wiggoforgold

The shed doors will need to be unglued as well

Thanks for all the kind comments. I feel I'm on a bit of a roll with the layout at the moment. I can finally see quite clearly in my mind's eye what i am trying to achieve, and I finally feel (after about 10 years) that the scene is coming together in the way I intended. I think the biggest thing I've learned is the "less is more" approach, I'm trying to keep the feel of open countryside and not crowd it with too much incident. Allied to this has been a conscious reduction in the size of buildings, for example all the buildings in the station and goods yard are smaller buildings than those originally installed. For example, the original goods shed was a Prototype Models kit of Little Bytham goods shed (I know, wrong railway, but Diddington has been moved some 30 miles to the East) and this was replaced by a Wills wooden shed and a Ratio provender store. One of the effects of my current level of enthusiasm is a single minded approach to Diddington. I had a number of other ideas, but they are all firmly on the back burner. I wonder what effect the Hornby J15 will have when it arrives? Alex

I don't mind at all Alan. I have tried to do exactly the same thing with some of these photographs, to try and get the atmosphere of 1960's black and white shots. It's always interesting as well to see other people's interpretations of things you have made. Someone took a photo of the bridge at the RM web members day which I liked so much I used it as my Facebook cover photo for a while ( with their permission) The scene in the photograph is evolving. Close observation will show how it has changed since the shot in the BRM annual was taken in April last year. I still want to add a bit more in the way of a couple of swans for the river ( a rather fierce one used to live under the bridge) and I have already made a heron to sit on one of the bridge piers. I also need to add more fencing where the track approaches the bridge, and adjust the height of the middle telegraph pole in the row approaching the bridge. All that said, I don't want to crowd the scene, as I have found that the impression of spaciousness is enhanced by keeping incident restrained. Thanks for you interest Alex

Refurbishing the scenery has reached the private siding now. I'm taking some pictures of the work as it progresses and will put these up in a couple of days. In the meantime here are some pictures with trains in place. First, a picture of Juniper Hill's J94 "Cranford" entering the mill siding Next, class 15 D8233 is seen with a couple of vans for the mill.

An overall view of the approach to the loco yard. From this angle the plain wall on the street side of Jubilee Terrace can just be seen, It's not visible from the usual viewing angle. One day I'll rebuild the turnout leading to the goods yard.

Hi Marcus. Try a hot glue gun for sticking scenery bits. As well as sticking things, the hot glue can be used as an impromptu filler in scenery, and for building up tree trunks over wire armatures, instead of using plaster. Alex

Thanks Marcus. There's a place for both types of grass machine I think. I bought a large one partly because i had some quite large areas to cover (but in this respect the FMR one was doing all I asked of it, albeit not as quickly, but I wanted a machine that could cope with longer grass fibres (Up to 10mm for the reeds in the river, which I haven't tried yet.) and the FMR machine can't cope with the longer fibres - (it has difficulty with anything longer than 4mm I find). Where the FMR one has the advantage is for finer detailing, such as grass growing through cracks, where the new one is too large to wield effectively. I'll recommend the Gravett book again - I know I keep mentioning it, but that's how useful I find it. I have no connection at all to the Gravetts save as a very pleased reader of the book. (I spoke to them briefly at the Plymouth show I think when they were exhibiting their Dolgoch layout about 20 years ago, but they won't remember that!) Looking forward to seeing more of Buckden in due course. Hal, I'm glad you fount the details helpful. Since I posted, I've found a better section for a "before and after" feature, but it will be a couple of months before I get to it. Good luck with yours, and post some pictures when its done. Alex

I’ve taken some “before and after shots” of my first experiment with the new static grass applicator. In previous entries I have described the construction of a stable block for Diddington, which was installed in the fields adjacent to the engine shed. The field had been given a basic covering of static grass using a simple applicator, and this is shown in the first picture, with the hole cut for installation of the stables. Once installed, the field in front of the stable was reworked. The first step was to tidy up the existing scenery, by gently scraping back the existing grass (not completely) and levelling up the ground in places with Polyfilla. The fence between the field and track was then installed. I’ve used Ratio fencing, though I think it should really be post and wire. The fence comes in straight lengths, and these were gently bent to follow the profile of the land, and mounting spigots in the form of lengths of plastic cocktail stocks were glued to the rear of the fence. The fence sections were sprayed with various mixes of Tamiya grey and earth colours, and the fence was glued into holes drilled in the scenery. The path was made by painting the area of the path with Humbrol dark earth enamel, and while it was still wet, sprinkling it with fine ash through a metal tea strainer. The areas to be grassed were then painted with dilute PVA, and the whole given a coat of 4mm static grass fibres. This was left to dry for a few minutes, then the excess was gently hoovered off. The grass was then built up further by overspraying some areas with hairspray, and giving those areas a further coating of longer (6mm) fibres. Weeds and bramble were built of using Carrs dark green scatter either direct over more hairspray, or on to a web of gently teased out pastiche (theatrical hair), stuck in place with more hairspray. Undergrowth at the base of the fence was also built up using pieces of Woodland Scenics clump foliage, glued in place with PVA, and covered with more scatter.

Hi Hal I've just got the one by wwscenics, which they were demonstrating at RM web live in Coventry. I used it last night and am really pleased with the results. The static grass in the pictures was done with the FMR tea strainer one, which is a lot cheaper, but not as good for larger area, and it won't cope with longer fibres. All of the are a bit of a struggle round the edges of buildings, or when a more precise application of grass is needed. If you haven't already seen it I'd also recommend Gordon Gravett's "Modelling Grassland" book which is full of ideas and techniques. Alex

Sorry Jonty not Jointly. The curse of predictive text.

Cheers Mark. Santa is bringing me a static grass machine with a bit more clout for Christmas, so grassy areas will extend in the new year. Well spotted. Ivor has made an excursion into the Fens. jointly Chambers was standing in the way at the bus stop at Juniper Hill when the weekly bus arrived and had to be moved on Happy Christmas Alex

A few different scenes for Christmas First, something a little different. Back to 1959 for this one. The K1 is a Replica body on a Bachmann K3 chassis. The coach is by Ian Kirk, and was built about 20 years ago. Next a couple of shots of D5579, which is one of my favourite models, so I take quite a lot of pictures of it! The model is an Airfix body on a Hornby Chassis, and construction is described in my blog. The first picture is taken from and angle which isn't possible when the layout is fully erected. The second picture shows D5579 double heading D5500, which is a Hornby model, , with the cab window surrounds repainted green,weathered and renumbered, Finally, Juniper Hill is well and currently living in Cornwall. Here's the bus from Diddington having just arrived at Juniper Hill (There isn't a passenger service), while Cranford waits between shunts.

The stables at Diddington have now been installed on the layout. Details of the build can be found in the Card Modelling Forum. This post is concerned with its installation on the layout. The majority of the buildings on Diddington are made from card. This is because I find it easier to work with, and well braced card buildings are extremely strong. All the buildings are planted in the layout, rather than placed on it. The following words and pictures show how the stables were installed. A start is made by cutting a hole in the scenery where the building is to go This hole is lined with card, and blended in the surrounding scenery with Polyfilla. All the buildings have either a “cellar” at the bottom of the sides, or a base about 10mm in depth, which fits in the hole. When the hole is finished, the building is glued in place, taking care to ensure the building is level and vertical. Once the glue has firmly set, the sides or base of the building are blended in place with more Polyfilla, or a mixture of plaster and pva. Once dry the Polyfilla/plaster is sanded down, and the whole over coated with burnt umber gouache, to provide a base for the scenic treatments, fine ash sprinkled on wet dark earth paint for the paths, and static grass for the grassy areas. There are a couple of features on the base which are worth mentioning. The paved area outside the stable was made from individual slabs cut from a sheet of self adhesive computer labels, which were airbrushed varying shades of light grey/buff, before being peeled off and stuck to the base, which was previously pained dark earth. Once in place, some of the gaps were painted over with slightly dilute pva, which was then treated with static grass, to give the effect of grass growing between the slabs. The manure heap outside the stables was built up with Polyfilla on a card base. This was then painted with matt black, before being painted with a dilute pva mix, and sprinkled with fine ash. This was then painted with Johnsons “Klear” floor polish to darken it, and sprinkled with “dead grass” static grass to represent old straw cleaned out of the stables.

I've been working on the stables for Diddington. I've posted details of the construction as a topic in the card modelling forum, and I've taken a set of pictures of the stages in planting the building in the layout, which I'll add to this thread later. (its too late for me to start a long posting now), so here's some pictures of the work done to date. And bringing up the rear, a brake van:

I will follow this with interest. Look forward to reading more about the new project.

Thanks for all the kind comments. Stuart - you are right - I've just checked and it is an A30 Marcus. - one of the advantages of the period chosen is that I don't have to model the turntable bridge. The down side is that I 've got a Hornby J15 on pre order, and when it comes I'm going to have to explain to it why the turntable isn't available. Alex

It is a card kit. It's been around for years, and is currently produced by Freestone model accessories. It was built in response to a challenge from a friend, who wondered how far it was possible to go with a card kit. The card parts are fairly extensively braced, and it's been weathered with powders. The card kit doors were overpainted with Tamiya green.

I’m working on a new stable block which will go next to the engine shed at Diddington. I’d hoped to have it finished by this weekend but it will be a few more days until construction is finished. I’ll put a blow by blow account of the construction in the card modelling thread and will post a picture of it in place here. In the meantime I came across some pictures I took of the layout a couple of weeks ago. One of the advantages of it currently being in sections is that I am able to photograph the layout from angles that would normally be inaccessible. First here is a picture of an Austin A35 van parked by the boathouse at Diddington. The line across the road in front of the van is the joint between the road section built on the layout, and the surround to the boathouse, which is removable. The gap will eventually be filled when the boathouse section is fixed in place. Next, an end view of the engine shed. Diddington shed is now closed, and the shed itself is used for storage. The rails are rusty, but the infrastructure of the steam railway is still in place, .The shed itself is a Prototype Models kit of Stamford (which is a GN prototype, and Diddington shed should really be a GE one. One day I plan to build a model of the shed at Huntingdon East, but for the moment the Prototype Models kit fills the bill) The water crane is a Mikes Models cast kit of the one at Stamford shed. The coaling stage, just visible on the right, is from Huntingdon East, and in the background the old turntable pit can be seen. In the period of the model, the shed is no longer used. Locomotives wait in the yard between duties, and to facilitate this part of the line to the old turntable has been left in place, so locos can enter the loco storage siding. Behind the shed, and next to the Mill, is a street called Jubilee Terrace. The terraced buildings, on the left in the picture, are made from two Howard Scenics house back kits. The building on the right is a model of a building at the gas works in Huntingdon, and at Diddington is the mill manager’s house. It’s made from card, covered with Exactoscale brick paper, to match the mill. The road itself will get a bit more detailing in the form of lamps, an improved road surface, and a couple of road vehicles.

I've been trying out some new ideas for detailing the scenery, such as grass growing through paths, and clumps of brambles. I brought Grodon Gravett's book "Modelling Grassland" at RM Web live in Coventry and have found it a wonderful source of ideas. I've made some clumps of bramble from teased out postiche (theatrical hair), fixed in place with hairspray, sprayed with more hairspray and sprinkled with dark green scatter. Here's the result: I've added more detail round the loco spur. I finished the fence. Really it I would prefer a wire fence between the loco spur and the private siding, but to save time I've used the Ratio Midland railway fence, sprayed with various mixed of Tamiya flat earth, dark grey and NATO black. I glued length of plastic cocktail sticks behind some of the uprights, and pushed these into holes drilled into the bards. The fence is fixed in place with pva , and weeds and longer grass built up along the bottom, which helps to hold it in place. I wanted to add an overgrown hut in the corner, base on one at St Ives (Cambs), but my first attempt warped horridly, so I scrapped it and instead refurbished an old Cooper Craft GW hut rescued from my son's train set. I've given it a corrugated iron roof and added some barge boards. I've taken some pictures of D5579 awaiting its next turn of duty. The grubby state of the loco is authentic. Despite having a special livery it was in a very shabby state when photographed in early 1965, I've seen some pictures of her in BR Blue, but not in Green - did she go straight to blue, or did she have a spell in green first? Finally, here's a picture of a more usual Brush Type 2, D5500, propelling a brake van past Diddington shed. The engine is Hornby, slightly repainted and weathered. The brake van is an old Airfix/Dapol one. Cheers for now Alex

Refurbishing and adding to the scenery continues. I'm on the loco shed board now. Here's some pics of the current state of play. I've been experimenting with static grass to get the effect of grass growing through the yard surface and the early results can be seen in some of the pictures. The large baseboard gap is because the boards are not currently bolted together, so the joint isn't fully closed.

Inspiring stuff. I think a few crates may appear in Diddinton yard. I followed your link to the Rusty Stumps site. Where did you get the crates with the clear bottles?

Morfa!, that's the layout I was thinking of when I wrote this and couldn't remember the name. Thanks for reminding me.

Oh, and I find pictures are a useful way of identifying things for attention. For example, looking at the first picture of the class 24 crossing the bridge, I think the middle telegraph pole needs raising. I also think the lack of signals is an ongoing embarrassment, which I do intend to address, although some kind friends have told me their lack is not too obvious.

Refurbishing work is progressing steadily. I've finished with the river board for now and I'm going to make a start on the loco yard board. I've attached a couple of pictures of the current state of the river board, showing the class 24 crossing the bridge with a short van train. While working on the layout I've been musing as to whether Diddington is actually a model railway, or a model landscape that has a railway running through it. Certainly the river board which I've been working on is probably 95% scenery, with a single track running across it. The space available would provide plenty of room for lots of tracks if I was so inclined! The layout idea has always been to have a fairly sprawling, simple layout in a large space, and I've resisted any temptation to add incident and complexity. In fact its been simplified from the original plan, with the approach being singled (the original plan had a double track approach) and a siding was deleted from the goods yard at an early stage. What I'm trying to achieve is a sense of time and place, with the railway forming part of the landscape. Stock scenery and landscaping items are chosen with that in mind.