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Hi Tim, That's impressive 3D content - are you a fellow CAD jockey by trade? Regards, James

Hi all, No update for a while, but I have been busy working on the station board. One of the unfortunate results of not planning ahead is you spend a lot of time musing how you will cover certain areas and arrange certain things. I did think the staion building could be on the upper level with steps to the platform, but I've decided to go with a platform level building with a ramp down to it. I tried several options for the building but settled for a scalescenes example. I've also decided to straighten the siding and add a hardstanding so that there is access to the old 'middle' line. It also means vehicles can access the middle line over the track rather than having to provide access behind the buffer stop. I've started the hardstanding and I need to ballast the moved track either side of the card. I will also fill in-between the tracks too. I've also weathered the ballast/track with sleeper grime and black where the locos will sit and operate the most. This has blened the two colours of ballast used well. I no need to link up the upper level and ramp to the 'tunnel' mouth with a low wall. I then plan to fill in behind with vegitation. Here are the essential pictures...... The transition between boards: The bridge and upper level above the station: The beginnings of the scenic break - although there is an option to run through on the platform line. This is supposed to represent a double through line previously (hence the tunnel mouth span): The moved siding and plain card hardstanding (will be painted): And finally shots showing the track weathering: All the best, James

Hi David, Are you taking this to Minehead next month? I saw an announcement on their thread sounding suspiciously like this layout. If so looking forward to seeing it. Regards, James

Hi, Sorry to hear about your cat - as well as being curious about anything you are doing they really get into your heart and your family. We lost both our cats last year after having them as litter twins in the year 2000. All the best, James

I'd travel to see as it is now. you could argue that 'work in progress' stuff is more interesting in some ways. But good luck with the rest! Regards, James

Hi all, No pictures but some great news regarding my shed. Subject to me dodging the rain to dig a channel for the wire this week - power will be installed this saturday! The layout can then take up home permanently and I can stop transferring it to the garage when I want power or lights. Regards, James

That is fantastic - hope it comes somewhere I can see it in the flesh one day. Regards, James

Top work - looks really good. I really like the weathered tunnel portal too, nice and dark and grimey. I assume the trees you show are the florists wire covered in flock/fibre you talked about attempting? Can I ask what you use as a cover material? All the best, James

Hi Tim, Sorry to dirty your thread with pictures of my layout but I'd like to share the javis scatter result with you - I'm very happy with the result and it will form a good base for the greenery: And I've had a watch of the utube videos you put me onto - Kathy has some really useful ideas. Thanks again, James

Hi again, Third and last rapid update - this brings us up to date. It took a while but I have completed the terraced houses for the back drop of the scenic board. I have placed them on some 1.2mm card with pavement surrounding it. I've also used that method for the pavement along the bridge. I was a bit hasty cutting out the bridge width so I had a decision to make - wide road lanes with no pavement, or normal width with pavement one side only. I opted for one side and decided that the pavement side would be the far side to enable me to put some walling to hide the backscene hole (where I planned to have storage roads under the houses) and provide a better visual stop. This does mean any car exiting the road at the back of the houses onto the road will have crap visability looking right - I have lowered the wall away to address this but it seems doubtful this would have arisen in reality. I'm happy with how it looks though. I have completed the girder bridge with a Wills vari-girder pack and painted it dark grey in preparation for a bit of weathering. The wall along the back of the alley road is made from scalescenes printed paper too - very easy and effective. It is a bit of an 'attack' of red brick with little, or no, variation but I am pretty pleased with the overall effect. The photos are a little cruel if you look at the roof line - but I've seen several terraced houses with undulating roof work! Terraced houses: Bridge and road: Overall view of board - just green stuff to go! Edit - and chimney potts! All the best, James

Hi all, Ok time for update two. As you can see I have now produced the upper level on the station board as well as re-modelling the platform a little longer. As I mentioned before I wanted to keep the road bridge over the platform edge to help break things up. I have added the insulation board (left over from insulating the shed), cut it to shape, covered with a layer of plaster bandage and painted it brown with a Wilco's tester pot. I saw javis scatter used on another layout on here and thought it was a much more effective cover for areas devoid of grass or on the boundary between nature and the railway. So I have scattered some of that over PVA in some of the areas shown. I've also made a start on the stricture around the plate girder exit bridge. I plan to have a row of scalescenes terraced house backs overlooking the straight track with a road and brick wall leading to the embankment. All the best, James

Hi all, Long time since my update but I have been hard at work with the layout - time for some staged updates! I seem to go through highs and lows - I'll hit a blocker and stall then have a flash of inspiration and move forward quickly - I'm sure that sounds familiar to all but the most effective of planers on here. There have been a few updates to the plan shown previously - I've decided not to store locos under the scenic board as it is too tight on height - and I have given the option to run through the station and on if I need to. Seemed sensible to include this option now even if it comes to nothing later. Anyway a picture tells a thousand and all that..... I have ripped up the old platform top in preparation for the longer surface without bay The scenic board has been relaid and the overlooking structure added in 6mm ply You can see the 'quarter' pieces of 12mm ply at the baseboard edges in the the contour of the bank. I plan to fill this in with insulation board and cut it to shape before covering with plaster bandage. I plan to use a old disused Bachmann signal box in the foreground. I was going to do away with the bridge over the platform but I think it helps disguise the short layout/platform. The eagle eyed will also notice a hole in the end of the layout - I plan to cover this end with another bridge/possible overstation and provide the option to run through passenger DMUs on the singled line beyond. This may only happen outside of the shed depending on what I do with the main fiddle yard. Thats it for now - more updates to follow. All the best, James

Hi, Been away from this thread for a couple of weeks and just spend a jaw dropping few minutes looking through your progress - I can only echo what others have already said - absolutely great. Apologies if you've already mentioned it earlier - but can I ask how you produce the road surface? I assume its not easy and it looks like you take your time with paint and an expert eye. I'm still using scalescenes prints - which are very good but I'm less happy with them after looking at this! all the best, James

I agree - great views of the layout fully assembled. Really shows off the flow of the track - it will be very pleasurable to see a HST wander through the scenic section. And the last picture in post 315 really shows your excellent work on the scenic so far. The track/platform and fence/undergrowth look superb. All the best, James

The real life pictures certainly show what you are achieving with your modelling is spot on. Are the uprights for the wooden fencing made out of rail? Apologies if this has already been noted. Regards, James

Looking ok? - you're kidding right? It looks top notch. 10 packs of Javis Scatter No. 32 on order Cheers, James

Hi, Really enjoying following this - can I ask what product you use for your brown scatter undercoat on the embankments? I've painted mine brown in the past before adding green - but this method looks better. regards, James

Hi andy, Looking forward to following this - plenty of boxes ticked for me. The scenic run is looking great - If you have space, and I know a lot of people don't, it looks so much better to have scenic run prior to the station. all the best, james

Hi, Thanks for the interest and kind comments - the layout is now sold and handed over to its new owner today. Regards, James

Hi again, Ok here is the anyrail plan of the simplification modernisation: I'm sure most got the idea from the above post but I'm pleased with the improvement made quite simply. The approach road now runs into either terminus road and the run-around loop is in good proportion to the capacity of the fiddle yard/station sidings. So lots of potential for all sorts of freight that wants to run around and make its way back down the line. I did wonder about having an 'industry' or branch off from the short siding/trap point near the fiddle yard but I want to convey the image of a single line approach to the station, and I need the two points on this board as close to the fiddle yard as possible to keep the run around large enough. I'm coming to the conclusion that 'less is more' when it comes to track and I can have a nice scenic run on the appraoch board. All the best, James

Hi Deltic, Thanks for the interest - I've sent you a PM. Regards, James

Thanks, As I said in my first post - I was unsure what to do with this experiment when finished, but since there are always new ideas in my mind I think I'm going to offer this layout for sale. My local shop will kindly put it on display but I thought there was no harm in offering it on here first. The layout is for sale as seen, with a DC controller and possibly a Dapol DCC ready Northern Rail class 153 DMU if desired. The layout is currently wired for DC with the points isolating the sidings - but feeds are soldered to the sidings and can be simply connected up with choc blocks if you want the layout to be DCC or 'all live'. Ideal Xmas present for the space starved modeller, or first 'set' for someone (ok, sales platter over). Thanks for looking. James

Hi all, Back with some belated updates on Greenwood. I'm afraid it has been gathering dust under my sons bed for quite a while - I did think of selling it "as is" but I recently got a bit more storage space in the form of a new garden workshop (12'x8') - so I've had a place to set it up and mull over my options: I've decided to simplify the trackplan and set the layout in a more modern era. I was going to try to accomodate 3 coaches but I think the station board will remain very similar - I plan to remove the small bay and extend the platform a little. It won't give me three coaches, but it will mean two will look a little better. The main changes will be to the station approach board. I plan to remove the engine shed road and make the 'entry' road the longest line nearest the front - not the back line. I will attempt to explain with photos but maybe an anyrail mock will follow. The board will also be shortened by about 5 inches to allow me to have a 42" fiddle yard along one side of the workshop. I did not design the layout with the shed in mind, or buy a shed with this layout in mind! This will mean I will run mainly DMU's for passengers, with the odd loco service too, and also have freight and departmental stack arriving, running around or unloading in the sparten goods line. Not enough room for a denet fiddle yard here - I don't want to make the layout permanent in the shed, or go around the corner: Ok here is the new point layout the entry road will be into the first right hand point and the other point will be a trap or lead to an overgrown short siding. The left hand siding that was to be the engine shed will go. The bay will go and the platform will lengthen slightly and become a little more realistic (but only a little!!) So the coaches are in the new loop the exit to the fiddle yard will be on the line to the right of the coaches - the siding will go. I've made a start lifting track and cutting the board today - so I hope to report progress soon. Mojo returned on this one! Regards, James

Hi all, Time to bring you up to speed.... I have made the scalescenes high street, cinema and department store. They took a while, but look go and are very flexible - but after making the first lot I did not fancy making more, so I cheated a bit, and bought some easier metcalfe kits. I was a bit worried about the footbridge on the right but I''m pretty happy with the end result - the black railings are actually shutters from the high street kit. I have finished off the walling with capping and added bushes to cover gaps, etc. I have also produced a lid so that it can be packed away safely and offer the card kits increased protection. I thought the 'complete' set of a simple layout, controller and box would appeal at this time of year: And the overall view with lid open: Closed lid: Back view: I've really enjoyed working in N gauge for a change but I have decided to move the layout on to provide funds for a new controller (my Hornby select needs an update). So I plan to offer the layout for sale with a DC controller and possibly the 153 as 'train set'. The layout will store vertically or horizontally and can easily be set up and closed. The one thing I should have put more thought into was the weight - if i do this sort of layout again I will use less softwood and do the frame in ply to make it even lighter - because I started without a clear plan I added wood here and there for support which all adds up at the end. Its not too bad - and it is sturdy - but it could be lighter. All the best, James

Hi again, Plaster bandage next - I then painted the white landscape with a wicks brown tester pot. I was going to use normal scatter for the basic ground cover as I thought all my Noch grassmaster stock is more suited to OO and would be too long for N. I then remembered my sample Noch fibres - they are shorter but a little 'green' for my liking - but I thought I could tone it down with scatter etc. Some of the White plaster bandage staining will be removed, some covered and some left as white staining on the brickwork. So here is the basic covering - you can also see the front fascia board in place in the same profile as the hills: I then added the various scatters and bushes from my scenic box. I'm working on the basic rule that a short tree, bush and scrub in OO roughly halves to become a tall tree, large bush and bush in N - get what I mean? I'm pretty confident in OO now but I'm still learning what looks 'right' in N - after all this was supposed to be a learning exercise in N. So here are my efforts to build on the base scenic's - I tends to blob pva around and throw things on it. If it is too fine I spray with hairspray, scatter, and then spray again after it has set for a bit - and then hoover up the stuff propelled around the conservatory! Not finished with the green yet but it is getting there. I will run over the track with sleeper grime again - and leave the wider ballast grey. I wish I had put some thin cork around now to create a shoulder and better define the track work. Regards, James