Bank Top Yard (Industrial)

[wigancg]

Today has been mainly spent trying to get the front part of the layout tarted up on the ground section. I scored the cork base of the layout in sections from the nearest running line to the edge to give the effect that the ground is made up of slabs of concrete. Rob's wonderful 'Bleat Wharf' gave me the idea to give this a go.





I wanted it to stretch across the majority of the front of the layout. In time I'm hoping this will look effective at eye level with the right lighting too as well as the usual discarded junk here and there that you find in overgrown yards among the weeds and long grass - oil drums, sleepers, old signs from days gone by etc.





Some weathering was applied afterwards and some static grass in random sections was then applied and left to dry before hoovering off afterwards. It seems to have worked pretty well and I'm happy with it for now. It looks better in real life than the photos may suggest and it will have more tinkering with it as construction progresses. I'm going to look at placing a small building somewhere on the front here - not sure what yet and make the usual cameo scene. Two blokes having a natter leaning against the wall, oblivious to the steam locomotive and wagons squealing past, that kind of thing.

I tend not to overdo it each day and I'm enjoying the slow, steady progress of this layout as it evolves. There's no time frame for completion but it's relaxing whilst currently being away from work.

Chris

 

[Herb Garden]

That's really great progress Chris!

You've got a great eye for subtle uses of colour. This layout is going to look fab when it's done

Herbie

 

[NHY 581]

Today has been mainly spent trying to get the front part of the layout tarted up on the ground section. I scored the cork base of the layout in sections from the nearest running line to the edge to give the effect that the ground is made up of slabs of concrete. Rob's wonderful 'Bleat Wharf' gave me the idea to give this a go.

View attachment 182534

View attachment 182531

I wanted it to stretch across the majority of the front of the layout. In time I'm hoping this will look effective at eye level with the right lighting too as well as the usual discarded junk here and there that you find in overgrown yards among the weeds and long grass - oil drums, sleepers, old signs from days gone by etc.

View attachment 182533

View attachment 182532

Some weathering was applied afterwards and some static grass in random sections was then applied and left to dry before hoovering off afterwards. It seems to have worked pretty well and I'm happy with it for now. It looks better in real life than the photos may suggest and it will have more tinkering with it as construction progresses. I'm going to look at placing a small building somewhere on the front here - not sure what yet and make the usual cameo scene. Two blokes having a natter leaning against the wall, oblivious to the steam locomotive and wagons squealing past, that kind of thing.

I tend not to overdo it each day and I'm enjoying the slow, steady progress of this layout as it evolves. There's no time frame for completion but it's relaxing whilst currently being away from work.

Chris

Top stuff, Chris. Looking pretty jolly damn good.

Rob.

 

[wigancg]

Thanks Herbie and Rob. Your kind comments are always appreciated.

I was quizzing some of the other guys down at our club last night, in between a good old running session on our 'Bath Green Park' layout, and was asking them about making puddles/modelling stagnant water on layouts. Some suggested the use of clear varnish as opposed to spending unnecessarily on expensive off-the-shelf products. Any of you guys agree?


Hunslet Austerity taking a breather between duties. I must admit, I am always drawn to locomotives with chevrons on!

Chris

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Chris,

enjoying your thread very much.

For inexpensive puddles and the like you could try using Johnston’s ‘Klear’ with multi applications to suit the purpose.

regards

Mike

 

[wigancg]

Hi Chris,

enjoying your thread very much.

For inexpensive puddles and the like you could try using Johnston’s ‘Klear’ with multi applications to suit the purpose.

regards

Mike

Hi Mike,

Thanks very much for the kind words and the puddles tip. I shall most certainly look into this for sure.

Chris

 

[Captain Kernow]

I just love it when someone starts a shunting layout like this, full of industrials and other tank locos, for some highly controllable shunting action, DC as well!

This is all looking really good, Chris and I look forward to seeing it progress further (and good luck with recovering from the operation as well).

The weathering on the locos is excellent and I really love the painted number on the pannier (Croes Newydd, perhaps?).

What's the overall length of the scenic area, please?

 

[wigancg]

I just love it when someone starts a shunting layout like this, full of industrials and other tank locos, for some highly controllable shunting action, DC as well!

This is all looking really good, Chris and I look forward to seeing it progress further (and good luck with recovering from the operation as well).

The weathering on the locos is excellent and I really love the painted number on the pannier (Croes Newydd, perhaps?).

What's the overall length of the scenic area, please?

Hi Tim,

Many thanks indeed and much appreciated.

The scenic section of the layout is 6ft x 2ft so comfortable enough to play around with.

I much prefer to run weathered stock in varying degrees of grime. The pannier, I believe, was withdrawn in 1966 from Stourbridge and was a Tyseley locomotive for most of her 21 years. According to the chaps on Bank Top, she is said to be a good steamer despite her external condition. She has a scorched firebox though so she is worked hard in and around the colliery.

I remember seeing Bachmann's model of 7754 in NCB green during its days at Talywaun and Mountain Ash in the Modelzone store in Manchester (sadly now long closed) and I never picked one up. These are now pretty rare to get hold of but I always keep an eye out at exhibitions and those tucked away model shops. Maybe one day...

Chris

 

[spikey faz]

Hi Chris

Whenever I view the pictures you've posted of your layout of makes me feel very relaxed! I guess it's the open and uncluttered nature of how you've presented it.

There's a chap called James Hilton who posts daily updates on his modelling blog who has a very similar approach to you.

Sometimes less is more and I really like what you're doing.

Mike

 

[wigancg]

Hello Mike,

That's super kind of you to say so, thank you very much. Slowly constructing this layout is very relaxing I have to say.

Ah, I shall seek out James and see if I can follow his thread(s) too.

As for the less is more approach, I totally agree with you. At exhibitions I often tend to spend more time observing and appreciating those smaller shunting layouts with little in the way of buildings and busy feels (often with less people standing around) as they feel more life like. This was very much the case with Rob's tremendous 'Bleat Wharf' layout when I saw it at Taunton Railex show last year. I just kept coming back for more and it has given me heaps of inspiration.

Chris

 

[wigancg]

Work continues to divide up the base of the layout into sections to replicate concrete with dirt and grass/weeds growing in between.

I'm also beginning to plan on where a few buildings will sit towards the back and sides of the layout. Not many at all, a couple of lamp store huts, a plate layers hut and a couple of medium sized store buildings. I may use one of these at the front of the layout for a bit of added interest and build a small scene around this.

Buildings will mainly be grouped together and weathered appropriately. Again, figures will be kept to a minimum and will be in appropriate scenes. Chatting, drinking tea scenes etc.


Hunslet Beatrice pauses at the buffer stops. This locomotive has been weathered down and detailing added to it. She is a super smooth runner and will be perfect for shunting operations.


I have a fondness for the Mini Clubman and the retro beige colour screams 1970s.




Lovely Linda beginning to look at home in the yard.

Chris

 

[spikey faz]

Hello Mike,

That's super kind of you to say so, thank you very much. Slowly constructing this layout is very relaxing I have to say.

Ah, I shall seek out James and see if I can follow his thread(s) too.


Chris

Sorry, I should have said that James doesn't have a thread here (to my knowledge). He can however be found at paxton-road.blogspot.com

Mike

 

[wigancg]

Sorry, I should have said that James doesn't have a thread here (to my knowledge). He can however be found at paxton-road.blogspot.com

Mike

Thanks again, Mike.

Amazing! I now know who James is as I recall speaking at length with him at Warley in November last year on the Planet Industrials stand. A genuinely nice chap and a thoroughly talented modeller for inspiration. I've just been lost for the last half an hour watching some of his videos.

 

[Captain Kernow]

I really like the way you have weathered your locos, Chris. Is an air brush involved or other methods, please?

 

[Malcolmcelyn]

I have a fondness for the Mini Clubman and the retro beige colour screams 1970s.

Also known as baby s##t beige.

 

[wigancg]

I really like the way you have weathered your locos, Chris. Is an air brush involved or other methods, please?

Hi Tim,

Yes, airbrushing and some dry brushing techniques too for particular staining such as limescale.

The pannier tank is the heaviest weathered locomotive I have and that was starting out with just paints and dry brushing techniques a few years ago. I remember using that at one of our open days on the club layout and a visitor commenting that locomotives should be modelled looking how they were in their prime. My response was along the lines of, "Meanwhile, back in the real world, locomotives looked exactly like this at the end of their working lives." Keep it real I say.

A couple of models I haven't altered from factory weathering, such as the red chevron Austerity as it looks about right for me but No. 19, the blue and yellow NCB Austerity needed a definite tone down. Happily, I believe that locomotive is still with us today too.

Chris

 

[wigancg]

I have a fondness for the Mini Clubman and the retro beige colour screams 1970s.

Also known as baby s##t beige.

Spot on, Malcolm.

 

[wigancg]

The majority of the locomotives to be used on the layout will be industrial steam. However, I do have a couple of appropriate diesels, and these are appropriately weathered too.

I have a couple of 08 shunters, one of which is a tremendous Hornby model which I renumbered to represent a classmate that was outshopped from Horwich Works back home in Lancashire as she would have been in the early 1970s, pre-TOPs. Once again, she is amazingly smooth for shunting.
I sometimes dip my toes into the world of 1970s BR Blue for industrial settings, particularly when 08s were borrowed by the NCB or ended up working at a colliery permanently in the 70s & 80s.








I haven't decided yet whether to have any other diesels on the layout. However, something like an 03 or 04 would be nice.

Chris

 

[Malcolmcelyn]

Hi Mike,

Thanks very much for the kind words and the puddles tip. I shall most certainly look into this for sure.

Chris

Another puddles tip: black base coat, slide glass laid on top, scenic scatter to build up the ground.

 

[wigancg]

Another puddles tip: black base coat, slide glass laid on top, scenic scatter to build up the ground.

Thanks Malcolm. I'll weigh up the options for the puddle making and do some demos first.