It's been a while since the last entry & there's a danger of slippage... So on with the wall covering for the viaduct. Nothing new here - 'SEFinecast' plasticard - 'English Bond' suitably painted. I do LIKE this product - the mortar courses are vertical and horizontal (unlike some I can name) and at 20 thou thick - its thick enough for me! The various apertures were suitably embellished with hand-scribed courses and again suitably painted. The 'mortar' was picked out by a VERY dilute scenic plaster mix - applied with a sponge then taken off just before it dried completely. The whole was then 'dirtied using the 'Vallejo' inks that I've mentioned before.

The eagle-eyed among you will note that the brickwrk does not stretch the full length of the viaduct. I have (at the moment) a very 'tight' wallet, so I'm only going to cover whats neccessary (a bit like a bikini-bottom ) and of course there are some large buildings to go hard against the viaduct. I've also got to add string courses etc.

Okay, I should practice more of what I preach... This is 'The Tanners Arms'

in mock-up form only at the mo'. I was going to bring the tannery all the way along the left section of the viaduct - then realised that tanning leather, butchering animals and sorting sewage is thirsty work - so the 'Tanners' was born. It's historic beginning would have been as an Mid- Georgian 'townhouse' - which has been truncated with the coming of the railway (not that the owners minded - the construction of the tannery had knocked the stuffing out of the building's value and they were only too happy to sell to the 'Railway'!). The remnants of the building being obtained by one Josiah Burntash in the 1840's. Mr Burntash was an employee of the tannery who well understood his workmates needs at the end of a hard, smelly shift. His descendants still own the pub, and so far the workers prediliction for good-quality ale have provided three generations with a moderately good income!

History lesson over, the building has been designed in 'TurboCAD' mainly to provide wall templates etc. To break the outline up I'll consider extending the height of the dormer roof so it projects somewhat above the viaduct parapet. The actual building will be constructed of the afore-said brick plastikard with suitable embellishments.

So thats the status at the moment - anther break fro some paying work follows!

TTFN

Ian