The navvies are back at work!

This week has been a busy one. What with work and all that is happening there to the quickly approaching end to the school holidays for J and Z, it's a wonder I've had any time out the front.

A little bit of time most evenings is enabling me to get some small jobs done during the week, and set me up for more productive time spent on the weekend. The sleepers for the second yard of SSC are glued down. The stressing of the timber seems to take a lot longer than the actual staining process. The timber work of the first of four turnouts is down, three to go.

During the week I also painted the facia the final black colour. I couldn't wait till I'd glued on the black carpet that I'll eventually be doing. The matt black really does make a difference to how the layout is viewed, I spose it's like the framing of a picture in that it keeps your attention on the actual layout.

There was a little bit of white glue and tissues stuck on the layout up one end. A bit of a starting point for all the scenery that is to come. Once it has hardened some more of the 'shell' of the scenery can be applied. Anyway enough chat! Time for a photo and I'm done, have a great week! Geoff.

Backdrop painting progress

Tonight I had a bit of time out in the shed to add to the paint that had dried on the back scene that I'd begun on the weekend. There's not much detail in the trees as I'll be covering a fair bit with some modelled trees directly in front of the back scene. The modules are not very deep so I need to keep the scenery simple, but hopefully still recognisable as aussie bush.

The layers of foam are a bit of a mock up of the height that I was thinking I'd want the background landforms to be. The cutting would be faced with some rock work, so the gap on either side of the track is wider than what it will end up.

It has been a welcomed break from the track work, but a loco can't run on the ground, so I will be back into it soon. Geoff.

Throwing some paint around

Now that the New Year has well and truly begun it's time to make good on the 'resolutions' that I again made a list of this year. As far as modelling goes they're simple really,

1. Don't start another project, unless I have less than three on the go.

2. Be regular in my modelling, allow time for the hobby that I enjoy.

3. Have more regular 'modelling' nights with the fella's.

There you go simple really.

Today I began working on the second of these year long endeavours, regular modelling. During the construction of my layout I've been trying to complete things in a methodical manner, as this is my first time at this. I want to complete each module as far as the scenery is concerned from the back to the front. This means that the backdrop is the first thing to do after the track work is done. Well I really needed a break from the trackwork so onto the backscene painting instead.

The painting is something I find rather enjoyable. As yet I'm not sure if others would find it as enjoyable after the product is completed! These photos are of the work in progress and I've gone on a bit from here. I did find that painting and having a beer did make the experience alot more enjoyable.

As usual I've loaded the photos in the wrong order. The first is actually the centre shot of the module, whilst the second is the RH end with the track disappearing into the backscene. The third is another of the centre of the module, making the clouds a bit easier to see. Clouds, can't get them right, this will have to do.

A quick post tonight and with some photos! See ya, Geoff.

Baby Steps

Today was the first time in ages that I've actually done anything to do with railway modelling. What with the festive season, and the various shifts it gives me, along with some interstate visitors, the time spent on model railway pursuits has been very slim.

The dust covers over SSC were removed and a fair bit of the clutter that had accumulated around it was removed to 'file 13'. The New Year does have a little effect on me, especially anything that hasn't been used since the previous years celebrations, (mainly the cast-off pile) is disposed of.

The rain has kept the air fairly moist in our state so I was on the look out for any mould that may have taken up residence. For the most part it was pretty good, just one part of an exposed module seemed to have been effected. I gave it all a bit of a dust and a vacuum to get it back up to scratch.

I took apart the modules as I have to finish mounting the lighting on the last module. I then realised why I'd not finished it before, I'd run out of three core. The backdrop for this module is in need of painting like the other three. As you may remember I purchased some blue paint awhile back to redo the back scenes in the same hue of blue. Now the backdrop is completely installed, lighting mounted and still to be wired up, but much closer.

I'm off to the Fish and Chip shop for a healthy dinner for all the Burns's, then after some painting of backdrops if time permits.

So the New Year for me modelling wise, is to complete one job or project, before starting another. With the number of already started projects it might be awhile before something new is begun. On another blog I follow the author Scott lists the projects he has and where he is up to. This is something I plan to do asap. a simple idea and it serves to keep you on track.

Happy New Year to all, Geoff.

Perfect weather for ducks...and for modelling!

The yard at SSC, shame the photo isn't a little clearer, but you get the idea I'm sure.

There really can't be much rain left in the skies after the last couple of days. The weathermen are saying that Thursday will bring some more, so we'll see. The rain has meant a little more time out in the train room, just what I needed.

The last couple of weeks have been hectic for many reasons. The main one modelling speaking is that after having the boys around for a Toosdy Niters evening I discovered that I've been using some rather out of gauge gauges.

Some time ago I purchased some gauges that were not NMRA approved, and it seems that I've been 'ripped off'. I don't think that it's much to ask for gauges to be accurate, after all that's what we buy them for!

I would have preferred to have discovered this fact before I laid the trackwork on the first module. It could have been worse I could have finished the trackwork. What all this does is point out how the rp2/ 110 and 88 are to a very lowest common denominator. This for me has me dreaming of Proto 87 ( well down the line somewhere I expect.) As all the wheelsets ran through the points quite ok. In fact I've been shunting on the first module and running through the points without issue. I daresay the loco i've been using is in need of re-gauge.

Here I am with all this rain, and plenty of trackwork to rework. I've started with the points that are not yet laid. So far so good, lots of checking and minor adjustments, but they are coming along ok.

I really would like to get the trackwork finished as I'm busting to get into the scenery. I know busting really? Maybe some of the moisture in the air has had an effect on me...well at least whilst writing this post. Enjoy the rain, and the modelling opportunities it provides, Oorroo!