Ashwell Moor Tunnel and Retaining Walls – Board 1.

The Tunnel and Retaining Walls are all KS Laser Cut Products. They are all MDF and available off the shelf. Although I did modify some parts to suit my needs, especially on the tunnel.

After forming the parts with PVA, I then ensured all parts slotted together on the backscene as required.

I painted all parts with Railmatch Enamel as required. I use at least four different colours for the bricks. After drying overnight, I mixed up some runny Polyfilla and forced it between the bricks to form the mortar. After leaving to dry well, I wiped off all the unwanted Polyfilla and then coated the whole area with Coloron Wood Dye. This dries very quickly and the final coating was Matt Varnish to seal the whole process.

I have now also added a very fine mist of grime overall and a little extra around bases of structures that are at track level. All that is needed to the Walls and Tunnel now is blending with the surrounding areas after they have been weathered.

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8 thoughts on “Ashwell Moor Tunnel and Retaining Walls – Board 1.

  1. Hi
    If when you’ve gone over the bricks with polyfilla to make the mortar and allow to dry and rub off, surely when you add the Coloron wood dye, does that not cover the mortar and make it all go dark red again?
    Intruiged as love the idea of the polyfilla for mortar as having no joy with acrylics paint to infil the gaps, just concerned the dye will undo all the effort!
    Regards
    Steve

    • Hi Steve
      The idea of using Coloron Wood dye was ‘cribbed’ off a Alan Downes article I read in Model Rail many years ago. I was also originally wary that the Dye would discolour the enamel paints – but it did not and after varnishing the finished wall actually helped keep the original enamel paint colours. I would say the hardest part of this system is cleaning the excess polyfiller from the brickwork and leaving it in the mortar. I have also tried this method using the Heljan Engine Shed as opposed to Laser Cut – it did not work as the mouldings are too shallow – stick to laser cut!
      Regards
      Kelvin B

      • But how do you stop the dye from discolouring the mortar?
        I have an Intentio O gauge service shed that Im doing and have had to redo the brickwork 3 times due to not getting the mortar right….or at least the mortar not bleeding into the paint.
        I’ve successfully managed to do the brickwork with runny polyfilla and its wiped off nicely and the mortar looks great, just concerend that any dye will cover it!

      • That makes sense then. Can you remember what colour you used?

        Cheers
        Steve

      • wow, and that didn’t effect the mortar. Will look into this some more as will be building an O gauge layout 12ft x 3ft that will incorporate a lot of brick wall.
        I’m just making a small diorama 40ins x 9ins to house the Intentio Service Shed that I’m making and for it to go somewhere whilst the layout gets built.
        Thanks
        Steve

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