BoD

I haven't been able to find the video (probably just me) but I did a few more this afternoon and following the adage that a picture paints a thousand words...…... I cut the roast chicken, I mean cocofibre liner (available from most garden centres etc into strips of differing widths and then cut them into squares. Then I tease them apart into thinner layers each one gives two or three pieces. These are then rounded of and random notches cut into them. This bit needs a bit of experimentation but different effects for different trees can be achieved. These different layers are then stuck onto a wooden skewer in decreasing order of size. Once the glue has dried the layers can be gently pressed into a more downward shape. You can let your hidden barber loose and trim and tidy up to your hearts content. . It all still looks a bit odd. They are given a spray of a brown colour - the cheapest can of spray paint I could find - Wilkos I think. The next step is to give them a good spray with hairspray. Being follicly challenged this is something I don't normally use so again I just bought the cheapest I could find. Then throw plenty of scenic material at it. I find Woodland scenic course turf works best but each person will find their own favourite and preferred colour. Foliage mats are commercially available or can be made from the pieces of cocofibre. Using these means you don't need to clean the trunk which inevitably does get a covering of loose turf the other way. Either way works it is just a case of finding a method and choosing scenic material and colours to give you the appearance that you are happy with. Regarding the trunks. Skewers are ok where they are mostly hidden by the foliage but need some attention below the foliage. Here I will use balsa dowel distressed with a wire brush to give the appearance of bark and painted. The ends will be drilled - one for a pin to 'plant the tree on the layout and the other to take the skewer which is cut just below the foliage. Small twigs will be added to represent dead lower branches. Some of the ones pictured above used ready made fir tree trunks from The Model Tree shop range but these, and whilst effective they are quite expensive and with care the balsa method can be just as effective for the visible part of the trunk. I will use the few with bought trunks a specimen trees or at the front of others but where you need a lot of trees and they are close together you don't get much cheaper than the skewers and cocofibre hanging basket liner. The woodlands scenic can be expensive but if you apply it over an old biscuit tin or something you can collect the spare and it covers a surprising number of trees. Something I haven't tried but has been suggested is to apply a lighter shade of fine turf sparingly and from the top to give the appearance of leaves and shadow. I may try this and I will add more photos when I do the lower trunks. With careful trimming and choice of colours they can be effective when grouped - but mainly they are relatively cheap and once you get a 'production line' going you can produce them quite quickly. Hope this helps.

That brought about a real laugh out loud moment.

They may be able to produce ventilators in a matter of hours or days but it takes four years to train an ICU nurse.

Thanks. I use a mixture of techniques the main one being from a video I found on YouTube. I’ll try and find it again and will do some photos when I do the next batch which will be later today or tomorrow.

Morning all Something for Mick (NB) - JCB are turning one of their production lines over to producing ventilators - and they will all be yellow. Stay safe folks.

This happened to me last month and after a couple of visits I went to the GP’s surgery and the prescription form was there, in amongst all those that people pick up themselves. This despite having the named pharmacy at the top. Someone had ‘ticked the wrong box’ I was told. Apparently this is not an unknown occurrence so it might be worth checking with your GP’s reception.

Captain K: that post deserves such much more than a simple click on the like button.

I don’t understand this. Many other countries have much stricter restrictions than we do by decree and enforced by police. Here they have advised people to follow similar but less restrictive guidelines but the attitude From many is ‘stuff you’ (and by implication all vulnerable people). Along with the panic buying it just shows what a load of selfish sods we a lot of us are in this country.

Thank you for the suggestions I am still twiddling my thumbs considering the options and will experiment with the different techniques. In the meantime, given the current situation in the big bad world outside and the (rough) location of the layout I hope to be turning some of this.... …… into lots more of these.

..... and all this time you’ve been conning us into thinking you were a hippo.

Top of the morning to you all ☘️ The National Trust will be closing all properties from Friday. This takes a difficult decision away from me. Lands, parks and gardens will remain open. Chrisf, two of my favourite performers. I’m not surprised the CD has been marked for immediate attention.

How many others have had texts from their GPs telling them not to turn up for appointments but that they will be contacted by phone? Suggests to me that, despite appearances there has been quite a lot of planning going on. Schools next?

Given tonight’s announcements from the government I think this is sad but inevitable. Let’s hope that we all get through this, with clubs, layouts, businesses and ourselves intact and around to enjoy many more exhibitions in the future.

Mrs BoD works in one of the large supermarkets and today she was berated by a customer for their policy of ‘rationing’ toilet rolls to 24 per customer. The reason for her upset? “We’ve got three toilets in our house“.

I am considering self isolation as I am in both the top two vulnerable groups as far as mortality rate goes. I had decided though to continue walking and as I’m a bit of an ant-social git I would avoid human contact while out anyway. However, Valerie (Mrs BoD) works at one of the big supermarkets on the tills. She says they have been busier than at Xmas but are not provided with any sanitiser and don’t even have time to go and wash hands. I may be peeing against the wind here.

I met Valerie from work and did a quick shop. Usual gaps in shelves where toilet rolls and pasta* should be but also huge gaps in other areas too. No biscuits, bottle or tinned beer, boxed wines amongst other things. Good to see us northerners getting our priorities right. * Like Shed said about use of flour, I wonder how many normally eat pasta or indeed know what to do with it once they’ve bought it.

I've been pricked and am pleasantly surprised - B.P. is down to high normal as opposed to 'oh, bluddy hell' high.

The nursery at which my daughter works has been told to take children and staff’s temperature each day along with that of any other person who enters the nursery for whatever reason. I’m not sure what equipment they have been given to do this. I have been called for my flu jab and am going for it this afternoon. Notwithstanding all that is going on I thought this quite late ‘in the season’ unless it has to be renewed only annually and lasts a year. May as well use their machine to check b.p while I’m there, not that I’m confident that it has improved much.

That’s great, Peter, and others. Thanks. It looks as though I may well get the time to experiment over the coming weeks and months so all suggestions as to methods are most welcome.

Evening all Just back from a day playing trains for the National Trust where quite a few volunteers have already decided not to come. Given the age profile of volunteers I can see the Trust having issues at some of their properties. One of the layouts we run is aThomas the Tank layout, for children of all ages, but today it has been put out of action because it is automatic in that the trains are set in motion by buttons being pressed. I guess it’s not such a good idea to have lots of different people pressing the same buttons. Having said that the footfall today was quite a bit less than a normal Sunday. Personally whilst I don’t fit in the age category for self isolation I am in the top two groups of vulnerability when measured by mortality rate. I went to a local model shop yesterday to panic buy replenish stocks but it was closed. On checking its website, probably should have done so before I went, it has closed as a precaution because many of its customers are elderly.

God, I miss Brexit.

A remarkable achievement for a site that is both entertaining and informative. A site that is, mostly, full of helpful, friendly modellers of all abilities who are always willing to share their skills and knowledge. I remember being on the old BRM forum when a young whippersnapper came along and asked if there would be any interest in a new style forum. The rest as they say.... One of the early features was of course the ratings - who can forget the 'post wh0res' racing to be first to be Stationmasters. I don't think I ever got beyond cleaning the toilets. I suppose it would be too un-PC to mention Jimmy Saville's older (or was it younger) brother? Edit: Mention of the The Good Captain above brought to mind, for some reason, parsnip roulade and the appearance of a parsnip as a load on a goods wagon on a layout at a member's 'meet up' at Ally Pally many years ago - much to the bemusement of other punters. I suppose it is one of those things where you would have had to be there to really appreciate it.