ManofKent Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 With my first layout in 35 yrs barely started what better idea is there than undertaking a second project Since the challenge was announced various ambitious schemes entered my head, but I confess I'm still hopeless at thinking in scale... I ordered a couple of cake boxes from that dodgy auction site and my first thought was "I hadn't realised how small 8 inches was" (as the actress said to the bishop). 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 Over Christmas I spent a lot of time browsing the Middleton Press books on Kent's branchlines, and after much playing around, and sketching I decided to go with a small private siding off a small rural branch line. The main building will be low relief with a hut or porch to one side and a shed on a loading platform to the other. The intention is to try and create something that looks rural, bucolic and Kentish - set some time between 1930-1950. Construction is going to be of the Col. Stephen's approach - cheap but hopefully functional, using odds and ends spare/left over from building my main layout. I've got plenty of foam left, various bits of wood and I think I've got a piece of foamex I acquired as an off-cut that I can use for a baseboard. I realised composition is particularly important in such a small space - and hopefully this rough plan will work. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted January 17, 2021 Author Share Posted January 17, 2021 I was going to pick up some ply but acquired some Foamex offcuts that I cut to size. The White piece wasn't quite long enough to do two full sides as a backdrop, but I don't think that matters too much. Track is just a couple of spare bits of Hornby set track spare from the main layout. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted January 18, 2021 Author Share Posted January 18, 2021 The RMWeb drives me to drink update To form the basis of the rough ground at the front of the diorama I wanted something light and easily to cut with a knife. Three bottles later and enough wine corks to create the foundations for the ground. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted January 27, 2021 Author Share Posted January 27, 2021 Not a lot of free time, but got round to putting filler over the corks: 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted January 27, 2021 Author Share Posted January 27, 2021 Whilst I had the filler out I knocked up a loading dock base out of scraps of foam, then coated it in filler. After sanding I tried engraving bricks in the filler... I'm sure it's a possible method for representing brick work but I soon realised my hand is not steady enough, and my boredom threshold too low... Plan now is to cover the thing in brick paper or offcuts of brick plasticard. Probably coffee stirrers for a planked top. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 A bit more progress. Loading stage knocked up - coffee stirrers and brick plasticard. Needs refinement. Assembled a lean-to that was left over from a kit to use as a porch/entrance. Made the framework of the main building out of more foam off-cuts. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Sweet pea Posted February 1, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2021 Looks good, it's great having wooden coffee sticks as they handy for such jobs like platform boards. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 1 hour ago, Wrenn said: Looks good, it's great having wooden coffee sticks as they handy for such jobs like platform boards. Yes they're not a bad scale size - much better than lollipop sticks. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 Apologies for photo distortion. Warehouse largely finished - painting and a few details still to be added. Shell is foamboard off-cuts, windows are from a Dapol/airfix engine shed kit. Roof is scrap wood. Lintel is a bit of plastic T strip with door from wood strips. Wooden cladding are veneer offcuts cut into strips with the brick plasticard the only think I've bought specifically for this project. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 11, 2021 Author Share Posted March 11, 2021 Still plenty of detailing on the buildings needed, but they've been painted and it's coming together. Various Tamiya paints for main coats and cheap Liquitex acrylics for weathering. Small porch/hut on left is a modified unused lean-to from an mdf kit that's been covered in plasticard and a door added. Small structure on right is a complete hack of strip wood, mdf and plasticard. DAS for the road/yard (first time I've used it for this sort of thing) needs some work... 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 Stone sets completed apart from a little weathering powder. DAS clay, scored with a grid using an old blade. Left to dry overnight then individually scribing each set, roughly following the grid, but adding a few smaller stones. Slow work! Base coat of mid gray acrylic, then a mix of mid grey and blue, picked out a few stones with same mix with a little tan added in varying proportions. Final wash of sepia India Ink to tie in the shades and add semi-gloss finish. Fairly happy as a first attempt! 3 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Andrew D Posted March 12, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 12, 2021 That looks well impressive! Great job 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 21 minutes ago, Andrew D said: That looks well impressive! Great job Thanks - fairly happy. They're arguably at the larger end of stone sets, but I think still 'to scale'. I am starting to envy the 7mm modellers though If I do them again I'd probably make the contrast between the different colour stones a little bolder as the ink wash tones homogenizes a little more than I'd expected, but some stones do have little colour variation... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted March 13, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 13, 2021 13 hours ago, ManofKent said: Thanks - fairly happy. They're arguably at the larger end of stone sets, but I think still 'to scale'. I am starting to envy the 7mm modellers though If I do them again I'd probably make the contrast between the different colour stones a little bolder as the ink wash tones homogenizes a little more than I'd expected, but some stones do have little colour variation... Your buildings are coming on a treat and are superbly dramatic. If you want more contrast on the stone sets, a subtle bit of weathering to reflect the comings and goings on that bit of track might be all it needs. It looks good to me. Polly 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 13, 2021 Author Share Posted March 13, 2021 Weather continued to be awful so I gave up on trying to spray the backdrop outside and found a large cardboard box, opened the window and sprayed indoors (being such a small piece a box from a beer delivery sufficed). I used acrylic car paint - Ford Light Bermuda Blue from Hycote. It's a perfectly plausible sky colour, but probably means the grass and foliage needs to go Spring or early Summer as the buildings and yard are quite dark and sombre which creates quite a contrast. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 15, 2021 Author Share Posted March 15, 2021 A bit more progress on Sunday and this lunchtime. Windows glazed (plastic cut from tray of tomatoes), rear internal wall added (just off-cuts of pine strip, but I'm not lighting the interior) and buildings glued in place. Bits of plastic kits used for drainpipes and guttering (lead flashing involves drinking a bottle of wine, so that will have to wait until after tonight - the things I do for model making). I started on weathering and goy distracted by the blank side to left so knocked up a gate out of matchsticks - maybe a little hefty looking but not implausible.. Still wasn't happy so added a door/hatch (strip wood) and pulley (kit spares - roof trusses and tank wheels I think). Not having modelled for 35 yrs I lacked the bits and bobs you acquire over the years so I picked up a joblot of partly completed plastic kits (mainly military) from ebay for about £5. £5 well spent even if I only use a few bits. 4 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Sweet pea Posted March 15, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2021 This is looking great. You have achieved a good standard of modelling using scrap bits and recycled items. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 (edited) Lead flashing fitted to building joins and under windows - thin strips cut from the foil cap that goes over the cork on wine bottles (screw cap wine doesn't offer the same model making opportunities ). The foil is less shiny than most foils, but still benefited from a thin was of grey paint. Edited March 16, 2021 by ManofKent Typo 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 Not what everyone would consider rubbish, but the soil covering is dust from the end of a bag of Akadama Bonsai Soil (too fine for using for Bonsai and would normally be chucked on the garden): 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 (edited) Playing around with static grass yesterday and this morning. Basically, although the soil worked it was unnecessary as it's completely covered up. I'd never used static grass before (last time I did anything it was coloured sawdust if you wanted grass). I picked up a WWS set that came with the glue and spray in the January sales for the main layout (not that I'll be ready for grass for months on that) and it came with a few small bags of their grass. The longer grasses were fine and the tool worked well, but whoever came up with spring 2mm basing grass had this weird notion that grass has bright red stems in the mix. Okay when covered with the longer stuff, but I'll be looking elsewhere for the base grass when I do anything else... Will save a photo until I've cleaned up and added foliage. Edited March 18, 2021 by ManofKent 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marly51 Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 On 18/03/2021 at 05:33, ManofKent said: Playing around with static grass yesterday and this morning. Basically, although the soil worked it was unnecessary as it's completely covered up. I'd never used static grass before (last time I did anything it was coloured sawdust if you wanted grass). I picked up a WWS set that came with the glue and spray in the January sales for the main layout (not that I'll be ready for grass for months on that) and it came with a few small bags of their grass. The longer grasses were fine and the tool worked well, but whoever came up with spring 2mm basing grass had this weird notion that grass has bright red stems in the mix. Okay when covered with the longer stuff, but I'll be looking elsewhere for the base grass when I do anything else... Will save a photo until I've cleaned up and added foliage. Hope it works out OK? We have to be brave sometimes and give it another go! Marlyn 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 2 hours ago, Marly51 said: Hope it works out OK? We have to be brave sometimes and give it another go! Marlyn I just went for slightly longer grass than originally intended - the next layer covers it well enough. Adding areas of flock (well actually a crumbled up hedge strip I picked up in a bargain bin a few months back) helps. What isn't going so well is trying to make something that resembles a Hawthorn. I seriously overscaled the first one, and a walk out over the fields confirmed the trunk doesn't want to be much thicker than a model figures leg... I may go for a bramble patch instead if I can't get something I'm happy with. Time is running out and I've got to make/repurpose a wagon or van yet. Probably a low wagon - the door is scaled to take a van but trying one out on the siding make me realise how much it blocked sight of. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share Posted March 22, 2021 (edited) Grass and foliage is added (well apart from some cow parsley that I want to add but am struggling with...). It's a complete mix of bits and pieces, odd packets I'd picked up in bargain bins and stuff I'd bought ready for the main layout, with the grass that came with the machine & glue set. It's a far cry from the coloured sawdust and rubbery lichen I last used - things have moved on in 35 years... It's been a learning curve, and I might do somethings differently in future but I'm reasonably happy with it. The setting looks more rural which was the main aim. Ballast is down - I just used a bit of fine grit with a little ash from our open fire - mainline ballasting standards not required! Still a wagon to add and plenty of details. Oh and it still needs a name... Yes I did manage to break the hoist in the process - a repair job needed... Edited March 22, 2021 by ManofKent addendum 5 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Andrew D Posted March 22, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 22, 2021 Looking absolutely tip top! I'm very impressed. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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