Embedding Petrol Pump

As part of the work giving the Nystrup Gravel layout a more prototypical surface, I have been working on the area around the petrol pump. I wanted the petrol pump to be removable, still not having its looks spoiled by gaps between ground and pump foundation. Not an easy task to accomplish.

In this view the Nystrup Gravel petrol pump towers above the flat meadows to the north of the tracks.

The pump is a cheap chinese toy model I bought back in 2019. I have been refining it a bit but am still looking for a finer detailed pump. By having the pump able to be lifted off the layout it is easily replaceable. When moving the layout, the risk of damaging structures and details is also much smaller when they can be lifted off separately. 

My initial plan was to mount a bolt in the pump and attach it through the layout with a nut from the underside. A bit over the top for an item that won't just fly off at the slightest touch and I settled for a simple piece of brass rod fitting tightly into a brass pipe glued into the foam baseboard.

Before scattering ground cover material around the pump's foundation I wrapped the pump in plastic cling wrap. The thin plastic material creates a good barrier between foundation and the mix of glue and sand for ground cover. Once the glue has dried, the petrol pump was carefully lifted off, the wrap removed and the pump fitted again. A few tufts of grass helped to blend the foundation into the ground.

A brass pipe buried in the layout surface to accept the brass part added to the petrol pump.

Brass rod fitted for keeping the pump in place on the layout.

Diluted white glue has been added to the sand/gravel mix around the petrol pump. The cling wrap prevents the white glue from cementing sand and pump solidly together.

From the front of the layout there is hardly any gaps to be seen even if the petrol pump is removable.