Cracking on with some modelling

Since running the first train around Bryn Nadolig a few weeks back, there's been a flurry of work on the layout to complete the scenery and painting.

As life would have it, this OO-9 layout project had lingered in a state of slumber since around this time last year, with all the rollingstock, structures and materials stored carefully in a wardrobe awaiting their call to action.

So, when a rare chunk of spare time presented itself over the past month, I didn't waste an hour of daylight in getting this layout visually complete and safely back upstairs. Normally speaking, modelling the landscape on a small 1150 mm x 550 mm layout shouldn't take that long. However, on the other side of producing my six Philden Model Railway books, full-time study and a year that has produced more twists and turns than a narrow-gauge railway line, I think I can be forgiven for not documenting this layout's progress and instead just cracking on with some modelling. So, on that note here's a quick photo dump from November's highlights to bring you all up to speed.

I worked with darker colours than I'm used to in capturing the rocky scenery of the Welsh Highlands.

Although this is a rather compact affair, I'm still trying to stretch my scenic skills that little bit more.

And given a tight budget to work within, a lot of details such as these latex stone strips have come straight from my modelling scrap box. Waste not, want not!

So with the road surface and rock texture all complete, I could next dive into modelling the railway station platforms and lineside rock fences that will be the focus of this little layout.

The rock making process followed that outlined in my book Model Railway Scenery Secrets [another shameless free plug to keep the bills paid and the lights on], only this time I used a much darker grey to try and colour match the rocky slate cliffs in the hills of Snowdonia in Wales.

While I've never been to the UK, I do have a great book titled The 40 Mile Railway which I purchased online from the gift shop of the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highlands Railway. That book, along with the amazing gallery that can be found on their website have been enough to gauge the look and feel of the landscape when it came to doing the scenery on my model railway layout.

After promising that the layout would be finished for Christmas last year, fingers crossed this will be ready come Christmas this year!

Until next time...

See also; Wired for sound