HO Eine Sekundärbahn

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer

20240527_Glue1_800c.jpg

20240527_Glue2_800.jpg
Thinking about the plants in the ditch and these two are the outcome, at just 10mm high, they were really fiddly to make using mini-forceps and a hot glue gun blobbed onto kitchen foil, the glue blob will be covered in green scatter.

How I managed not to burn my fingers is beyond me, unfortunately I need another half dozen.
Tim
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
The ditch beside rural road in Oberfranken is nature’s highway, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna including the common iris amongst which the stork will hunt for food. Noch offers an excellent laser-cut iris that is easy to plant but needs a dab of yellow or purple as preferred (yellow on P’dorf)

Iris_1a.jpg
IMG_1219.jpg

Iris-3.jpg

Iris_6.jpg

Iris_8.jpg
The reality

Unfortunately, the little paper iris plants need to be supported after 'planting' in scenic glue for at least 45mins, just two at a time. With thirty-six plants, it is a tedious process for very little reward despite the cost. I intend to fill the ditch with whatever bits of model flora that remains from a lifetime’s hobby and it is a lot.

Tim
 
Last edited:

Richard Gawler

Western Thunderer
Unfortunately, the little paper iris plants need to be supported after 'planting' in scenic glue for at least 45mins, just two at a time.

There are high-tack versions of PVA which provide a good initial grab:

Adhesive: Hi-Tack Glue: Original Gold: 115ml (12)

I suspect, tiny spots of this would hold small plants upright, and you could then add a little regular pva around the bases to add strength.

Can be had from independent craft shops and through eBay.
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Richard,

Thank you, now the sticky glue is on its way.

I am tempted to paint the base of the stems of the yellow plants at post 266 in order to hide the hot glue blob. The slightly more risky* plan is to dig a tiny hole in the foamboard scenery and ‘plant’ them in a bed of PVA with some green leafy scatter to cover the surgery.

These are a couple of my favourite images of roadside ditches (sometimes I doubt my sanity)


IMG_4558.jpg

IMG_4559.jpg

IMG_4560.jpg

IMG_4561.jpg

*sharp blades is a bit silly, however what’s the worst that could happen?

Tim
 
Last edited:

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Beside the barn

Just a few left-over scraps with dabs of Dulux tester.

The layout is neither neat nor tidy, it represents a scene of working rural life with weeds and detritus. Although the layout is finally running it will remain a ‘work in progress’, the next big task is to unbox the stored trees and ‘plant’ them to create some variation in levels……The layout will always need something to do, which was always the plan, thus keeping me purposely busy.


IMG_0048_800.jpg
 
Last edited:

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Pedantry tends to be a problem with certain demographics, any attempt to upload images of a model is certain to attract a veritable blizzard of 'not quite right' comments from those who either do not actually build anything or more likely have nothing better to do. Add to the mix that outsiders are often the target of these folk.

The recent upload elsewhere of the farmworker's cottage was met by the usual comments from the usual suspects however there is a problem, it is a fairly undersized offering as a kit from Faller, unfortunately there isn't a great deal of choice of smaller rural dwellings and even the smaller specialist manufacturers tend to avoid the mundane and humdrum.


20240530_Cott3_800.jpg

The problem is not one of underscale but woefully short, the actual windows, doors and other bits are perfect, just the length of the side walls are the issue. Maybe a simple cut n'shut is the answer OR a less radical solution is to paint over the incorrect Fachwerke (exposed wood framing) on the lower part of the building just above the lower windows, this is needed anyway as the lower level is simply rendered.

IMG_3334.jpg

There is a vague similarity to the Häcker family house from Ergersheim preserved as building 12 at the Fränkische Freilandmuseum in Bad Windsheim (above). The drawing reveals the disparity in length.

20240515_2.jpg
Btw, I can live with the slightly different pattern of Fachwerke, Konrad Bedal's book reveals multiple variations of regional styles.
IMG_1223.jpg

The easier option will be tried first, if it fails, then I will perform some minor surgery on the kit unfortunately, there is very limited space to extend the side walls. A new roof from Kibri 34140, is waiting to be used.

Tim
 
Last edited:

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
The ditch is almost but not quite finished, a seemingly simple task has taken almost two mornings to get to this stage.

20240530_ditch5_800.jpg

It may look underpopulated but there are a lot of different types of plants in the few centimetres of ditch, unfortunately my lack of basic photographic skills are clearly evident.

Tim
 

Roger Pound

Western Thunderer
You continue to supply postings of a steady rate of progress with excellent explanations and references regarding your work, Tim. It is always welcome and a good learning curve for other modellers - particularly myself - who have considerably less knowledge of Germany and its nuances. The accompanying pictures always enhance the verbal description you have supplied for a particular item so please don't be too self-critical.

I heartily agree with your comments regarding those members of many forums whose sole purpose seems to nit-pick and find fault yet in most cases fail to publish examples of any work they may have done. There always seems to be at least one in every forum. They can always be 'ignored' though - a most useful facility!

Cheers,

Roger :thumbs: .
 
Last edited:

Overseer

Western Thunderer
Pedantry tends to be a problem with certain demographics, any attempt to upload images of a model is certain to attract a veritable blizzard of 'not quite right' comments from those who either do not actually build anything or more likely have nothing better to do. Add to the mix that outsiders are often the target of these folk.

The recent upload elsewhere of the farmworker's cottage was met by the usual comments from the usual suspects however there is a problem, it is a fairly undersized offering as a kit from Faller, unfortunately there isn't a great deal of choice of smaller rural dwellings and even the smaller specialist manufacturers tend to avoid the mundane and humdrum.



The problem is not one of underscale but woefully short, the actual windows, doors and other bits are perfect, just the length of the side walls are the issue. Maybe a simple cut n'shut is the answer OR a less radical solution is to paint over the incorrect Fachwerke (exposed wood framing) on the lower part of the building just above the lower windows, this is needed anyway as the lower level is simply rendered.


There is a vague similarity to the Häcker family house from Ergersheim preserved as building 12 at the Fränkische Freilandmuseum in Bad Windsheim (above). The drawing reveals the disparity in length.

Btw, I can live with the slightly different pattern of Fachwerke, Konrad Bedal's book reveals multiple variations of regional styles.

The easier option will be tried first, if it fails, then I will perform some minor surgery on the kit unfortunately, there is very limited space to extend the side walls. A new roof from Kibri 34140, is waiting to be used.

Tim
Looking at the larger versions of the house photos on the museum website shows that the ground floor walls are stone. The large stone quoins are visible, and suggested on the drawing, with random ashlar work walling. The stonework is a bit rough and finished with either lime wash or parging. Quite hard to model convincingly in plastic. Das over card or wood would work well. More scope for interesting paint effects to match the part exposed stonework.

The layout is coming together very convincingly and avoiding the chocolate box appearance many German (and other European) layouts tend towards.
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Two minor updates:-

A better dung heap, rather than a modern pre-cast concrete, a self-built affair of boards and creosoted timber baulks. The heap in on a small concrete base whilst the dung heap was seeds dusted with dead grass over the PVA


20240531_Midden1_800.jpg

IMG-3448.jpg
And the cottage, this is the current iteration, another is waiting to be reworked. There really isn't too much scope the lengthen the building as the sub-base of the scene is finished but the next version will lose the fachwerk (timber framing) below the top of the ground floor windows. It will be sprayed a white plastic primer but carefully stipled with AK Interactive Terrains acrylic, a texture normally used for roads etc.

I am fine with its actual size although it is about 30% too short compared to the Häcker family house but all other dimensions are 1:87 moreover buildings of this size were once common until the '70s when a two down. one up became unacceptable. They still exist, tucked away in villages but either as 'bijoux' holiday rentals or just sadly neglected.


20240531_cottage1_800.jpg

Tim
 
Last edited:

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
The recent reappearance of Pottendorf 1.0 at Aylesbury prompted this two images, six years apart:-

Faller_Farm1.jpg

20240531_cottage2_800.jpg
It may seem odd to repeat a rather mediocre scene but when, in 2022 the four old baseboards were being recycled, it was logical to recycle the concept of the only really successful layout with a few alterations to make it more suitable for home use. Consequently, this version of Pottendorf reuses familiar scenes (we once spent a cramped three weeks in a Airbnb in Coburg hence the cottage) whilst the trackplan is Grafenwalde without cassettes.

20240531_faller2_800.jpg

However, the other more likely explanation is that my imagination is almost nil, which does explain a great deal.

Tim
 
Last edited:

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Just trying out a technique previously used on the roads and hinted at by Overseer, hopefully it might work.

The fachwerk (timber framing) on the Häcker family house does not extend beyond the ground floor windows, the bottom floor received a rough limewash render. Some Frog tape was judiously applied , then a first layer of AK Interactive Terrain acrylic stipled on for a textured finish with the second layer tommorow.


20240531_faller1_800.jpg

20240531_faller3_800.jpg

It might just work, the upper part will need to be carefully matched but the plaster between the framework was usually smooth and sometimes decorated with painted motifs. Look at the bibliography a few good books were collected over the years.

Tim
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
The Frog tape seems to have worked perfectly and the shade of the AK Interactive Terrain acrylic seems spot-on, as previously mentioned, the plaster between the framework was usually smooth and sometimes decorated with painted motifs. I don't know if the texture of the render is apparent in these images but it is there.

IMG_1882_800.jpg

IMG_1884_800.jpg

The result is far better than hoped although scratchbuilding would be the perfect solution, both lack of space and poor skills deem that not to be, this is the pragmatic outcome.

I am rather pleased, Tim :)
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Thanks George,

The intention is not to copy, but to create a reasonable resemblance, nothing more. The pedants don't care what I do, they will always criticize, so I just build what suits me. WT does not seem to be home to this demographic, it is refreshingly tolerant of those who simply build, share or just plain do stuff.


20230604_01.jpg

The next step is to plan how to complete it as close to the original as possible within the limits of my ability, the window shutters and doors should be plain unpainted wood and I have a Vallejo wood effects set to use.......the creeping vegetation shouldn't be too much of a struggle whilst white medical tape works for the ubiquitous curtains.

Some expoxy two-part should work to attach the shutters onto the acrylic covered walls whilst the presentation of a fence and two smallish trees should complete the scene enough to satisfy me.


IMG_3334.jpg

It should be remembered that the Häcker family house was re-located to the museum and once it had a larger garden replete with fruit trees, this is why it is being rebuilt as it once was home to a family, warts n' all.

Tim
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
A change of direction

Trees make all the difference to a layout, they add height, interest and structure. There are over ten trees available to Pottendorf, most made by MBR. They will be 'planted' in groups of three (one large, two small) with the last single tree behind the barns and hiding the exit.


This is one of the larger 210mm examples

20240601_Tree1_800.jpg

And two of the smaller trees in the farmyard

20240601_Trees1_800.jpg
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
More waffle……now that the trees are out of their storage bin, I suppose that they should be ‘planted’ .

The on-line archive of small rural stations was helpful, it revealed that the station area had been cleared but later the railway company had often planted a sapling either side of most station buildings. Seventy years on and these had matured rather nicely and the aesthetic framing was noticeable.
The larger tree is in the far corner of the scene in an attempt to 'hide' the hard corner.


20240601_Station3_800.jpg
Tim
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
OK,

Today marks an end of the beginning, at long last I am taking a break, there are just a few chickens to place in the coop, a cottage to complete and a multitude of insignificant details to install, otherwise, the 'heavy lifting' that started in 2022 is done.

For the next few weeks, I will be mostly running trains.

Tim
 

Richard Gawler

Western Thunderer
I'll give you two days! Seriously Tim, you clearly enjoy your modelling and enjoy sharing it.

A slightly "distant" photo of the whole layout would be good if this is possible. I'm struggling to see how the different scenes go together.

See you soon :)
 
Top