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Breitefurt (my first layout)

Started by Chris, May 17, 2009, 12:19:04 AM

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Chris

Hi David. Thanks.

Yes, ballast will be added, probably the last addition to the layout (on the advice of a veteran modeller). There is still an awful lot to do before then. For instance:

Though I really like the open platforms, I feel that a train shed is required at the up end of the station. I have two N kits which will just span the 3 tracks. They will look a bit chunky but that is probably the best I can do if I cut down the legs and get rid of the station name boards.

I still need to do something about a road bridge at the left hand end.

I need to add a population (expensive!) and vehicles (also expensive).

Rest of grass, trees, fences, walls (where can one buy walls?) etc. to be added.

And so it goes on, and on, and on....

All the best,
Chris.

PS. AR got a mention on the n-gauge soc. forum. The comment was, excellent program but export to jpeg too low resolution for publishing. I managed to point out that at 1:1 my layout would print at 1000dpi across an A4 page. That should be good enough!
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Jeff

"I still need to do something about a road bridge at the left hand end."

If all else fails, try scratch-building :) But seriously, a lot can be done with available materials like laid stone walls and such that, if you're careful, scale extremely well. At least more is now out there in N scale to choose from. I can still remember the 'Bad Old Days' when about the only thing around was HO scale brick paper, Plastruct shapes, and balsa wood. Let me tell you, trying to slice out a 2mm strip a half-meter long is not a picnic.

In fact, I was considering trying out a new method soon. You roll out a thin sheet of Sculpey modeling clay and use some of the commercial texture mats to create stone walls. Then you bend it and cut it to shape and bake it to turn it hard.
Later,                                                AnyRail Fanatic
Jeff                      and Unofficial Guy Who Knows Almost Everything About It

Chris

Thank you for the comments Jeff.

I do have one N scale area already (the cobble stones) as doing them in Z scale juts didn't show up the stones. I am also going to use N scale train sheds as they will just span 3 tracks.

I would love to have a lattice bridge, but I don't fancy cutting out al the little diamonds. Second choice is a stone built arch with stone walls. i have been looking doe stone walls for other areas of the layout but haven't found anyone who sells them. (I don't want to get into moulding things at this stage of the game. I'm having enough trouble as it is.) However, I may be able to get some stone facing images that will do.

With best wishes and thanks,
Chris.

Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Chris

Hello everyone.

Just to bring you up to date, I have added a short entry to my diary together with a couple of photos. Things are going well but I am held up waiting for trees. However, not to much to do for the Inverness exhibition which is less than a month away.

All the best,
Chris.
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Jeff

Try not to wait for trees, they can take a LONG time to arrive!

:D
Later,                                                AnyRail Fanatic
Jeff                      and Unofficial Guy Who Knows Almost Everything About It

Chris

Hello everyone.

Another day, another update. The last few days I have been putting in that great botanical opportunist, gorse. Had a go at painting flowers and made a right mess in places. However, now the paint is dry, much of it had dimmed down. So I will have another go tomorrow. Do have a look.

Jeff. Time is on my side as teh exhibition isn't until 17th September and the trees can be put in right up to the last couple of minutes.

Best wishes to all,
Chris.
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Jeff

I really meant it takes a long time for trees to GROW :D , hence a long time to arrive!

I know, poor joke. Anyway, modelers here have always favored things like dried Yarrow sprigs sprayed with water-based adhesive and sprinkled with ground-up foliage foam. All kinds of things are available from a company called Woodland Scenics in the U.S.

Later,                                                AnyRail Fanatic
Jeff                      and Unofficial Guy Who Knows Almost Everything About It

Chris

Hi Jeff.

I have this magic tree growth formula. They stay dormant in the ground and then, overnight grown into fully mature trees!

Yes, I have used quite a few Woodland Scenics stuff but the trees are not among them.

I just re-did the gorse flowers and they are looking a lot better (except where I managed to drop blobs of paint in the original application. I also took some different photos and will replace teh originals on teh site with the new ones later today.

All the best,
Chris.
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Andrew

Hi Chris,

Quote from: Chris on August 24, 2010, 01:46:19 PM

I have this magic tree growth formula. They stay dormant in the ground and then, overnight grown into fully mature trees!



Magic tree formula.......mmmm. Sounds like an insurance claim!! I was driving along all of a sudden the tree popped out of nowhere!!! Must be using the same formula. Hahaha.

Looks great. I'm green ( no pun intended) with envy. I haven't start any scenery yet.
Andrew
Yours,

Andrew

Chris

Hi Andrew.

It's the same stuff that makes bollards jump out into the road!

I too am green (different use of the word here) here as, as the subject implies, I have never modelled scenery before either. It's not quite a difficult as it looks. Don't be envious; if I can do it, so can you.

All the best,
Chris.
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Chris

Hello everybody.

I've posted yet another update to my webpage. I decided, having taken the baseboard up to my room to work on the wiring, to take a photo of the bit no-one ever sees - the wiring under the board. DCC users, shield your eyes!

Off to hospital today for further tests (I think). Back this evening - I hope.

All the best,
Chris.
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Chris

Good evening friends.

Although I have been working on the layout, there is not much to see for it. What can be seen includes flowering gorse bushes and a few extra trees. I have added a few photos to my diary including a rather nice one of the right hand end and one of the nightmare known as the wiring (under the baseboard). All the buildings that have lighting are now fitted with LEDs and their roofs have been stuck down. (I haven't done the street as I am going to change the order of the buildings.) So the oily filament lamps left are the external ones. I am deliberately running them at low voltage to prevent burnouts as many of them are no longer available. In fact, if anyone has any spare yard lamps type 4801 (and the equivalent single lamps ones) that they want to sell, please let me know.

With my best wishes to all,
Chris.
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Chris

Dear Friends,

I've added just one more photograph today. Yesterday I received some yard lights from Model Masters but was not going to do anything with them until after the exhibition. However, the temptation was too great to resist so last night I fitted them and this morning wired them up. Now I am waiting for my daughter's boyfriend to come for tea and I will shift the whole lot downstairs so that I can take a night-time photo and start testing the locos ready for Inverness. :o)

All the best,
Chris.
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Chris

#73
Hello everyone.

Another couple of days and yet another update. Earlier today, I offered the two end panels up to the layout to see how they looked with the backdrop in position. They are not quite as pale as I had hoped as I was using a mixing white instead of a proper white. Not my choice but I was buying from the local art studio which is selling off its remaining stock and didn't have any pure white left. The triangular end-pieces are a compromise between nothing and square end-pieces. Nothing would make supporting the backdrop much more difficult while a square shape would box in the layout and make it somewhat claustrophobic.The triangular shape seems to work well. Anyway, have a look and see what you think.

With best wishes,
Chris.
Chris
N & Z Home PageBahnhof Breitenfurt – Ost

Marklin Z scale Bavarian S3/6___________________

Jeff

#74
Umm, perhaps you could use a proof-reader? See this entry in the Sept. 5 post- "the idea of keeping tem full height ". :)

Meanwhile, in my impeccable artistic opinion ( :) ), I think you should continue some small part of the mountain in the left-hand shot onto the side board, no?
Later,                                                AnyRail Fanatic
Jeff                      and Unofficial Guy Who Knows Almost Everything About It