Backscene trouble

 A couple of months ago I decided to try a Peco sky Backscene. I cut templates using lining paper from which the actual Backscene was cut out. To fix in place, double sided tape was used on the Backscene joints and 3M aerosol glue used to fix the photo Backscene in place. My first attempt behind the coal yard was a disaster as you can clearly see in the photos. This will be redone but the remainder fixed well as I developed and improved my method. The idea next is to add an overlay of some Devon hillside low against the sky Backscene. 

Hole in the road

 It’s been a while since the last post but I have been grabbing moments in between work and other jobs ( err distractions )  to make some useful progress on Lynton station. The scenic board with Larkscleave bridge is coming on nicely with static grass and a start made on trees. I’ve also made a start on placing the station building into the ground ( cardboard road and platform )  which I was delaying and procrastinating over thinking this would be difficult. In the end cutting open a hole to fit the building and getting the ground contour correct as best I could was not that difficult. I’m beginning to see interesting photographic alignment to the old station photographs. 

March April update 2022

I’m pleased to share Part 1 of my effort towards a resemblance to Larkscleave bridge, the first bridge on leaving Lynton Station. It’s my first attempt at a video as  I think video is much more informative than stills. It’s all a learning process both in terms of the modelling and in making videos. Anyway I hope you enjoy and it proves more interesting? 
 

February Update 2022

 I’ve been busy these last few months moving the layout from a central position in the loft room to the rear. This has involved creating a new control panel at the front and dismantling the entrance curve to the station. After doing this my back is very grateful as I no longer have to continuously duck under. Why did I wait so long to do this?  The extra space created in the centre of the room also gives me space to work easier without banging my head! The whole effort has been well worth it but it has taken quite some time. 

The layout can now be controlled from the front and the rear should this ever be required. Initially, when I started the layout,  I imagined possibly exhibiting but in reality as time has gone on I realise this will never happen and it will remain a home based layout. As such control from the rear is somewhat redundant now and the new control from the front will be the default. Setting up control from the front was for me a complicated exercise in electronics and extreme patience as I’m no electrician. However by taking my time I eventually managed to get everything to work to my satisfaction. I also took the opportunity to add polarity switches to all the points, this giving much better running. The layout is still in sections enabling me to move all the modules should I wish. This is useful I remind myself due to a loft hatch ( one very good reason) and should there be a house move for example, or even the offer of using a spare room ( I wish!) . 

The curve entering the station had to be rebuilt as the curve now approaches in the opposite direction. All scenics were removed to be reused and a whole new baseboard was created with detachable legs and, as with the rest of the layout, is a separate module. This new section features a slight embankment based on the approach to Lynton via Larkscleave bridge with the aim to build a replication of this bridge and the woods surrounding . So far the land formation is progressing using the old style chicken wire and plywood formers method . I did consider trying carving polystyrene but vetoed this having read too many reports of snow men being formed. So chicken wire it is with a covering in plaster bandaging (Mod Roc) begun. I’ll share pictures in my next post. Maybe I’m old fashioned in my approach but it works for me. I do hope the pictures capture the work achieved in the last couple of months. 

 A very long overdue update 

 I cannot quite believe my last post was January 2020. Unfortunately my old series 2 I Pad crashed some time ago and this was my "Go 2 " for updates to the Blog. I've managed to rescue  the poor old thing today and  thought it was about time  I posted a little update on the layout.  I have been quite busy both on the home front , DIY and work but also fortunately, for sanity, with much  modelling.

First on the list was that during the first lockdown I decided to try and replicate the coal staithes in the goods yard. There is not very much photographic evidence to model from and the trusted bible "Measured and Drawn does not cover this either, but from the few photographs that do exist I managed to conjure up my best efforts seen here. 

 

As you can  see there is much more detailing required yet, and the ballasting will wait until everything runs as smoothly as possible. All of which brings me to my next topic;  I've spent an enormous amount of time improving  the running of  the line and also adding a further control panel to the front of the layout. My "Master Plan 2021"  is to move the whole layout to the back wall of the loft giving me far less back ache and easier access to extend the layout in the future .So,  all of this will follow in my next posts. Until then.........     
    

Heljan model at Lynton continued

A rather longer unedited video is presented here. As before I hesitated to show as there was much Id liked to have improved. Please excuse the incorrect platform seats as these were placed merely for effect. Much of the scenic detail is still under construction but at least you do see the improvement to the Heljan first generation model after undertaking the modifications described earlier. It wasn’t easy to hold the camera steady whilst controlling the model. At one point you will see a stall into the loco shed but with a second attempt and all seems well. I am pleased with the improvement to running made and now need to make the model complete with replacing the cow catchers, couplers and train crew.

Heljan Lyn at the Warley model show

This weekend I was able to attend the Warley Model Railway show and take some pictures of the prototype Baldwin Lyn displayed on the Heljan stand. I was also reassured that the new Manning Wardle in the form of Lew ( shown here ) and Lyd have had the problems as seen with earlier production models rectified.
I hope that the pictures here of Lyn show what a very nice model we have to look forward to in 2020!