Lapford station in N gauge.

[reddragon]

Thanks guys.

Although I haven’t been able to move off the sofa for a few evenings this week, I have been making steady progress with the fold up extensions on each end bit by bit.

The main aim is to tie it in to what I’ve already made so that it all looks like the one scene and this’ll mean reading back through the thread at some point (and my eBay purchases) to make sure that I go through the same processes.
So after much testing of the track (including @Peter C encouraging me to give the super-elevation a go), I was happy enough to blow a few coats of Railmatch Sleeper Grime over the track and make a start on the scenery.

Anyway here’s some photos of the first cuts of polystyrene (actually it’s off-cuts of Celotex type insulation board), roughly sawn to shape and then graded using two cheese graters. First a normal one and then a finer one like what you’d use for Parmesan if you’re posh like what I is.





You can also see that I’ve cut into the top layer of cork to create the rivers that runs along the line in this area (the Yeo and the Taw).

Next up are a couple of photos (one taken with the flash as it highlights the contours) of the initial coat of filler and then after a soaking with PVA - the roads going in...









In the background (just behind the wee bridge and the opposite large bridge) will be a backscene (probably just sky to be honest) and my intention is that I’ll blend the various roads and railway into it via the copious use of trees...

Still thinking about this at the moment but I’ve got some ideas, and I’ve made a LOT of trees for this!

Around the back I’m creating a little mini cameo of Eggesford station, which is the next station north of Lapford on the Barnstaple branch and has a passing loop, which you won’t actually be able to see from the front (again because of the backscene), but it’ll be next to the fiddle yard and viewable when you’re operating the layout from behind.
It’s slightly different to the original due to the curves going the wrong way though, which is why I’m calling it Eggishford...
But I’m having fun making it.
Here it is in all of its staggered platform weirdness:



So fellow railway modelling types, any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Bouncing ideas off each other is what it’s all about even if you end up going your own way with things...

Nick

How are you making the hilly landscape? Looks like polystyrene with plaster cover?

Great finish by the way! I need to learn how to do that

 

[Cowley]

How are you making the hilly landscape? Looks like polystyrene with plaster cover?

Great finish by the way! I need to learn how to do that

Thanks. Yes it’s basically foam insulation board.
I use a handsaw to cut it roughly into shape and then shave it down with a cheese grater. It is quite messy though.
That’s polyfiller over the top.
What are you using to insulate your loft?

 

[reddragon]

Thanks. Yes it’s basically foam insulation board.
I use a handsaw to cut it roughly into shape and then shave it down with a cheese grater. It is quite messy though.
That’s polyfiller over the top.
What are you using to insulate your loft?

PIR insulation, foil coated as its twice as good as polystyrene

 

[Cowley]

PIR insulation, foil coated as its twice as good as polystyrene

Is that like Celotex?

 

[reddragon]

Is that like Celotex?

Yes, the Grenfell cladding material!

A lot less messy to work with, twice the insulation capability but twice the price. I cut it with a knife.

 

[Peter C]

Thanks guys.

Although I haven’t been able to move off the sofa for a few evenings this week, I have been making steady progress with the fold up extensions on each end bit by bit.

The main aim is to tie it in to what I’ve already made so that it all looks like the one scene and this’ll mean reading back through the thread at some point (and my eBay purchases) to make sure that I go through the same processes.
So after much testing of the track (including @Peter C encouraging me to give the super-elevation a go), I was happy enough to blow a few coats of Railmatch Sleeper Grime over the track and make a start on the scenery.

Anyway here’s some photos of the first cuts of polystyrene (actually it’s off-cuts of Celotex type insulation board), roughly sawn to shape and then graded using two cheese graters. First a normal one and then a finer one like what you’d use for Parmesan if you’re posh like what I is.

View attachment 90432



You can also see that I’ve cut into the top layer of cork to create the rivers that runs along the line in this area (the Yeo and the Taw).

Next up are a couple of photos (one taken with the flash as it highlights the contours) of the initial coat of filler and then after a soaking with PVA - the roads going in...

View attachment 90435

View attachment 90437

View attachment 90439

View attachment 90440

In the background (just behind the wee bridge and the opposite large bridge) will be a backscene (probably just sky to be honest) and my intention is that I’ll blend the various roads and railway into it via the copious use of trees...

Still thinking about this at the moment but I’ve got some ideas, and I’ve made a LOT of trees for this!

Around the back I’m creating a little mini cameo of Eggesford station, which is the next station north of Lapford on the Barnstaple branch and has a passing loop, which you won’t actually be able to see from the front (again because of the backscene), but it’ll be next to the fiddle yard and viewable when you’re operating the layout from behind.
It’s slightly different to the original due to the curves going the wrong way though, which is why I’m calling it Eggishford...
But I’m having fun making it.
Here it is in all of its staggered platform weirdness:

View attachment 90436

So fellow railway modelling types, any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Bouncing ideas off each other is what it’s all about even if you end up going your own way with things...

Nick

I'm liking what you've done there @Cowley - it makes me want to try and work in some (small) hills on my layout! I'm liking the superelevated curves - though it must be said that Oldmoor Junction Model Railway Co. Ltd. claims no responsibility for any issues which may arise as a result of your adding superelevation to your layout...
I'd never thought of using a cheese grater to help do the hills; just make sure you grate the right thing when you go to make dinner! I've heard of people eating some weird things but pasta and grated polystyrene is something else!
I also like the idea of having Eggishford (excellent name by the way) as a cameo 'round the back of the layout. Reminds me of a video game (or Train Simulator I suppose, to a certain extent) where you can unlock different areas to explore - I think I'd like to have a game where I could do that with a railway somewhere

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Yes, the Grenfell cladding material!

A lot less messy to work with, twice the insulation capability but twice the price. I cut it with a knife.

Use the off-cuts for your hills then. I’ve used it before and it’s ideal. Free too!

 

[reddragon]

Use the off-cuts for your hills then. I’ve used it before and it’s ideal. Free too!

As a master of saving things that will be useful one day (my wife now accepts this is not hoarding but a significant time & ££ benefit), none of the material has been wasted and awaits its future role

 

[Peter C]

As a master of saving things that will be useful one day (my wife now accepts this is not hoarding but a significant time & ££ benefit), none of the material has been wasted and awaits its future role

Without wanting to seem rude jumping into the conversation, I must say it's nice to know I'm not the only one who keeps all sorts of model railway-building materials. I've got loads of of-cuts from all sorts of things which I just know will be useful one day! (I hope)

-Peter

 

[reddragon]

Without wanting to seem rude jumping into the conversation, I must say it's nice to know I'm not the only one who keeps all sorts of model railway-building materials. I've got loads of of-cuts from all sorts of things which I just know will be useful one day! (I hope)

-Peter

Beyond the space versus benefit balance, this usually works as long as you review you hoard regularly!

 

[Peter C]

Beyond the space versus benefit balance, this usually works as long as you review you hoard regularly!

Definitely. Luckily I've got a fair amount of storage underneath my layout but I do need to go through and get rid of bits I'll never use soon.

-Peter

 

[reddragon]

I have been clearing my loft of what I can sell or do not want and putting up shelves to sort & clear the spare bedroom into the loft so I can do it up. It takes time!

 

[Cowley]

I'm liking what you've done there @Cowley - it makes me want to try and work in some (small) hills on my layout! I'm liking the superelevated curves - though it must be said that Oldmoor Junction Model Railway Co. Ltd. claims no responsibility for any issues which may arise as a result of your adding superelevation to your layout...
I'd never thought of using a cheese grater to help do the hills; just make sure you grate the right thing when you go to make dinner! I've heard of people eating some weird things but pasta and grated polystyrene is something else!
I also like the idea of having Eggishford (excellent name by the way) as a cameo 'round the back of the layout. Reminds me of a video game (or Train Simulator I suppose, to a certain extent) where you can unlock different areas to explore - I think I'd like to have a game where I could do that with a railway somewhere

-Peter

Thanks Peter. I originally thought that I’d be putting this in a cabin in the garden and that I’d have a longer run than I’ve got at the moment which was why I started making the Eggesford buildings.
In the end the cabin got put on hold for a while so I thought I might as well use them somehow even if they get used in the future slightly differently.

 

[Peter C]

Thanks Peter. I originally thought that I’d be putting this in a cabin in the garden and that I’d have a longer run than I’ve got at the moment which was why I started making the Eggesford buildings.
In the end the cabin got put on hold for a while so I thought I might as well use them somehow even if they get used in the future slightly differently.

You're very welcome
Ah OK - at least you've got to use what you've worked on in some form. I do like the idea of having 'hidden' bits of a layout. Hopefully this cabin idea goes ahead at some point: I expect you'd have quite a few plans for what you could do with much more space?

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

You're very welcome
Ah OK - at least you've got to use what you've worked on in some form. I do like the idea of having 'hidden' bits of a layout. Hopefully this cabin idea goes ahead at some point: I expect you'd have quite a few plans for what you could do with much more space?

-Peter

Yeah although I will be sharing the space with Mrs Cs pottery stuff and we’re going to have to keep the two hobbies a little separated I think (I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the film Ghost’)..?

 

[reddragon]

Yeah although I will be sharing the space with Mrs Cs pottery stuff and we’re going to have to keep the two hobbies a little separated I think (I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the film Ghost’)..?

You have a Demi Moore lookalike wife?

Maybe she could make you some clay scenery for your railway?

 

[Cowley]

You have a Demi Moore lookalike wife?

Maybe she could make you some clay scenery for your railway?

No she’s much nicer.

I did consider it but it would be the heaviest model railway in the world...

 

[reddragon]

No she’s much nicer.

I did consider it but it would be the heaviest model railway in the world...

Sounds like I'm not the only lucky bugger around

A clay bridge might work?

 

[Cowley]

Possibly. I was thinking of some little stone Devon houses (thick walls etc).

 

[Iskra]

Great work on Eggishford so far, you've done that pretty quickly and yes it is an odd little platform layout. Is the scenery inbetween the two stations going to be prototypical or is it just going to be a condensed generalisation?

 

[Cowley]

Great work on Eggishford so far, you've done that pretty quickly and yes it is an odd little platform layout. Is the scenery inbetween the two stations going to be prototypical or is it just going to be a condensed generalisation?

Thanks Iskra. Yes it’s a bit unusual the way I’ve done this because the idea is that they’re two separate scenes. You won’t be able to see either station when you’re sitting down and operating it. So I’ve very much condensed it!

I’m mainly concentrating on the front of the layout at the moment and just tinkering around with Eggishford whenever I get the odd idea or motivation.
Last night I ballasted the two new curves at the front and dropped a bit of card into the slots I’ve left for the backscene to get a bit of an idea about how it will look:

 

[Peter C]

I’m mainly concentrating on the front of the layout at the moment and just tinkering around with Eggishford whenever I get the odd idea or motivation.
Last night I ballasted the two new curves at the front and dropped a bit of card into the slots I’ve left for the backscene to get a bit of an idea about how it will look:

View attachment 90580

View attachment 90581

It's coming together well then @Cowley! The ballasting looks really well-done: is there a particular method you use? I need to get on with my ballasting work but it's a bit of a daunting task at the moment
That first shot with the card for the backscene had me a bit confused when I first looked at it with regards to how far away the card was from the bridge. If you can find a good backscene which works with the scenery you've done 'for real' (for want of a better term), that would look really nice.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

It's coming together well then @Cowley! The ballasting looks really well-done: is there a particular method you use? I need to get on with my ballasting work but it's a bit of a daunting task at the moment
That first shot with the card for the backscene had me a bit confused when I first looked at it with regards to how far away the card was from the bridge. If you can find a good backscene which works with the scenery you've done 'for real' (for want of a better term), that would look really nice.

-Peter

Just the patented water spray method for me Peter.
I also use a soft half inch brush to get it between the sleepers and a little bit of sponge to flatten down any high spots.
Re the backscene - I did have one with hills on it but I was never that happy with it. Not really sure what to do about that yet but I’ve got lots of trees!

 

[Peter C]

Just the patented water spray method for me Peter.
I also use a soft half inch brush to get it between the sleepers and a little bit of sponge to flatten down any high spots.

Haha I'd not thought of using a sponge before - I'll try that out when I get round to doing the rest of my ballasting. I've been using a track rubber for that and it didn't go well - far too big for such a small area.

Re the backscene - I did have one with hills on it but I was never that happy with it. Not really sure what to do about that yet but I’ve got lots of trees!

I think you can probably get away with anything for the backscene (OK, maybe industrial Sheffield would look a bit odd in rural Devon) with lots of trees

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

That would be strange!
By a little bit of sponge I meant that I use a dry bit.
It’s useful for flattening down the shoulders.

 

[Iskra]

Thanks Iskra. Yes it’s a bit unusual the way I’ve done this because the idea is that they’re two separate scenes. You won’t be able to see either station when you’re sitting down and operating it. So I’ve very much condensed it!

I’m mainly concentrating on the front of the layout at the moment and just tinkering around with Eggishford whenever I get the odd idea or motivation.
Last night I ballasted the two new curves at the front and dropped a bit of card into the slots I’ve left for the backscene to get a bit of an idea about how it will look:

View attachment 90580

View attachment 90581

It's an interesting approach, but I have no doubt you will do both locations justice. Are the two layouts essentially back to back? There can't be many layouts like that. Do you have a fiddle yard section too?

 

[Cowley]

It's an interesting approach, but I have no doubt you will do both locations justice. Are the two layouts essentially back to back? There can't be many layouts like that. Do you have a fiddle yard section too?

I took a couple of photos as it was easier to do that than trying to explain it.
Sorry about the mess but I was painting the new bits.
This is the Exeter end and the slot in the hill nearest the camera is for the backscene which will run right along the back and then do the same at the other end, you can see that the line curves around into the fiddle yard that I’ve got set out into Up and Down sidings.



Then at the far end of the fiddle yard is the Eggishford scene which if you’re operating from that side will just disappear into the trees and reappear on the other side through the five arch bridge that I made for the Barnstaple end of the Lapford board if that makes sense?



A complete circuit giving a decent run for the trains through some proper scenery, a fiddle yard and two stations on a board that’s about three and half metres long and just over a metre wide. That’s what I like about N gauge.

Edit - Looks like you found me on rmweb too @Iskra?

 

[Iskra]

Very good and that's a great use of the available space!

A circuit does have advantages, sometimes I think it would be good but it would compromise the other uses of that room in my house for me which was a no go, plus end to end forces a lot more operational interest.

Yes I read RMweb quite a bit, but I don’t comment much as it can be a bit ‘partisan’ at times. Much more friendly people in the model section here

 

[reddragon]

Very good and that's a great use of the available space!

A circuit does have advantages, sometimes I think it would be good but it would compromise the other uses of that room in my house for me which was a no go, plus end to end forces a lot more operational interest.

Yes I read RMweb quite a bit, but I don’t comment much as it can be a bit ‘partisan’ at times. Much more friendly people in the model section here

I cheered when my loop was completed. Pushing long rakes does not work!

 

[Iskra]

I cheered when my loop was completed. Pushing long rakes does not work!

Haha, yes that's true. It must have been very satisfying seeing those first trains make their laps