Scenery fun

I have been doing some more scenery “mud” application using the Sculpt-it around the hill on the main peninsular. I had previously shaped the foam to what I was happy with and had started applying the “mud”.

I continued with a method I had experimented with some time ago, in applying the “mud” to the foam and using a stiff brush, stippling it to achieve a rough surface. My idea is to then colour the “mud” using acrylic paint washes. I’m hoping I don’t actually have to apply dirt/soil to the face.

I had covered quite a bit of the foam with the “mud” but after it had dried, it just seemed too uniform, especially along the top edge.

Here you can see I have embedded some plaster rock castings into the “mud”.

Some more plaster castings embedded into the face. Time will tell if these will look right.

So I took to the foam with a knife and saw blade and started carving more random shapes out of the face, as well as trying to simulate a deep section of erosion on the top of the hill.

I think I’m getting it close to what I want now.

The good thing about using the “mud” over the foam, is if I don’t like the result, I just carve it away and start again, or add more to the face.

More ballasting & Kankool signal box platform takes shape

The last few months has seen more progress on ballasting from Kankool through to where the main peninsular starts.

I generally work on around 2 feet worth of ballast per day.

The process starts with Pan Pastels applied to the sleepers and rail as a start on the weathering. Then glue is applied to the formation shoulder and dry ballast sprinkled on. More ballast is applied over the sleepers and brushed into position.

Then a diluted mixture of Matte Mod Podge and water is dripped onto the ballast, after liberally spraying with isopropyl alcohol to aid in penetration of the glue into the ballast.

This is left to dry for 24 hours, and the process is repeated. The line of ballast seen to the right of the track is just loose stuff that has been brushed clear of the shoulder prior to glue being applied. This will be vacuumed up later and reused.

Further to my post on April 6 showing the start of the Kankool signal box platform, more work has been completed with timbers stained and glued to the frame.

Kappler 3″ x 9″ stripwood was cut into 8 foot lengths. These were then ‘distressed’ by dragging a wire brush across the top, as well as removing the sharp edges in places with a scalpel blade. They were then stained with some Vallejo acrylic paint thinned with isopropyl alcohol. The first pass was done with burnt umber, then when dry, a black wash was applied.

Working from photos, I also had to cut small notches in the ends of a few timbers to accommodate the vertical posts for the handrails, which will be added later.

I applied some Pan Pastels to the timbers as well as a trial. You can see the difference where I have applied them to the right hand end. More weathering will be done at a later stage.

Handrail posts temporarily fitted in the notched timbers.

More scenery at Chilcott’s Ck

More scenery work lately between Chilcotts Creek and Kankool.

Base application done with Woodland Scenics Fine Turf, then 2mm grass applied in random patterns.

Further application of longer grass will follow.

More scenery work at Chilcott’s Ck

Have been doing more scenery work lately between Chilcotts Ck bridge and Kankool.

Getting some scenery dirt down and more long grass.

Long grass

Following on from the diorama, I have applied the same techniques to the layout, starting with the area around the bridge.

Some time ago, I had initially applied the 2mm grass layer, but had gone no further, as I didn’t know how I was going to produce long, rough and woody grass. I had been experimenting with fake fur and similar materials, but could never get it to look right.

I think it’s starting to look pretty good. There is lots more to be done, even in this small area with weeds, trees, scrub etc.

Diorama

Over the last few weeks I have been working on applying scenery to a small diorama I initially made a few years ago. Up until now, it had just been sitting around with track ballasted but no scenery.

So out came the scenery dirt and static grasses. Still a work in progress as I am yet to finish the road. I was trialling different techniques to produce long grass. Basically, the first layer is 2mm fibres applied into Mod Podge glue. When that has dried, 3M Super 77 adhesive spray is applied over the top then a mixture of 4mm and 6mm fibres is applied over the top. Different colours are mixed together to get away from a uniform colour. Additional grass tufts, weeds etc are then added.

More ballasting

First section of ballast glued down this afternoon.

I am using Chuck’s Ardglen Fine (how appropriate!).

Ballast applied using a spoon, then carefully shaped and spread with a soft brush, being careful to remove any that adheres to the web of the rail. When happy, isopropyl alcohol is sprayed on the ballast, doing a short section at a time. This helps break down the surface tension and aids in the capillary action of the glue.

A mixture of Matte Mod Podge, water and a few drops of detergent is then applied using a small squeeze bottle. It is now left to dry.

The ballast normally dries darker, but it can be lightened up using Pan Pastels. I will also go over the rail colour again with the pastels to blend the rust staining into the ballast. Other weathering will be added later.

Start to ballasting

Some ballasting work this morning.

PVA glue was brushed onto the shoulders of the roadbed first so following applications of ballast wouldn’t just slide down the slope!

Using a spoon and tapping it, ballast was applied to the shoulders.

The next stage will be to apply ballast to the track and glue in position.

Preparing for ballasting

I have started back on some scenery work from Chilcott’s Ck bridge towards Kankool.

This has involved preparing the track for ballasting. I recently reshaped the roadbed profile as I wasn’t happy with how it looked. Using a grinding bit in the Dremel, I carefully ground more of an angled shoulder from the end of the sleepers down to the surrounding formation. Once this was complete, I glued some base ‘dirt’ down on the profile shoulders. I then added some colour to the sleepers and rail using Pan Pastels.

In the last photo, you can see the difference where the track has not been coloured.

Info needed

I am after some help from my knowledgeable audience.

Referring to the photo below, it shows a section of the New England Highway at Doughboy Hollow between Kankool and Ardglen.

Picture taken by Brad Coulter Snr in April 1985 and used with permission from Bradly Coulter.

At this location on Google Maps, a small creek/watershed is shown to flow underneath the railway embankment and also pass under the highway where the ARMCO barrier is. My question is how would the highway have crossed this waterway? Concrete pipes, box culverts or what? I am also presuming there would have been some sort of culvert in the embankment.

Is this likely to have been brick or concrete?