White lines and more swans!

I am putting finishing touches to various parts of the landscaping around the viaducts on my 00 gauge layout. Small things that make all the difference such as the white center line on the road. We all see these everyday and probably take them for granted but there are specifications for how they should be set out. As someone who was involved in highway maintenance in my time I could clear out even the most wild  party in less then two minutes by talking about the intricacies of Chapter 5 of The Traffic Signs Manual which covered lining! It is also a subject that Mrs. Woody has banned me talking about at home unless she is suffering from insomnia! 

However for those with a thirst for such knowledge the center line on a road with a 60mph speed limit in the UK is set out with a 3m long line spaced at 6m intervals. If it were a 40mph limit the lines would be 2m long set out with a spacing of 4m between them. The line is also between 100 and 150mm wide. For 4mm scale this means a line about 1mm wide and for the 3m line about 4cm long. To replicate this I cut a stencil from a scrap piece of card. Apart from when fresh laid white lines ware and fade. To replicate this i used a dry brushing technique where most of the white paint was wiped off the brush on some paper towel. As the brush was fairly stiff I could then use a stippling action on the stencil to replicate that worn look. The photos below probably illustrate it better than I can describe.

At last some lane discipline for the 4mm scale vehicles!

I was subject to a swan road block a few days ago as described in my post at the time - available here. Luckily I have not been subject to more swan activity whilst out and about but strangely enough today saw the arrival of this that I ordered a few days before the swan road closure incident.

They are small but well formed and painted and when I ordered them I thought they would bring a bit of interest to the canal. I tried a couple out just to see - I like that!

Given the various random directions that they appear to be floating in they could perhaps benefit from some lane discipline on the water especially with that approaching narrow boat! 

Now I wonder if Mrs. Woody is interested in hearing about the detail of setting out a give way marking at a junction? Oh! I think she is asleep!