Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Trick is not to bunk a shed on a weekday morning, one loco did turn up and Much to my surprise it wasn’t the usual 56 tanks or panniers it was a Hall
7mm Layouts and Dioramas by Stephen Fay, including Kirton Lindsey & St Stephens Bank
- Thread starter Compton castle
- Start date
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
I’ve made a start on the rock cutting for Devonshire Bank, carving, shaping and sanding styrofoam sheets. This is the Haskins hill end and will be heavily wooded. Still lots more to do yet with plenty more growth to be added.
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Ear plugs in and carve away! Horrible sound cutting polystyrene. This is the Holloway tunnel end of Devonshire bank.
I’ll get some 9mm ply next week and start framing up the first board and the polystyrene can be stuck down and sealed and covered where needed with Thistle backing plaster to create the famous Devon Red sand stone, just in front of the right rock outcrop there will be a retaining wall with a culvert at the bottom so we can have a stream running, the board will drop off with a steep embankment giving a very 3 Dimensional feel. No flat boards or straight track on this one.
I’ll get some 9mm ply next week and start framing up the first board and the polystyrene can be stuck down and sealed and covered where needed with Thistle backing plaster to create the famous Devon Red sand stone, just in front of the right rock outcrop there will be a retaining wall with a culvert at the bottom so we can have a stream running, the board will drop off with a steep embankment giving a very 3 Dimensional feel. No flat boards or straight track on this one.
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Skytrex culvert painted up, this will be surrounded by lots of growth, I’ll build up the water level and using Liquitex make a “running” stream
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
A little more polystyrene shaping on the Holloway tunnel end of Devonshire Bank.
The section of ply marked in the front will be cut out and lowered 10” or so. This is where the stone retaining wall will be, the culvert and stream. That will be done later on as once the section has been cut out it will make track laying easier.
I’ve also been thickening the foliage on the largest of my home made trees and giving it some additional green cover ( I may reduce the trunk height a bit on this one ) I do want a big tree here but I’m not sure it’ll be this one. I may get a large Oak from MBR. The Italian poplar and Scott’s pine are from their range as are the smaller Birch.
The section of ply marked in the front will be cut out and lowered 10” or so. This is where the stone retaining wall will be, the culvert and stream. That will be done later on as once the section has been cut out it will make track laying easier.
I’ve also been thickening the foliage on the largest of my home made trees and giving it some additional green cover ( I may reduce the trunk height a bit on this one ) I do want a big tree here but I’m not sure it’ll be this one. I may get a large Oak from MBR. The Italian poplar and Scott’s pine are from their range as are the smaller Birch.
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
It is nice to have an idea in your head and to then start to sculpture a landscape.You're a busy man Steve. Well I suppose someone has got to enjoy forming scenery.I goddit to come.
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Back in Bristol working on Westbourne Bridge, first layer of sand down and a few washes on the goods shed. Guttering supplies on order from Modelu. Rob Haskins hard at work on the track.
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Ballast and talc today 
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Framed up the first board for Devonshire bank, The Holloway tunnel end. The first few sheets of stone wall from 422 model making arrived and I’ve given one a clean and a base coat of Bauxite, looks good so far so I’ll order a few more extras to do the retaining wall
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Framed up the second board of Devonshire Bank this morning, 
Holloway tunnel end with backing plaster added for the sand stone cutting
There will be an Intentio GWR road bridge here, I’ll carve out the roadway ( farm track ) either side into the polystyrene
Looking towards Haskins hill
Holloway tunnel end with backing plaster added for the sand stone cutting
There will be an Intentio GWR road bridge here, I’ll carve out the roadway ( farm track ) either side into the polystyrene
Looking towards Haskins hill
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
A little more done today, not really exciting but all important, I’ve added some 6mm ply along the rear and it’s been lots of no nails spread out to fill any gaps and smooth over between the polystyrene sheets, I’ve given the plaster a coat of thinned down terracotta ( B&Q tester pot ) and the same with red emulsion.
The tunnel has been secured in and some additional plaster added in. I’ve carved out the farm track ( Teignton lane ) but will finalise once the Intentio GWR bridge arrives.
The tunnel has been secured in and some additional plaster added in. I’ve carved out the farm track ( Teignton lane ) but will finalise once the Intentio GWR bridge arrives.
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
A tentative start on the greenery around Holloway Tunnel. 
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Professional photographer Jack Bosket had one of my little projects recently and has done some superb pictures of it
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
First pass of scenics, I’ve laid a base layer of Noch summer 2mm fibres and then adddd some Heki light green foliage as I want this to look quite mossy. I’ve also added some flowering tufts and bits of flowering grasses. I do this now and then build up the static grasses over the top as it creates shadow pockets around the taller grasses and bushes. It also tones down the colours. Now I’m not afraid of using colours after all nature is colourful but I’m mindful about how well colours Scale and can be over powering.
some of my large home made trees using real branches with sea foam drilled and glued in place, these have had various fine green flocks added but now are awaiting some broad leads to finish them off, these are on order from Polak models which are coming from the Czech Republic as the usual UK supplier was out of stock.
some of my large home made trees using real branches with sea foam drilled and glued in place, these have had various fine green flocks added but now are awaiting some broad leads to finish them off, these are on order from Polak models which are coming from the Czech Republic as the usual UK supplier was out of stock.
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Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Static grass, I’ve blended two from Mininatur and one from Noch ( straw ) and gone over the base layer, in front of the brown line ( fence ) I’ve added some woodlands scenics summer blend over the top.
This three blend will be used in the fields beyond the railway boundary where as in the boundary I’ll add some more straw grass
This three blend will be used in the fields beyond the railway boundary where as in the boundary I’ll add some more straw grass
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Holloway tunnel looking nice and summer green. 
The signal has been borrowed from the other end of the layout and the telegraph pole has been borrowed from Canton. Hopefully you can see the slight colour variation in the grass that marks where the fence that will divide farm land from railway land
The signal has been borrowed from the other end of the layout and the telegraph pole has been borrowed from Canton. Hopefully you can see the slight colour variation in the grass that marks where the fence that will divide farm land from railway land
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Compton castle
Western Thunderer
I made a few temporary legs to elevate the layout so I could cut in the polystyrene for the front end, this section is removable so we can get closer for track laying. Carving the polystyrene to form the path of the stream and placed the Skytrex outlet in place, I will have a few trees down here, their final placement is yet to be decided.
