Filling an empty space!

Now, much as Mrs. Woody thinks that there is an empty space in my head where my brain should be, the empty space I am concerned about is on my 00 gauge layout. The space is the last part of getting the baseboard I am working on at the moment fully scenic.

This is going to be filled with a structural sub-base. That is, it will be a brick structure and will also cover the four tracks at the back. First job was to actually create a top shaped to the right contours. I had to ensure that the largest rolling stock could get by and the Central Trains Class 156 at a scale 75 foot long was used to test. After some small amendments the final shape was cut.

This will be supported and will be level with the top edge of the grey board at the back of the baseboard. Making that supporting structure and ensuring that it is light in weight so it can easily be lifted if needed as well as structurally strong, so that it doesn't warp and can take the weight of any additional structures on top, is going to take a fair amount of thought. Hopefully, that empty space that Mrs. W thinks that I have in my head actually does have some brain to be able to think this through! So far this thinking has produced what is in the photo below which will hopefully form a good base to build upon.

Whatever, it is going to take some sorting!

In an effort to add a little more realism to the scene, I have added some earth type powders to the bases of the trees. Generally, the base around a tree is dry and therefore not much tends to grow unless it is in my garden where the weeds seem to flourish no matter what the ground conditions are like!

It is a subtle effect but with the tree trunk added it looks right to me.

Moving onto the barn, the mud area, created with acrylic mud, does look right. But, generally around buildings like this, the weeds, just like my garden, do tend to flourish. But, unlike my garden where Mrs. Woody directs regular weeding operations, places such as this barn don't benefit from a Mrs. W type regime of weeding!

Knowing I won't have to weed this model means I can go as wild as I like! So lots of glue and a variety of vegetational materials were applied. 

And just to make things a little more pleasing to the eye, a bit of colour in the form of the red flowers that I have previously used were added.

So, with all the green stuff done for the moment it was time to stand back and admire it all but also take note of the mess created!

As I have said before, great artists tend to work in a mess, and although I do not count myself as a great artist I think my mess is something a great artist could have produced! Whatever, it is going to take some sorting!

Another job on the list!

It seems like a long time that I have been dealing with the vegetation of these scenic sub-bases but I am just about there now! No more dealing with green stuff for a while. That dream was shattered though when Mrs. Woody reminded me that it would soon be time to start planting seeds in the greenhouse! Another job on the list!

Anyway, forgetting about that job for a while until it returns to Mrs. W's mind, the last section on my layout to do at the moment is the one that runs up at the edge of the baseboard. Originally in one piece but due to the weight and weakness of the thin part of the structure it is now in two parts. Dealing with the smaller part first I had this bare patch of grass to work with.

Moving it to a more comfortable to work on position, it benefitted from some fencing and bushes done in the same way as described in recent posts.

Put back on the layout it looks good - to me anyway! Must put some track in place on that point. That's a job on my own list of jobs to do! 

Moving onto the second part, I had to use some masking tape along the length of the narrow part to stop the glue running down the back. I then added some ground foam.

The wider part was again treated to some fencing - the last that I have of this old Triang product - before general bushes, shrubs and unkempt vegetation were added.

With that done it was back on the layout.

With all the green sub-bases back on the baseboard it looks very different to a couple of months ago. I say green sub-bases as there is still one sub-base to make right at the back of that baseboard but that will be more of a civil engineering one in brick.

I just need to bed the barn and tree bases in and then that's it - for the moment anyway but no doubt there will be another job on the list - or maybe more!

Hanging basket liner isn't just for hanging baskets!

A quieter day after the hard labour at the Rocks by Rail Museum. Lifting scenic materials for my 00 gauge Last Great Project Layout is far easier then lifting rocks and digging trenches!

Having moved to the back of the current scenic sub-base, I am vegetating the area along the edge of the tarmac area for the goods shed. My usual methods have been used and I ended up with this.

That area on the right didn't quite look rough and uncared enough in my view so out came the hanging basket liner. Now this is a great product for creating that uncultivated wild look where nature has run wild and isn't just for hanging baskets! Applying some of it gave me this.

A bit of yellow flock added a little colour and interest and the whole scene looks much better. Just hope that Mrs. Woody isn't thinking of having hanging baskets this year as there may not be much liner left!

Pointless, but progress is being made at the Rocks by Rail Museum!

I couldn't help but feel something was in the wrong place as I walked into the Rocks By Rail Museum.

A somewhat pointless point switch! Walking further down I could see that there were far from pointless works going on!

It was a bit of a shock to see rails and sleepers taken up but there is a reason.

The platform line is suffering from sinkage caused by the fact that the drainage system is either in sufficient or actually is not there! It has got to the point where something has to be done. The plan is to lift all that track including the point, dig a trench and install a drain.

That drain will then connect into the manhole under the point just to the left of the picture above. Why is the manhole under the point? Well, apparently many years ago the track was realigned and the manhole ended up partially covered. I guess it made some sense at the time but it is not the best of situations to have to deal with it now. However, with some hard work it should be done in a few weeks!

One interesting item of rolling stock that has appeared is this rather unusual falt wagon with barriers around it. Apparently it was a tippler at Corby where its body was removed and the chassis was used to rest engines from the Class 14s that were serviced there. You learn something every day!

Meanwhile, over the maintenance pit, work continues on the re-tube of 1931. Somewhere under there is John who is reaming out the tubes so that they can be pulled out once the ends are ground off.

What looks like a battery in the firebox is actually a workshop light so that John can see what he is doing!

Moving over to the Exhibition Centre, John was pleased to show me that the timber from my kitchen Rocks by Rail Museum was now a floor in Mr. D! Good to know it has had a second life and it makes it look somewhat classy in there! Anyone for ballroom dancing?

Turning round I noticed that two of the brake vans have been moved in to dry out ready to be repaired.

Nothing to substantial but the woodwork has suffered being outside over many winters.

Moving onto my work, it was back to Gabions! But we are there!

Having run out of rocks we found some old bricks that broke up nicely and David is putting them in.

We think there is about eight and a half tons of rock material in the gabion baskets/cages and another ton and a half behind it - all moved by hand!

Moving to the other side this fence had to go and I soon had that gone with the use of a hammer!

That's a view I had not seen before!

This will be the way visitors get onto the viewing platform and we need to lower the area to match the path level behind so we first dug a trench that is level from the path.

With that done a scaffold post was placed from the trench to the top of the gabion.

And, miraculously, using my spirit level app on my phone, it is level! 

All that we need to do now is backfill from behind and put some barriers around the edge of the platform. Simples! At least we have a lot of clay and soil to backfill with!

Planting bushes!

The green fingered work of WMD continues with yet more bushes and shrubbery appearing on the scenic sub base that I am working on at the moment. Although it is a bit long winded and to some degree repetitive I find it both therapeutic and fulfilling. You can just loose yourself without having to be too worried about accuracy after all there is no blue print for a bush! You also see rapid progress as a scene you have created from scratch comes together and forms part of the small World that you are creating. That is part of what the hobby is about!

Todays efforts have been concentrated around the edge of the cutting where the fence has been placed and then beyond towards the tarmac area that will be part of the goods yard. Luckily, bushes have decided to grow over the fence in places where two panels of fencing join therefore conveniently hiding the joints. Marvelous thing nature!

Where some of the PVA glue has run down the cutting face I used some of the scatter powders that I used for the bushes to rub into it giving the effect of vegetation growing in the cutting face from the bush above.

Beyond the fence, the bushes continue and this is a photo of the Woodlands Scenic Poly Fiber product cut to size, glued to the edge of the cutting and then covered in PVA glue before a variety of mainly green scenic products are scattered over it.

Leading to this which I am pleased with!

In fact I am pleased with it all so far!

And, in place on the layout, it looks great!

There is still more to go before it is all finished like that near six foot length to the right of the picture where it looks very mundane!

The WMD film crew have been at it again!

Yes, the WMD Film crew have been busy with a third video this year showing the scenic materials and methods I have been using to create my 50 shades or so of green on my 00 gauge Last Great Project Layout. So if anything I have written about in the last few posts doesn't make sense this video might!

50 shades of green - well almost!

Continuing with the nature theme from yesterdays post, some more green stuff has been added along with a fence to my Last Great Project Layout. Now although not being a particular knowledgeable person on plants and shrubs, as I do tell Mrs. Woody when she puts gardening jobs on the chore list for me, I do know that they are generally not just green but actually they are in many shades of green - possibly fifty or more or maybe less but a lot of shades of green. Looking at a real country landscape you will see many shades of green and that is what I am trying to recreate on my layout at the moment. Whether that is successful is open to debate as with many of my projects but I am quite pleased with the way things are going at the moment. Maybe the photos illustrate that ?

That fence is some old Triang line-side fencing that is over 50 years old and going strong - unlike me! I painted it as it was moulded in white plastic and that was mentioned in the very first blog post I made back in 2020 - click here to see that post. As you can see there are various shades of green in the vegetation I am adding but I have added a slight amount of other colour in the form of red flowers...

and mauve blooms on the bush. Just something to make life a little less like 50 shades of green!