7mm Layouts and Dioramas by Stephen Fay, including Pontycwm, Newton Mills and St Stephens Bank

[Compton castle]

Planting bushes today from the excellent Polak range along with some stone wall painting, I’m using a combo of foam board and slaters. Usual grey base with a rough black and brown spray with a few grey washes and today some of the same colours I’ve used on the rock work. This will be sealed tomorrow for a few more washes to be added.
One of the superb MBR autumnal Birch trees planted

 

[Compton castle]

Track plan laid at Beattystone, Thanks to Rob for supplying.
Whilst down in glorious Devon there’s more tree planting underway plus more grasses


And down on the Torcombe branch the timber sleepers have had a coat of creosote

 

[Compton castle]

Tree delivery day and some extra autumnal tones added on Beattystone
A few more green trees to add to the mix as well.

 

[michael mott]

So inspiring Stephen I love the way you have filled in the gaps and created a very realistic looking scene.
Michael

 

[Compton castle]

So inspiring Stephen I love the way you have filled in the gaps and created a very realistic looking scene.
Michael

Many Thanks Michael, it’s a long time ( 20 years or so ) since I modelled an autumnal scene and that was back in my 4mm days, the range of scenics available now makes it so much easier.

 

[Compton castle]

Fixed the final piece of fascia this morning and gave it all a coat of chalk board black.
Then it’s on to the resin pour, I mixed up two batches the first with a green tint the second with a brown and poured it straight over the green. I had to tilt the board to get the resin to flow under the bridge and this blended the two colours together nicely. Once set I’ll add some mod Podge glossy to simulate ripples

 

[Compton castle]

Glossy mod Podge added and blown around for ripple effects

 

[MoatLane]

Looks great as always Steve. Polak stuff available again I see...

 

[Compton castle]

Looks great as always Steve. Polak stuff available again I see...

I order direct now, still not available in the UK unfortunately.
1 application of Liquitex and 2 glossy mod Podge

 

[Compton castle]

Norton Saint Somers on the cover of Hornby magazine out this Thursday

 

[Compton castle]

Day one on the Foamex / slaters stone tunnel mouth Combo
the layout is finally getting its face

 

[Compton castle]

nice news to wake up to this morning

 

[Compton castle]

More rocks today and that about completes them. Tunnel inners lined

 

[Compton castle]

More rock painting plus the PWay is now underway

 

[michael mott]

That last picture is such a beautiful example of superb modeling!
Michael

 

[Compton castle]

Getting some greenery around the rocks and the first pass of static grass

 

[Compton castle]

Ballast today, it’s a lot easier without the rails in place. Easy on a diorama with no point work.

 

[Compton castle]

First building for Grimsby shed underway

 

[Compton castle]

3 D printed bridge supports
And the 3D embellishments for box

 

[Phil O]

Steve,

On my layout Pottery Quay, I put down the turnout timbers and put a very small dab of white paint where each rail went on the timber and then ballasted with ash, I then put the chaired rail down, the chairs covered up the white paint. The most important part was ensuring that the crossing V assembly is correct, gauging the other rails from the crossing assembly.