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James Hilton

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    Ynyslas - 70s Cambrian micro shelf in N

    in Boxfiles, Micro layouts & Dioramas

    Posted · Edited by James Hilton

    Often I like to build a little project over the Christmas holidays. Last Christmas, after a few weeks of mulling over different ideas, I settled upon something ‘Cambrian Coast’.

     

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    A peculiar blend of nostalgia, familiarity and Hinterland had led me to this point and I settled upon modelling a test piece using an IKEA Mosslanda shelf. I had a few things I wanted to try out in N, and this seemed a good fit for complexity and scope.

     

    The basic concept was to build a short embankment and typical Cambrian trestle inspired by the line between Glandyfi and Ynyslas which runs across the bog between the mountains, the Dyfi estuary and Borth.

     

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    After a basic ‘board’ was added to the shelf, to allow removal at a later date if required, work could turn to the scenic elements. The bridge was constructed using a template to ensure the trestles were as consistent as possible, using Evergreen styrene section. 

     

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    From an early stage this project began to have real promise and fuelled by the success of these trestles I moved quickly forwards during the Christmas holidays spent at home near Llangollen and at my Mum’s in Pembrokeshire, the journey allowing another stop off at familiar locations to soak in the atmosphere once more!

     

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    I also built a small jig to allow the handrail stantions to be cut to length and drilled consistently, these things make such a difference and need not be complicated. In this case some styrene scraps and a U section of brass.


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    The finished structure was beginning to feel just as I had hoped. My intention was to mount this towards one end of the shelf, with a short section if track on one side and a longer one the other. British Finescale Code 40 bullhead flex track was selected for this, but as it’s only 500mm long I needed to splice two pieces in the end, as the shelf is a little longer.

     

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    The river was made next using some clear styrene and Humbrol enamels painted on the underside. Once dry I used some Deluxe glue-n-glaze to add water effects on the opposite side. This worked well in N, but the glue didn’t dry entirely, remaining tacky, so a spray of gloss lacquer cured that and added additional texture.


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    The bridge was airbrushed dark brown and then dry brushed with paler shades. A rusty shade was used on the railings and strapping.
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    To begin to bed this in I used balsa, as it’s light and was to hand, to build up the embankments which were then coated in polyfilla. Usual ground techniques and static grasses in wintry tones were used to give a distinction between the embankment and the bog.


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    The finishing touch was a water colour back scene, I painted this on mounting board which wasn’t ideal but actually worked really well. This project was a test piece, the bridge, the water and the backscene all ideas I had wanted to try in N, and largely successful. It was never intended to be operational and as such I didn’t build a cameo box for it, or even wire it up. 


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    I sold it on earlier this year to clear space for something new, not before enjoying taking some photos on it shown here and in my new book (out in October, all being well). The next stage was always intended a proper Cambrian layout and to that end more trestles we’re built and structures started but a friends plans changed in the summer and what was to be a joint layout now looks like a solo one - and in the meantime I had already started my latest Gerald Road.


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    The shelf idea lives on and I’m currently building a tiny working cameo on a Mosslanda based around Wrexham Central station! There is a short video that introduces the project and some of the techniques involved. If you’ve any thoughts, questions or words of encouragement to start he Cambrian layout I’d love to hear them! Thanks for reading - more about my modelling on the blog, updated daily!

     

     

    • Like 25
    • Craftsmanship/clever 14

    Paxton Road - 1990 Speedlink in 500mm of British N…

    in Boxfiles, Micro layouts & Dioramas

    Posted

    Agreed.

    The PGA will be out, at some point, with Rails / Cavalex, but the PCA would be a welcome addition. It’s Heljan who have done it in O though, isn’t it?
    I’ve some Rapido OAA on order, to support their N scale range, but they’re much less useful to me.

     

    The EFE range is interesting though. If we see all of Kernow’s OO range shrink rayed then I’d love to see the PRA.

    I recently picked up a PBA, not for Paxton Road as it’s too big, but a future clay based scheme.

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    • Like 9

    Paxton Road - 1990 Speedlink in 500mm of British N…

    in Boxfiles, Micro layouts & Dioramas

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, C126 said:

    At the risk of digressing into the ‘æsthetics of railway operation’…


    No problem at all… 

    I think they can over power operation, I tend to use the 2 axle stuff… the open wagons are longer but low, cement and the TTA are shorter. I have a few of the wonderful VEAs from Sonic too, not quite sure what’s being unloaded since they mainly served military traffic!

     

    Sadly no Dapol 33, although I have pondered one, as well as a 27 to complete the set. The 33 would have to be Dutch though!

     

    • Like 2

    Paxton Road - 1990 Speedlink in 500mm of British N…

    in Boxfiles, Micro layouts & Dioramas

    Posted

    8 minutes ago, Steven B said:

    Lovely work James. 

     

    It does show a much needed hole that needs filling with decent 1970s air-braked vans - VAA, VBA, VCA & VDA.

     

     

    Steven B


    The old Farish VBA scrubs up quite easily, if you can find one!

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    All I’ve done here is replace the couplings, thin the buffer heads and weather it. It’s a late one, so Chinese and the printing is great.
    I agree it seems a big gap, I’d love to see Bachmann shrink ray the VDA! 

    • Like 7

    Paxton Road - 1990 Speedlink in 500mm of British N…

    in Boxfiles, Micro layouts & Dioramas

    Posted

    15 minutes ago, C126 said:

    I am no expert on the layouts 'out there', but this looks stunning to me.  The figures are wonderful.  I can not wait to get home to-night and watch your You Tube videos.  Thanks for posting this thread.

     

    P.s. I love the 'Panoramic' picture of Saturday, 21.30.

     

    1 hour ago, Kevin Johnson said:

    Hi James this is a super micro layout you have modelled, brilliant work👍

     
    Thanks both, and to all who have stopped by to like the posts. If you enjoy the videos please consider subscribing to the channel. 
     

    As I mentioned - my blog is updated daily with personal projects and commissions, and makes, I’m told, a good coffee break read - obviously always happy to oblige!

    • Thanks 1
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