Alcanman

Just finished adding my usual Silflor/Mininatur static grass to my new layout and pleased with the results.

Thanks Leon. The trees are made from Seamoss/Seafoam . Available from Gaugemaster and other retailers. I also add Noch leaves which give excellent results. http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM195 Mal

A couple of pics with the addition of the usual Alcanman photoshoppery! I mentioned to my brother that the layout was based in Scotland. He has recently returned from a holiday in the Highlands and this has clearly influenced his choice of background!

I joined a few months ago and it took a few weeks for my membership to come through.

Great to see those old pics of South Newsham. Apart from the main Blyth & Tyne running lines in the foreground, the whole area is now a mass of houses! I've been looking for refererence photos of 80s rail workers for my new layout. Your photo of tracklaying at South Newham confirms that full hi-vis suits as worn by today's rail workers were not around. Half jacket size vests seems to have been 'in fashion' in the 80s.

Having sold most of my 1980s rolling stock after the demise of Springburn Yard, I now find I'm having to pay twice the price that I paid a few years ago. Grrr...! When weathering wagons, I find Humbrol acrylic Dark Brown (no 29) to be a useful colour. I usually start with a few passes with the spray can. This is a quick and easy method. I usually follow this with dry brushiing and weathering powders later. After comparing my own effort with Bachmann's factory weathering, I beginning to wonder if they are also using Humbrol Dark Brown. The results are remarkably similar. The van on the left has simply had a few passes with Humbrol and the one on the right is Bachmann factory weathered.

Yes, I'll definitely be doing videos. They are a means of 'exhibiting' the layout and I enjoy making them.

Thanks Ian. Sadly, the layout cannot be exhibited as isn't not portable. Mal

Over the weekend I added some static grass and grass tufts. The layout is now almost finished, not bad for for 2 months work. I just need to add a few more small details. The layout is currently being operated in 21st century mode. I now need to add some 1980s stock.

Greats photos Dave. 37054 looks like a Bachmann model that has been badly hand painted. The wooden fence also looks very model like.

Bonjour Alain. I like the second plan. A nice idea to use a shunter to pull the coaches and allow the train loco to be released. You could even use another class 37 instead of the shunter. I think this was the practice at Glasgow Queen St in the 1980s. Also, at Edinburgh Waverley this was the practice with class 27 hauled Dundee trains. An additional 27 was always waiting in an adjacent sidiing to release the train loco. Glasgow QS Edinburgh Waverley Mal

As can be seen from the photos above, all ground areas in between the tracks have simply been ballasted. However, I have always wanted to simulate the sort of hard compacted ballast/soil that you see in these areas. So far, a convincing method has eluded me. I once tried the air clay method used to great effect by Chris Nevard but this ended in a disastrous mess!. Recently, whilst visiting the NYMR, I picked up some scenic products from the Polak shop (located in the NYMR car park) incuding a bag of 'ballast dust' which is actually more dust than ballast. I also came across Woodland Scenics 'gravel' which was new to me. Mixing the 2 products together produced quite pleasing results. I now need to add some grass and weeds to finish off the ground cover.

Yes, it can be a problem with static grass. I've noticed it in natural light when the sun shines on the layout. I haven't used Peco static grass but Polak static grass is known to have a matt finish. Obtainable from Polak UK based in the car park at the NYMR, Pickering. https://polakscenics.uk/ I've had good results with Silfor/Mininatur static grass.

Thanks Dave. I wish I'd kept notes at the time. I visited Inverness twice. My first visit was in Sept 1981 and I have numbers in my notebook, however, they don't tie up with all my photos. I think I may not have taken any photos then. My second visit was probably 1985, plenty of 37s at Inverness. This time I took photos but I was no longer collecting numbers! This is my favourite pic, 26032 and 26037 have all the neccessary embellishments, must have been 1985.

Great pics, especially the last one. A J27 and a Newcastle Brown Ale sign. Pure North Eastern atmosphere and nostalgia. I love it! Mal

A few pics to show the progress of Deanside. Far too much ballast in evidence, so a lot of work to do on ground cover.

I posted a few photos of Inverness 26s on this thread some time ago. I have now found a few more and thought they may be of interest. My first sighting of a class 26. I entered Inverness station on the 17th September 1981 to the wonderful sight and sounds of these two 26s. I think the leading loco maybe 26038. 26021 & 26023 Your track work looks great, following with interest. Mal

My first ever sighting of a class 26. As I entered Inverness station on the 17th September 1981 this was the wonderful sight that greeted me! I think the leading loco maybe 26038. 26021 & 26023 also at Inverness.

The road bridge has now been weathered, a line of seamoss trees fills the space between the road bridge and the warehouses, and security fencing added.

I've started to add a few small details and 80s vehicles. The idea of running the layout in 1980s mode is becoming increasingly appealing as Deanside was at it's peak during this period with a great variety of traffic and wagon types.

I have this book and it's typical Iain Rice with lots track plans, small and medium sized, based on real locations. It's mainly steam era with lots of old photos. As my main interest is modern image modelling, I haven't used the book much.

Le video est tres bon, mon ami! Your layout gets better with each additional module. I can now see how it all comes together. Inspirational work and reviving my interest in 1980s West Highland Line. Mal

A few pallets have begun to appear.....

Thanks. I use Wills 'cement rendering' sheets on top of 60 thou styrene sheet to bring the sheets up to rail level.

Thanks. Yes, I am beginning to think that the layout is really starting to come together. That's what I love about building small layouts. You get results in a relatively short time period. This afternoon I've been weathering the road bridge and I envisage a tree line to fill the space between the bridge and the end warehouse. Still lots to do, but I'm pleased with the way things are going so far.