What's that coming over the hill...is it a monster update?

Sorry about the gap in blogging, but this post should make up for it. The reasons for the gap are that I have been busy modelling! [taking advantage of some rather good weather!]

Below are some images, which will help describe what I've done. The flash once again lightens a lot of the colours - the ballast is grey, not white as you might believe in some of these shots, sorry about that...

The second half of Ffridd Isaf has had its coat of LNER Doncaster Green (thinned to about 1:16 and some matt yellow added). Also the ballast has been extended around to the loop point. It needs tidying up at the edges, which I shall do when I add the weathering - a thin wash of dark grey in the 2 foot for one) - it's too 'clean' at the moment.

The main station area has also been greened, the platform has had its initial coat of paint and is now fixed down, to allow ballasting up to the platform edge to commence on the side nearest the camera.

There is much discussion in dispatches that the head shunt in the yard will be extended (towards Pitt's Head), now that the container for the little blue diesel 'Dolgarrog' has gone. Indeed the sub base already exists, so I have taken a flyer on this one and extended it now, at the risk that it might not happen! This also had the benefit that I could remove the (now unnecessary as I'm going for DCC) gaps added for isolation on this siding, which had caused me some concern about the reliability of running as they were mighty close to the point. One new feed will need to be added (using the holes already drilled), and the rails painted, but otherwise this is now done (cork underlay extended, track cut and attached with insulated joiners and track plus ballast glued down.

I am now pretty happy with the Pitt's Head road after about the 5th (!) attempt to get it right - mid grey emulsion paint plus talcum powder is about right for an old tarmac surface (better to underplay the colours I reckon!)

The first wall section had some fine scatter randomnly added and was then glued in place next to the foreground grass, that is now also green!

Ballasting continued in the yard area, weathering to come.

On Ffridd Isaf, the considerable work has involved extra detailing of the grass with different shades of static grass etc, painting of the stream bridge (wall) by Dad (top artist and good at mixing colours etc http://www.fclea.co.uk/) and further coats of realistic water for the stream plus more slate bits added to the path.

I have also been experimenting with (in the rear) some dead (coconut fibre) and live bracken (from busch)... and (in the foreground) some heki trees that Dad got cheap, which I have added static flock to (they are not permanently planted by the way!). This has generally been successful, and the bracken will work well I think. The trees on their own are too 'blobby', but in a copse or small wood, they should be fine.

another overview of the Ffridd Isaf board. It's getting there!

Colin