Ballasting In Two Scales

Trying to get some simple modelling started, I have been ballasting in two scales and even painted and weathered four wagons. Some accomplishment - if it wasn't for the fact that the wagons are 1/87 scale and tiny!

Ballast and grass tufts are spreading around the brick shed for fuel and lubricants. Here in 'wet look' after application of glue/water mix.

In a previous post I mentioned my ambition of having the layout completly covered with a basic layer of ground cover and vegetation. Now only finishing work remains around the brick shed. At least for a basic 'almost finished look'. Adding small details and weathering will be an ongoing proces for a long time.

Having begun work at the right end of the layout I got the plastic sleepers painted grey and weathered before gluing foamboard scraps between the sleepers to reduce the amount of ballast needed. A method I have used with success before. In this phase I must have lost concentration as I used two types of board with different thickness. A few of the thickest type were unfortunately glued under the tongue section and didn't leave room for ballast. They will need thinning down before ballasting can continue. Apart from that everything went according to plan. Soon only a short section of plain track lacks ballast.

The original plastic sleepers of the Peco turnout painted medium grey before weathering.

Foamboard inserts being fitted between the sleepers.

Ballasting in progress. Obviously Nystrup Gravel wasn't bothered by the missing fishplates in the rail joint in the foreground. A proper industrial railway!

As a follow up from my summer's modelling I got four mine tubs in 1/87 scale painted and weathered. I glued two brass L-profiles to a piece of foambord, painted them rust and added a little ballast around. Foundations for the Soviet concrete fence added from pieces of plasticard. The tubs are gauged for 6.5 mm track so we are talking diminutive modelling here. A 9 mm track will be added in the foreground.

Four awfully tiny coal tubs painted and weathered. Capturing them on a photo almost more difficult than painting them. But a different challenge is welcome now and then.

It's good to be back modelling again, even if it is only adding ballast and grass tufts. Before too long my little layout will look a lot more harmonic with a full basic ground cover.