bmthtrains - David

They do look good! Did you find them quite quick to install - I was surprised how good they looked immediately stuck down. David

Thanks for all the nice comments so far! Completing the CAD drawings of the apartment block over the weekend I decided that I’m going to use metal etches for the window frames. This meant a slight detour in that to keep the price down to a minimum it will be far cheaper to order everything I intend to have photo etched on the same plate. With this in mind I spent a couple of hours drawing up a full plate with everything I will need. This includes windows for the apartment block, Royal Mail offices, the front industrial units, and the ROC (which is still unfinished until these are installed). I also drew up the new OHLE components I need as N Brass only do older register and support arms. Two types of current WCML arms have been designed. I will have to save a few pennies before ordering this as it will be around £100 I think, but the etches will add a lot of fineness to the layout so definitely worth it. David

A small update today - appropriate as small things have been added to the road scene: road name signs, traffic signs, a grit box, and the traffic lights and railings by the crossing. Next jobs are to finish the drawings for the apartment block, and then lift this scenic module off and get back to wiring and rail painting… David

Get yourself an engineers square or a v-block - these will help keep the uprights vertical. David

That’s actually really frustrating. I have no GBRF stock and had been for a 66 in the livery for a while. This looked great in the sample model but this is far too orange. I will pass on this and hope a standard livery 66 gets released again. David

The buildings will be mostly laser cut Perspex to match the ROC. On previous layouts I tended to use card and the excellent Scalescenes texture sheets but I am using an all-plastics approach this time so I can build experience using my airbrush for painting and weathering. As with the ROC they will have backsprayed windows and no interiors - glass is actually far more reflective than Perspex or acetate and so at this scale from normal viewing distance you wouldn’t see inside anyway. Too clear windows on a model don’t look at all realistic to my eyes. David

Here’s the hybrid version that I’m thinking of going with: David

As the urban end of the layout is developing I’ve started to mock up the buildings that will go there. Drawing up some quick facades allows me to check different massing and detailing options. The block of flats by the bridge is fairly close to being a final design (it now has an entrance to the rear parking which kind of justifies the yellow box on the road outside!): Behind the left hand road is going to be a Royal Mail depot with offices, so a low warehouse with a tower block to the side. Three versions of the block are helping me decide between them: brick to one side: brick and staircase glazing to one side: the same as above but a wider facade: All three seem to work but I’m currently leaning towards the first but with the staircase glazing used on the side facade. David

Hi Nigel, I may have to stock up before everyone else buys all the stock! The mats are very easy to work with and all the tufts and bushes add a lot of realism when placed on top. Currently pondering exactly what will go on the front right of the scene to the right of the industrial units - possibly some overgrown disused land. David

The scenic mats are excellent. The bushes and shrubs too. I will look forward to seeing how you get on with them! David

The late summer version of the grass mat I used on the embankment arrived over the weekend and while pictures may not show the extent of the difference I was sufficiently impressed to replace the existing mat. It was a fairly simple job and I’m much happier with the more faded and less lurid colours. The bottom photo compares the new (top) to the old (bottom). Only snag was that was the last sheet of that colour mat I’ve been able to find in the UK. Getting more may prove expensive! David

A little confusing given TT’s original 1:120 scale has already morphed to 1:100 scale in Britain, but I guess as it’s so niche Peco feel they can correctly reintroduce it with the proper proportions. Whether this has legs depends on other RTR manufacturers embracing the scale, but it’s actually a good size that pulls from the benefits of both OO/HO and N. Unexpected but I have to applaud Peco for trying something really bold and attempting to open up a new direction within the hobby. David

From the TooT, and counting down from 3, and the repeated use of the letter T in the captions I would guess TT track is being announced tomorrow? Guess all will be revealed in the morning… David

I was also looking to purchase this release but having seen the same photos so far I’m holding off. Looks totally the wrong colour to me too. David

It probably shouldn’t be there as the real location has another road to the right so it would stop traffic blocking the route. I’ve kept it simply to add colour and interest even though I’ve omitted the road. I can always peel it off if I decide it’s too odd. David

A bit more progress now - the rear has been landscaped and the road markings finished. Lamps, fences and the post box have been added. Still to do are road signs, street name signs, and a traffic lighted pedestrian crossing at the back right. I’m happier with how the front colours appear now but can always redo that bit if I decide to. last photo shows how the buildings will fit into this are of the layout. David

The GSM-R mast is a 3D printed design I made - I think they’re still up for sale on Shapeways if you search for ‘modern image models’. I’ve removed the scenic section to work on the rear this morning and thankfully it just lifted off with no problems at all. I’m still in two minds about the colour of the embankment grass though. In natural light it’s a bit better but it’s very bright to my eyes and I’d prefer something a little more desaturated. I’ll continue on this section as it is but will also order a late summer version of the grass mat as this looks more faded and washed out. It wouldn’t be too disruptive to replace the two sections if it looks a lot better. David

Hi Paul, it seems to have been tiny splinters of foam that caused the irritation. It’s on my knuckles, so possibly I’ve had tiny shards on my hands and then pressed down on them and they’ve broken the skin. Small blisters going down now. David

The road surface is a single sheet of card painted with an airbrush, vinyl road markings from scale model scenery, and then lightly weathered with some dirt powders. David

The greens are a little too green for what I was ideally after but the more pale spring greens were too light. A little further along the front now. Tomorrow I will try removing the whole section to work on the rear side. David

Extending the mats down the slope and adding a tree on the road verge really gives a sense of how this end of the layout will look. David

Carving the extruded polystyrene foam proved a little challenging in that the dust irritated my skin. Even with nitrile gloves on my hands are sore today, so I probably won’t be using it again. Today I have covered the embankment slopes with grass mat to smooth it out and partly to seal the flakey foam in, and then had an experiment with the Martin Welberg mats and foliage. Very pleased with this little corner. It may not survive intact when this whole section is lifted off but it’s proved very easy to work with. David

Still avoiding more wiring and rail painting I’ve pushed on with the right hand road system and embankments. This is all a single piece that can be removed - it will be permanently attached once the track is weathered and the backscene added. The road markings will be much less garish once the road has been weathered as well. David

The delivery was from the Model Tree Shop in the UK - they stock the Martin Welberg range which really is fantastic. The scenic mats alone will transform how I approach landscapes. David

Epic scenery delivery just arrived. Really need to get that wiring finished but this is much more what I like to be doing! David