vaughan45

Having worked with both embossed plastic sheet and brick papers previously, these sheets are a bit different to work with. They are about the same thickness as embossed plastic sheet, but with a rubbery feel. To achieve sharp corners I have found it necessary to lightly score the rear and fold against a straight edge such a steel rule to achieve a sharp bend. Once you remove the thick paper backing paper to expose the adhesive, the sheet becomes more flexible, but unlike brick paper the sheet needs to be positioned accurately as it can be difficult to re-position. I have found that if you apply the sheet to plastic sheet, they can be lifted carefully and repositioned if they haven't been smoothed firmly in place, but on card or foam board attempting to move the Redutex will also lift the top surface from the card. This is one of the reasons I clad the foam board building framework in 30 thou plastic sheet. The biggest advantage though of the Redutex is the pre-printed finish. Hope this helps, Vaughan

I have now started to construct the small warehouse / lock up that will be located at the front right hand side of the layout. The bottom has been clad in the same Redutex english bond brickwork used for the wharf wall. The shell of the building is 5mm foamboard clad in 30 thou plastikard (photo 1). The upper storey and roof will be clad to represent corrugated iron and look similar to one I built earlier for a previous layout (photo 2). The Redutex sheet was lightly scored on the reverse and then the door reveal was folded along the edge of a steel rule. Once the backing paper was removed to expose the adhesive, the wall section was gradually smoothed into position working from the door reveal, in much the same way as using 'sticky back plastic' (or applying vinyl decals to 1:1 scale commercial vehicles!). The slightly curved edge to the sides of the door opening were an attempt to portray the bullnose bricks sometimes used.

Quick update. Further work has been done on the wharf with some additional detailing installed. The first couple of PVA coats have been added to start the water effect, a brown wash has then be applied to give some tonal variation. A further 2 or 3 coats of PVA will hopefully be applied this week, allowing sufficient drying time between each coat. A start has also been made on building up the ground at the right hand side of the layout and design the building to be positioned nearest to the front. In a change of plan it will not be a houseback, but a small warehouse of brick and corrugated iron construction. The rolling stock roster continues to grow. The wagons in the background are a LMS fitted van with clasp brakes built from a Freightman kit, which requires finishing, a Dapol LMS 7 plank open that has had the brake gear substantially reworked using parts from the scrapbox. It has also been weighted and had a coal load fitted. The LMS unfitted van was acquired on EBay and appears to have been scratch built from a range of materials or is a composite kit.

The setts are also a Redutex product. Previously on layouts I have used either embossed plastikard or embossed them using a suitably shaped instrument. One of the challenges I have set myself with this cameo is to use commercial products to speed the build, providing they are as good as or better than I can achieve from scratch. On my last couple of layouts I always felt the stone setts were less than satisfactory, so opted for the commercial product. Cheers Vaughan

That's something I will shortly find out - although most or the planned buildings will use embossed plastic sheet of various types. The sheets have some thickness to them so it should be possible to lightly score the back and the fold against a straight edge. I have a small building I am currently working on, so will hopefully post some results later this week. Cheers Vaughan

Also looks like they are DC only versions, all the DCC / sound fitted versions will be in the main consignment coming by sea

Quick update. All the casework has had several coats of matt green paint and work is progressing on the canal wharf wall, the cheats brickwork is Redutex English bond with edging stones & mortar courses from plastikard. The first of the base coats for the canal bed have been added, with further tonal variations to be painted on, before several layers of PVA are applied.

Two further photos, one showing the left hand end of the layout case which includes a pocket for the DCC handset. Operation of the layout is from the front. The other photo shows the two small cube speakers that have arrived and will be mounted behind the facia. These will be used to provide the ambient background sound, if I can manage to produce a suitable sound scheme!

Limited progress this week due to work commitments. The area of stone setts on the wharf side have been extended and there has been further fiddling around with building alignments. I have started to fit the beading around the viewing aperture, after which the case will be primed and finished in Farrow & Ball Lichen Green to blend into the domestic arrangements. Three photos of the casework below. The baseboard & case are 6mm marine ply, whilst the backscene is 'bendy' MDF. The third photo shows one end panel which is already green as it has been re-cycled from an earlier project.

It was, but I removed the topic when it was sold. The pictures of it's build are still in the Galleries on this link: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/2311-the-basin/ Regards, Vaughan

And here's one I built earlier.. This is the sort of thing I am striving to create (only better this time). A couple of dubious shots of my 'The Basin' O-16.5 gauge layout I built a couple of years ago and then sold.

Back of cigarette packet style track plan below as requested. Some aspects of the buildings design are fluid although those for the l/h warehouse, terraced house back and bakery have been completed. Evaluating a couple of different arrangements of buildings for the small engineering company. The use of a canopy with a partial solid side wall was 'borrowed' from one of Neil Ripley's designs, although trying very hard not to incorporate any clichéd items (bus on bridge?) or modelling someone else's model

Here is my proposed entry for the Cameo Layout competition. The entry form is currently winging its way to the organsiers. Layout Name: Black Drake Wharf Scale: 7mm O Gauge Finescale Size: Scenic area - 5ft x 19in Staging: Cassettes Layout Type: Industrial / canal wharf Era: Mid 1930s Control System: DCC - NEC Powercab Operation: From front of layout Sound: On board DCC loco sound, ambient background sound using cube speakers mounted behind the facia pelmet Baseboard: Integrated plywood board, cabinet / facia & curved backscene Lighting: Angled LED Strips behind facia Stock: Mix of detailed RTR, kit built & some scratch built Industries: Bakery, Canal Interchange, Small Engineering Manufacturer (these may be subject to change) Photos of left hand & right hand views show current construction. Track is laid & ballasted, wiring and point control has been completed. Scenic work is just commencing.

I am trying to locate a copy of the above book which is out of print. I am trying to avoid getting a copy from secondhand book sellers in the states as I have been caught out a couple of times. Please PM me with details etc. Many thanks, Vaughan

The Model Shop, Northampton website is still up & running and would appear to be taking orders for all types of models. However the shop in Wellingborough is called Wellingborough Trains & Models which is a different business, don't know if that has closed..