All the ballasting is now complete, although only 50% is weathered. A start has been made on the static grass, just to see how the colour looks, I am using Autumn Green to start with, but I do have some Summer Green and Winter Green. I have ordered the posts and wire for the railway fencing, some pallets to make fishing stands for the anglers in the ponds, not the river! I have also ordered some 10mm Static grass tufts to form the reed beds in the ponds. Should keep me busy for a few days!
Another busy day on ‘Coopers Common’. All ready for the flock, grass and bushes that should turn up tomorrow, All basecoats are finished, just ballasting and track weathering to complete on half the track then the scenic elements can really start.
I have worked about eight hours on Coopers Common today, I have done half the visible track ballasting and weathering, painted the roads first coat, painted the last pond with undercoat and painted distant trees and bushes on the backscene. It is a very slow job making the Kato track look a bit more realistic, under a close look it does not blend well with the ballast, but I’ve done the best I can and I am relatively happy with the result.
I started on this layout in 2021, a N Gauge Layout for my Son, John. Now two years down the line it has been restarted. The baseboards and electrics are complete and some basic landscaping has been done. I now intend to stop all other work for three or four weeks to finish the layout. So there we go – after Covid, lack of money and time I have decided its time to complete what will be called ‘Coopers Common’. The layout is very loosely based on Ely in the 90’s and early 2000’s and is between Ely station and the north junction – I have ‘moved’ the River, the Lakes, the Freight Loop and the Road, but hey its our layout!! The main concept is that both tracks are bi-directional and the loop will be likewise. All lines will eventually have overhead catenary added – I would like to wire them if possible!
I took these photos when I had a photo session on my O Gauge layout Little Sefton a couple of weeks ago – somehow I missed these. Both need weathering before going into service.
Some of you may remember that I discovered this layout in the Spring in a very distressed condition with very thick mould. I have since used mould inhibitor twice and waited two months to see if it was successful. Thankfully it was and I have just taken advantage of the recent hot weather to paint the layout. It would have been terrible if I had to stop this project after all the work done last year. I am trying to do a slightly different fiddle yard, it allows a small degree of shunting in the fiddle yard using the sector plate without the loco(s) moving on to the main scenic boards. The shelves are to stores stock awaiting railing.
London Transport is the reason the O Gauge layout Dark Lane was Built – I just wanted something a bit different. It was also decided to use DCC Sound in all Locos – four Ex GWR panniers.
Here we have some BR(S) Locos posed on my Dark Lane Layout. Although Dark Lane is a DCC layout, I do use it as a Photo Plank to Photograph non fitted Locos. Below are some of the photos taken this morning.
This is the latest project finished. It is A Scorpio Models Brass kit, made by Graham M and painted and weathered by myself. It will run on at least two of my layouts – possibly three. It will run with my BR Western Region Pannier Tanks mainly, but may be used on other Tank Engines as well.
This a J15 lightly weathered – I have had this Loco for about 15 years – it used to run on my long retired Hobbs Lane Layout. It will move to my latest O gauge steam shed Mission Road when it is finished.
