Thank you Simon,
Alas, due to a period of ill health, and the surgery which followed, those plans, and ideas have been shelved. Instead, I have decided to simply rework the old layout, so its been a case of stripping everything back to basics, in hope of creating a railway lost in the landscape.
This is the picture that I had in my minds eye, rather than an embankment behind the coal wagons, there will be just a slightly raised area of ground, which will be covered in long grass.
Green Grove sidings inspired the thinking behind this scene, the cassette deck lies beyond the bridge. The deck itself will be surrounded by the backscene and part scenic, only a small part of the dairy will be modelled.
The baseboard has been reduced to its original width, which brings the embankment back into play, and also makes the layout look longer.
I've been experimenting with a Noch grass mat, and though it shows promise, the colour is going to need changing to suit my restricted palette. The bridge is scratch built from 3mm 'Foamex', and styrene sheet.
Track is once again made from ply sleepers, individual plastic chairs, and ballasted with Carr's ash. The section above having been salvaged from the old layout. New point rodding made from Modelu stools, MSE square section wire, and Brassmasters cranks will shortly replace the Will's plastic components in this photo.
The dairy branch has now been lifted, and replaced with a single siding, whilst the site of the old goods siding has now become a loop. Its not a crossing loop though, as it is mainly used to store milk tanks, a short platform capable of holding two 57ft coaches with ease, can just been seen to the rear of the coach.
A simple corrugated iron goods shed, based on the one which once stood at Hemyock will be sited to the left of the yard crane. The station building will be based on a slightly larger version, of the one which stood at Dolyhir on the New Radnor branch. I'll be using the same backscene again, but slightly realigned, the original suffered some damage during the strip down.
The dairy is now situated beyond the over bridge to the far right, its not being modelled in full, as its situated on the Titley Junction cassette deck. Its there just to add a little hint of what lies beyond, a wrap around back scene will help to complete the illusion. The dairy, also conveniently hides the Cobalt lever frame.
The Llanbister Road end of the layout has now been opened up, the river has been dredged, and diverted. A new bridge has been constructed, and the lane realigned. There's thirty coats of gloss yacht varnish between the river banks, which are still being worked up as I type this.
Well that more or less brings things up to date.
Apologies if that has caused offence but I always remember the place for its strong smell of seaweed and fish & chips. Seriously it wouldn't take you long to create a half or quarter size mock up from scrap card and whatever else you can find.
