7mm , Blackney, A Glimpse of the Forest

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Now that the wiring has been sorted and the layout runs well I've started to the ballasting. As I am using Klear for the first time I decided to start on the right hand siding. I'm using Woodland Scenics Grey Blend Medium Ballast.....

Alan, did you simply lay the ballast and flood Klear all over the ballast and sleepers until it seeped out from the lower edges, or was is a bit more involved than that?

Tony
 

Alan

Western Thunderer
I used it much as I have with diluted pva. I put masking tape down for the limits of the ballast Laid and shaped the ballast and then dropped the Klear gently on to it from a pipette, and then before the Klear started to set peeled the tape off. Personally I found it much easier and less messy. The only thing I would say is don't paint the free first otherwise it may turn glossy with the slight run off.
 

Alan

Western Thunderer
I've Started colouring the ballast with Humbrol washes, rust and black. One of the reasons I always use light grey ballast is that it gives me much more control when colouring, I feel I can get a more subtle variation in tone.











I couldn't resist putting down some hanging basket liner to give a very vague impression of what I'm aiming for.



 

Alan

Western Thunderer
Dave, I use Gardman multi liner which is a jute and sisal mix, mine comes in packs of 75cm x 70cm. Ipick /pull any obvious bits of string out and then trim it with my old beard trimmer after I've laid it and stuck it down. It forms a good base for static grass etc.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
This is Ruspridge, not Rusbridge.

Ian Pope (partner with Neil Parkhouse in Lightmoor Press) has other photos of this halt.
 

Alan

Western Thunderer
I can't believe it's a fortnight since I last posted. Nothing much done on the layout until today when after much pondering I decided I need the back scene in place or at least the boards that will take the back scene, so today was spent bolting the supports to the layout. As the layout will be operated from the front at home or even if it is ever exhibited I thought a back scene 18 inches high would be tall enough to make sure that no trees or any other bit of hard landscaping will stick up above the top of the back scene, something I always find slightly odd when seen on some exhibition layouts. Some time in the next couple of days the boards will go up and I'll explain then about the actual back scene.







 

Alan

Western Thunderer
Removed the front support pieces of wood and I'm pleased with the look of the layout. I feel it will give that slightly hemmed (by Trees) look that I'm after.







The back boards themselves will not be painted But a back scene will be and clipped onto the back boards so that the right angle corners will disappear as will the backboard join half way along the back of the layout. At the moment the idea is to paint it, as I did with Wencombe, Kingsbridge Regis and Louville Lane, The material I'm hoping to use is that used by printers in their "Pop-Up" vertical display panels. My local friendly printer let me have a piece to play around with. Its shiny grey on one side and a duller white on the other. I'll see which side takes paint best. I think it comes in 42 inch widths which will give me the scope to paint 2 scenes. Obviously the back scene will come down to base board level.







 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
Hi Alan,

The whole layout is looking very neat and tidy, I also have plans to paint my own backscene which will be a first for me. Do you know the trade name of the material that your printer friend gave you?

Geoff
 

Alan

Western Thunderer
No unfortunately Geoff, I'll try and find out if my experiment with the strip I have and decide to go ahead with the idea.
 

Alan

Western Thunderer
Not too much going at the moment down in the Forest. A fair bit of thinking do I actually do that????? but not a lot of action. Pictures are going round my head but not yet on the layout. The thoughts are mainly about the back scene and how the layout will look scenic wise. Better have a long think now rather than rush ahead and the realise it's not working and then have to rip up the scenery and start again. I always said this would be a slow build. When things begin to happen I will notify you and add relevant photos. Thoughts are beginning to gel so it may be not too long before they become more concrete or at least hanging basket liner and trees etc
 

Alan

Western Thunderer
The back scene is now in place. Whether it is because we have had such a dismal Autumn or I've got rather fed up with Mediterranean skies I've gone for a rather grey day with possible showers on the way.

I used material that is used in those "pop-up" advert/information panels. The material was stretched across the garage and held with clips at either end, it is sturdy enough to support itself. The "painting" was done with white and grey primer and a Frost blue aerosol.





I let it dry for 24 hours unclipped it and rolled it up and took it to the railway room where it was clipped to the back scene.







The greys etc are a little stronger in real life. Inow feel that I am getting somewhere
 
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