In between other projects I've been slowly working my way back down the branch towards the station adding fencing and working up the scenery as I've gone along.
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| This view of the riverbank is only possible when the feed store is removed so I've used some Ratio fence post but no wire. I suppose you could accuse me of cheating and taking the easy option but if you were actually standing on the near bank would you be able to see the fence wires? |
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| Moving further along the line we come upon the site of the old cattle dock and loading bank, now you know why a five bar gate was installed just off the road. The old corrugated hut is yet to be distressed and weathered so its not yet been bedded into the ground, the fencing along this stretch of line is by Ratio but not as it comes out of the pack as I've invested a little time in improving it as explained below. |
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| I first came across this method of improving the fencing whilst reading Barry Norman's excellent book on Landscape Modelling. The photo above shows a length of the fencing in the course of being modified, the section on the left is untouched and is heavily flashed which isn't surprising given the age of the mould and the number of times that it must have been used. The fencing bars are a rounded triangular section on one side and flat on the other, some fencing bars are like that so you might be happy to use it as intended but it still pays to clean the moulding up. The right hand section has been modified to produce a flat bar by drawing a Stanley Knife blade along the surface of all four bars at once and then finishing the job off with nail file boards, removing any flash and moulding pips at the same time, its a messy time consuming job but I reckon its worth it. |
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By the time I had modified and installed two metres of the fencing I was getting sick of the sight of it but by breaking the job down into manageable sessions it was soon completed. I drilled each main post and inserted short lengths of brass wire in them which were then glued into pre drilled holes in the scenery thus holding the fence firmly in place, each fence section being joined to its neighbour with solvent. Each section of fencing was painted prior to installation in various mixes of silvery grey in hope of giving it a well weathered appearance, a wash of light earth and a little dry brushing using a mix of grey / green followed and then out came the talc to tone it all down. As for the scenery, well more undergrowth has taken root around the quarry, the grass is slowly growing longer as more static fibres are added and some weeds are beginning to spread.
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| Finally a couple of photos taken over the weekend when a DMU passed through Llangunllo on an excursion. Its the reworked Hornby version of the old Lima model, though its been converted to EM using society shouldered axles and the correct type of Gibson wheels it still awaits extra detail, corridor connections and should really have the continuous rain strips removed as the original units only had them above each door. I must be lucky because this model is yet another quiet, smooth performer. |
So that's it for another week or maybe two but before I sign off you might remember me reviewing these
SW coupling mounts which are now available direct from '5522' Models.
