It's Winter! So it must be time for snow...

Daily checks of the snow reports in the ski season are not an uncommon in our house during winter (H just loves it!). However it would seem that there's been a little bit of the white stuff falling about south of Brisbane.


Yep it's finally happening, the 'other side' of the layout is getting a bit of a makeover. The stress of falling rollingstock through the very large gaps between the ply was having a definite impact on those of us running on SSC. Then there is the issue of elbows and the like, mostly from obliging strangers who made it passed the barrier. I love their enthusiasm! I mean that, no sarcasm here! No, really! If the public are that keen to have a look then I'll make room, just not for their hands or elbows!


OK as I was saying, I've been doing some basic scenery work with the first layer of sculptamold going down a couple of weeks ago. Darren popped by last week and we had a bit of discussion about what goes where, and to that end we very definitely have a spot for a couple of buildings, timber mill, and even and old Shay. Daz suggested a road that linked the areas of the layout together, great idea! 

This end will be where the timber mill is located.

 With the ideas fresh in my mind I set about carving up the scenery to add a road. It adds a little bit more to the scene and gives the locals a way to get about town as well. I'll need to do a little more sculpting of the back scene to mask the roadway a little.


 I've added some rocks, not finished yet as there will be a few set into the area around the school, near the creek, hopefully tying the scenes together. I like rock work with defined edges as I find them easier to paint, giving a good contrast to the rest of the scenery. 


The second lever frame is together ready to be installed. The modratec kits go together easily, just a little fiddly with the ball bearings, but not hard work. There is a spot towards the town for it to go, same height as the other one which does seem to keep it out of the way, certainly it doesn't dominate the scene.

 A larger view of the immediate area, also shows the location of the derelict Shay  on the bottom left of the photo, with the timber mill behind.

Just adding some contours has changed the look entirely and made it safer to run a loco on as well! The scenery certainly is the easy part of layout construction and probably my favourite part also.

 This view at track height shows the location of the second lever frame in the foreground, looking towards the Mill.

Closer to the Mill with a look at the rock work to be painted. It's location screens the curve of the track when viewing from the creek end of the layout.

That'll do for a quick update, so you know I have been doing something!

Oorroo!

Geoff.