Plodding On

Work done over the last 10 days has included making a start on the civil engineering side of things; namely a tunnel mouth and a girder road over bridge. These form the scenic breaks at either end of the station. Construction is Slaters Plasticard 2mm dressed stone, chosen after a pointer from the VAG (thanks Paul).

The road bridge is modelled from a photograph of the one at Ripley Valley station on the Pateley Bridge branch, the location that inspired the layout. The tunnel mouth is freelance, but retaining the same style as the bridge. These structures will be finished off and installed once the curved backscene has been glued into place.

The backscene is currently on the workbench and is 150mm high foamcore board. I am using 2 thicknesses of 5mm and am making it bendy by lots of vertical knife cuts, approx. 4mm deep, at 5mm or 10mm centres according to radius required. The two thicknesses are then curved and the 'cut' faces bonded together with PVA, thus holding it all to shape.

On Sunday I sprayed the scenic area track in a gungy dark brown track colour made up from 3 Humbrol and Railmatch enamels and let down with cellulose thinners. I applied this using my Aztec double action airbrush, the first chance I have had to use it since buying it over a year ago. It was a review in MRJ a while back that prompted me to buy one and I'm quite impressed. Looks cheap and cheerful being 98% plastic, but it works a treat, does not seem prone to blockage and cleans up after use very easily.

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The track will be ballasted (to represent typical NER branchline ash ballast) once the platform edges, bridges etc are installed. The rail and chairs will then be brush painted in a rusty shade etc.

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Edward S