new layout, that I noticed quite a few locos had drivers in particular 20118 and so may I ask where you get your figures from? I am after drives for some diesel loco I am detailing up. It turns out my two young boys have a very good knack for telling me which end is the front of locos because there is a driver in the cab! Any help much appreciated. Regards Paul

Perfect!

So you should be a great effort! And it looks right, if not a tad to clean ;-) Love the cameo scene. Whats next?

Thats quite some cut and shut job! Going to look great once painted and weathered. Can just picture it down some muddy farm track.

I think you have got your work cut out there on this one Al. The trouble is with such a classic vehicle and unique yet well know shape, everything is going to have to be look right. Looks like the Airfix kit is quite off the mark. Shall look forward to the finished effort and the camio you set the finished vehicle in. Not to distract you, but were you aware of the future Oxford Diecast offering? http://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/land-rover/products/land-rover-land-rover-series-iii-station-wagon-limestone-76lr3s001

After the opening of his birthday present, a Hornby Virgin HST MK3 Restaurant coach, my eldest reminded me that his HST power cars were in fact still in bits. "Ah, um", I say "well er I still need to chip them.". Oops did not think that one through! So a slight deviation from scenic work has found me stretching myself into rolling stock detailing. The second-hand Hornby (ex. Lima) Virgin 2 coach HST set we got a while back needed to be chipped, this was always going to be the easy bit, like for any Ringfield motored loco, but I knew that the original grain of wheat lights were just not going to do. So I decided they need to be upgraded to directional red and white lights for DCC. Hence they stayed in bits. The classic multiple OMWB projects! After lots of web researching (which I always seem to do), I decided on the Black Cat Technology lighting PCB units. They looked simple to install and very well priced. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-HST-LED-Lighting-Upgrade-Kit-New-Version-Updated-Design-/251999154032 OK, I know that they do not quite offer prototypical lighting of, 2 red and 3 white lights, but then this is not a high spec detailed model. Also, the HST cabs only have two lights per end in the form of perspex light transmitters. These are integral to the light housing glazing. The Black Cat light PCB design is supposed to work by having each white and red LED either side of the perspex light transmitter. But on test, the illumination was quite poor and I wanted brighter independent lights. So I decided that I would try an fit new light transmitters for each side. However, upon closer inspection and after trying to push the light clusters out I discovered that the previous owner had superglued the perspex in place. So out came the drill. Cab as found when bouigh second hand, glued in perspex and black out paint. I drilled four new holes for the lights and inserted plastic polymer fibre optic to act as light transiting conduit. These were cut to length so that they touched the LEDs and fitted flush with the front of the light housing. I used this stuff for the fibre optic http://www.microminiatures.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=optical%20fibre&PN=Optical_Fibre%2ehtml#aU0_2d100_2d106 Its then that things started to get a bit carried away. I realised that the light housing looked wrong from the various pictures I had seen https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4036/4470883616_53fc1c26e3_z.jpg, The light housing needed to be painted black as did the horn grill, the edge of the light clusters also needed to be edged with silver. Original left, my painted version right Then I added Black Cat Technology PCB and SMD light wired up. I also went for full cab detail so painted up the seats, controls and inner cab to stop light blead. This then lead me to provide a cab light to it could all be seen. I am waiting for delivery of the driver to add that final touch. And somre cab lighting, with a a white SMD to illuminate it all The result is I now have much brighter and independent lights. But I drew the line at trying to add the outer white high intensity light that HST have! When I have gained some better skills I will weather them, but for now the cab detail and lighting I think is a great improvement. Sorry for the long one, but I hope you enjoy the journey.

Don't know which piece I love the most Al? The slate roof, ridge tiles, clapper boarding or the interior, all so effective. I really like the canopy lead roof, never seen leading done before, looks very good. Seriously, all looking superb and so done quick too.

Wow what an improvement, yet so simple Chris. They will certainly be rock solid once installed. The painted top and stone flag edging look great. What did you use to fill the original edging gaps? The etch drain covers look perfect, maybe you could add a buff strip down the middle to represent the old style concrete drainage channels. Where did you get the etch from? I think the addition of the subway will add a nice feature and bit different from a footbridge. Nice work, and has got me thinking about the broken (clips) ones I have, so will not bin them now, but I need curved platforms so will have to stick to Metcalfe kit.

Yes I was lucky Al as it could have been damage to the driving wheels and mechanisms! The platform was not very well placed for the photo. I have sized it running all my longest stock past the ramp and it was ok, but will check before applying edging flags. I noted in your topic that you used the Class 156 as a gauging train, as I have just got one of these Lima/Hornby versions for Son No,1 I used that too. As the curve is quite tight round the platform I have had to leave quite a gap which is a bit unfortunate but at least most stock is well clear. Gauging, as I am finding, is a bit of a nightmare on model railways! You think a structure is ok, have test it with what you think is the longest, biggest over swing rolling stock etc and then gone ahead and built things. Then you go and buy something new or run an item you did not consider to be a problem only to find it is! Fairly recently I have discovered that the Hornby Railroad crane I have had since before the layout was started will not run under the flyover as the jib is too high when resting on the support truck, how did I miss that one? I now have to modify the truck to make them fit, and we now have two of them as well. Thanks for the obs though, I will check the clearance.

Phew that's some effort there Al ! Will look fantastic once painted and weathered and so worth the time and effort. Come on well.

Accident forces scenery mod! Following the meeting of the floor and the recently bought Christmas present for No2 son, which as out on a bit of a run-in, the addition of a robust kerb has been the focus of today's layout progress. Fortunately the railroad Flying Scotsman is quite robust, my heart was not at the point I saw it jump the points on the other side of the layout and disappear heading to the floor with a terrible crash! But the only damage is the buffer beam and pony truck. As the snapped bit of the buffer beam has not been deformed in any way it can just be glued on back on using liquid poly; I have tested the plastic for suitability, so that is good. To be honest test running the loco post the crash and without the front pony truck, it is actually a better runner and a lot more quiet. I think it was actually the pony truck that caused the initial derailment. So, odd as it looks being a 0-6-2, for now I think it will be much easier for the young fingers putting it on the track if it is left off especially as the back pony is fixed and flangeless. With only the six driving wheels to have to get on the track, I think it will be much easier for them. But the accident did make me think. So, I have now added a new scenic edge along the back of the layout in the form of a raised edge of about 3/4 inch. Along with a bit of a battered slope this now sort of gives the impression of the track being in a cutting. Hopefully, this should reduce the risk of stuff going over the edge if it derails New edge timber with chamfered inner side. Cork tiles used to create a battered slope The other progress made during the last week, has been the island platform. Not yet finished as it is missing edge flags and a good weathering. But it has really helped to give some idea of the station area. A quick shot to show the island platform, will look much better once set in with ballast etc. On with the Scalescene station next I think, then I can make the station platform.

Nice looking layout, really like the detail and the techniques you are using. Shall be following with interest. Paul

Thanks, just had a look and very impressed with the step by step videos and the effects achieved Looks like quite an impressive product range and a British manufacture too. It is very interesting when you come across companies that have been able to cross over in to model railways, as I assume by their company name "War World" that they originated for the war game/model making world, that you can sometime get great new products on the market.