Isle Ornsay

[Tigger]

What with you and Ted I'm beginning to wish that (a) I'd got a harbour section on the L&TR and (b) that I'd located it in Scotland!  Just think - if I'd seen the Craig & Mertonford before I started out in 009 I might well have!  What a pity I can't have a distillery in 1952 Wales...

[tedp]

The rocks are looking most impressive - that last photo is very atmospheric, all comes together now. I wish I had used rock moulds instead of cork bark.

[invercloy]

Yes, your layout has a definite look of familiarity about it. It is coming together very well indeed. I'm sure you will get people wanting to know where they can go to see the real version!

Thanks Graeme.  One of my goals with this project is to hear someone say "my grandad used to be a driver on this railway"... ;)

What with you and Ted I'm beginning to wish that (a) I'd got a harbour section on the L&TR and (b) that I'd located it in Scotland!  Just think - if I'd seen the Craig & Mertonford before I started out in 009 I might well have!  What a pity I can't have a distillery in 1952 Wales...

I'm sure you could fairly easily convert the L&TR to Scotland, just borrow Victoria from Julien - that will sort out the loading gauge issues :)  As for distilleries, as I'm not a whisky drinker I much prefer the North Wales product of Purple Moose! Nothing better than a pint of that in Spooners!

The rocks are looking most impressive - that last photo is very atmospheric, all comes together now. I wish I had used rock moulds instead of cork bark.

Thanks Ted, if you ever want any castings let me know.

[invercloy]

Whilst I'm home alone for a week I've devoted some more time to the layout.  Tonight saw some grimy ballast added to the engine shed siding.



This is essentially a technique I first read about when Chris Nevard used it on Catcott Burtle.  It uses air drying clay (like Das) placed around, and between, the tracks to represent that combination of ballast, years of grime, oil and coal dust that accumulate in goods yards and around engine sheds.  I applied it between the rails, ensuring I left no trace of the clay on the rails themselves, then stippled the clay with an old toothbrush to give it the desired texture.



I think the texture may be a bit OTT at the moment, but it will probably loose a bit of detail when the paint is applied.  I can always smooth it off a bit it by wetting it.

I've used this technique to cover the copper clad sleepers at the baseboard joint.  The clay will be expanded around other areas of the yard so that it's not so obviously focussed around the joint.  It's also helped mask the N gauge sleepers on the diamond crossing.

There are some deliberate low spots where I'll be able to add oily puddles, pockets of ash etc. at a later date.

[Tigger]

This is all looking excellent Tom.  We've had quite a number of visitors looking at Buccabury who've said they remember the line and the same thing happened with the MRC's 'O' Gauge layout 'Happisburgh'!  Isn't Victoria still the subject of an 'asbo'? ;D  I could get my rotary OM going, adapt it and use it as a sort of tunnelling 'Greathead' shield to increase the loading gauge!  I've never tried the Purple Moose but I seem to remember a good micro-brewery in Llan Festiniog some years ago.  The establishment I use when I stay in Perthshire serves a very quaffable brew called 'Earthquake' (because the village itself sits on a major fault line and is home to the world's first seismic recording station[last Easter the trace from the Japanese rumble was on display in the Post Office]).  Oops! I digress onto another few favourite subjects of mine...

[pilotfriend]

"then stippled the clay with an old toothbrush to give it the desired texture."

Quite the wrong technique. You should always use your wife's toothbrush

Looking very good indeed Tom.

[gtmspyder]

This going to be a real treat when it is finnished, if ever they do get "finnished". :)

Regards,

BrianT.

[duttonbay]

I think the texture may be a bit OTT at the moment, but it will probably loose a bit of detail when the paint is applied.  I can always smooth it off a bit it by wetting it.

My memories of loco sheds/sidings/stabling points is that the surface, after years and years of oil and peoples boots, is simply flat, with almost no detail or texture. Without wishing to be critical, I see too many layouts where the loco shed is ballasted with the same stuff that is used on the mainline - I've never seen a real loco shed with large bits of ballast. Imagine the wear and tear on the workers' feet!

[Tigger]

"then stippled the clay with an old toothbrush to give it the desired texture."

Quite the wrong technique. You should always use your wife's toothbrush

Looking very good indeed Tom.

When describing the ground texture at one of my stations I seem to remember I suggested the wife's nailbrush would always make a better job of same effect. ;D

[Isaac W]

My memories of loco sheds/sidings/stabling points is that the surface, after years and years of oil and peoples boots, is simply flat, with almost no detail or texture. Without wishing to be critical, I see too many layouts where the loco shed is ballasted with the same stuff that is used on the mainline - I've never seen a real loco shed with large bits of ballast. Imagine the wear and tear on the workers' feet!

When I was working on the Loco Shed area of 'Happisburgh' http://themodelrailwayclub.org/Happisburgh.aspx at the MRC :o the area was given a layer of 4mm scale ballast, just for filling, which was then covered with ‘REAL’ ash, from a real coal fire, which was passed through a very fine sieve. This was then tamped down (very laborious) with a finger. Then the area was sprayed with a mist of water & washing up liquid before the watered down PVA was dripped onto the resultant ‘mud’. The colour variation across the yard came from using just ash (almost white) to just coal (black) around the coal stage. The path across the yard from the top of the steps to the shed was smoothed with a wet finger whilst it was setting.
As it was a large area I use a, former, liquid/gel toothpaste container, rather than a small eyedropper.

[invercloy]

This is all looking excellent Tom.  We've had quite a number of visitors looking at Buccabury who've said they remember the line and the same thing happened with the MRC's 'O' Gauge layout 'Happisburgh'!

That sounds promising then :)

Isn't Victoria still the subject of an 'asbo'? ;D 

I think you're recalling another 009 layout which has a smaller loading gauge ;)

I've never tried the Purple Moose

You must!  :)

"then stippled the clay with an old toothbrush to give it the desired texture."

Quite the wrong technique. You should always use your wife's toothbrush

Looking very good indeed Tom.

She's away on a course this week - what a 'welcome home' present!

This going to be a real treat when it is finnished, if ever they do get "finnished". :)

Regards,

BrianT.

Thanks Brian, I hope I get it as close to as finished as I can, but I do have plans to extend it at some point in the future, so chances are it'll grow and grow.

I think the texture may be a bit OTT at the moment, but it will probably loose a bit of detail when the paint is applied.  I can always smooth it off a bit it by wetting it.

My memories of loco sheds/sidings/stabling points is that the surface, after years and years of oil and peoples boots, is simply flat, with almost no detail or texture. Without wishing to be critical, I see too many layouts where the loco shed is ballasted with the same stuff that is used on the mainline - I've never seen a real loco shed with large bits of ballast. Imagine the wear and tear on the workers' feet!

I think you may be right, John.  I'll go and see what I think looking at it with a fresh pair of eyes.  I may smooth it down a little if it still looks to coarse, but I do want to retain some texture as the line wouldn't be that old in the period I'm modelling it.  It will definitely be different material to the main running lines, though.

When describing the ground texture at one of my stations I seem to remember I suggested the wife's nailbrush would always make a better job of same effect. ;D

Are you lot trying to get me in trouble?! ;)

When I was working on the Loco Shed area of 'Happisburgh' http://themodelrailwayclub.org/Happisburgh.aspx at the MRC :o the area was given a layer of 4mm scale ballast, just for filling, which was then covered with

[tedp]

There are various techniques to represent loco yard ballast. Yours looks OK to me. Basically any existing ballast will be clogged by fine debris. I used fine Woodlands ballast mixed with something gravelly which I flooded with thin grey coloured plaster mix. In places the ballast grain shows through, but most is just grey goo.

[Mike Griff]

This is all great stuff lads. I,ve realised i'm addicted to 009socs so, now I know I,ll be back in Blighty next wednesday forr the foseeable, I will renew soonest annd then look to Griffendon 2 (the improved version). up and on. Mike

[Tigger]

When I was working on the Loco Shed area of 'Happisburgh' http://themodelrailwayclub.org/Happisburgh.aspx at the MRC :o the area was given a layer of 4mm scale ballast, just for filling, which was then covered with

[invercloy]

There are various techniques to represent loco yard ballast. Yours looks OK to me. Basically any existing ballast will be clogged by fine debris. I used fine Woodlands ballast mixed with something gravelly which I flooded with thin grey coloured plaster mix. In places the ballast grain shows through, but most is just grey goo.

Thanks Ted, I did consider a slurry type mix to do it, but thought I'd create less mess this way.

This is all great stuff lads. I,ve realised i'm addicted to 009socs so, now I know I,ll be back in Blighty next wednesday forr the foseeable, I will renew soonest annd then look to Griffendon 2 (the improved version). up and on. Mike

You've let it lapse!? Rejoin this instant!  ;) :D

Thanks Mike, glad it's of interest.

It;s a bit of a digression but for those of you who've seen 'Happisburgh' I really should record the fact that Isaac did all of the ash ballast on the layout - a very painstaking job which took weeks to complete and if you've ever seen the layout you'll realise just how much area there was to cover!

I've never seen the layout, but if I do I'll make sure to look at it.