Building display dioramas

Discussion in 'Scenics' started by York Paul, Jun 2, 2019.

  1. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Fantastic! :tophat:
     
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  2. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    If you imagine what we can come up with if we were to measure and photo a real bridge over the Churnet... the one I'd love to do is that big span over the rapids just below Podmore's Bone Mill. The original one was a low lattice span the current one put in during the 1950's was made by the Butterley Iron Company, the stone buttresses were raised for some reason with several courses of brick maybe to counteract the force of the river current. If you look out of the train window on the Down Side when you travel over it you will see several segments of concrete Dowmac level crossing units dumped into the riverbed presumably to protect the railway formation against being undermined by water erosion. Now that would be a first in modelling terms... a level crossing dumped into a river containing rapids.
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2019
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  3. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Quite a stunning result Paul.......:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
    You`ve received a six thumbs up for that and normally my maximum is five...........this work deserves it.
    Well done.
    :cheers::tophat:Gormo
     
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  4. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    I still wonder if Consall with the canal modelled to the fore would be a good layout (maybe compressed slightly) with the line disappearing behind the black lion to your right and London Road bridge to the left as scenic breaks.
     
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  5. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    That would make an interesting show layout Andy but it is a huge effort in terms of cost time and my energy, I can deal with something like the Podmore's Bone Mill girder bridge or even with time the Norbury bow string bridge on a twelve foot long layout connected together in segments, also I would have all the bridge elements drawn out as multiples of parts and etched as a kit. Consall station in 7mm (in order to get it anything right) justifying investment it would need to be about 4 feet wide and about 30 feet long. Doable if a team of like minded builders could be brought together with a common interest but for me I cannot become wrapped up as a one man band on something which effectively is going to take about three years to make.
     
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  6. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    Your diorama has come on in leaps and bounds and is looking fantastic. Beautiful work indeed ! :tophat:

    Cheers, Gary.
     
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  7. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks Gary glad you like, I guess the secret like anything is don't rush process because there is nothing particularly special about this scene... its just focused on observational detail and making the little things important just like in a painting. For my next diorama project which will happen in 2020 I'm planning to go measure up another rather splendid girder bridge which has actual steam trains running over it. This one is a real mother of a bridge as it straddles a river with rapids, its low height on stone buttresses but long and there is a nice steep wooded valley side which will act as a splendid backdrop. If this one comes off then I'll set to with research and development planning with a view constructing a series of interlocking baseboards over Winter.
     
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  8. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Simply Superb ..... nuff said :thumbs: :avatar:

    Paul
     
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  9. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    :tophat::tophat::tophat::tophat::tophat: stunning .. I'm sure I saw a Kingfisher a second ago

    Ian vt
     
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  10. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    Well, Toto does have a hammer handy... :scratchchin::avatar::avatar:

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  11. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Absolutely brilliant Paul, just shows what someone with an art degree can do as opposed to one like myself who's only capable of using a 4" brush!:giggle: I always said the only thing I've ever been able to draw is my wages!:avatar:
    Keith.
     
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  12. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Oh no....:facepalm:.....Gary don`t start giving Toto ideas again.........we need to keep the hammer in it`s holster around this diorama...:faint:
    :cheers::tophat:Gormo
     
  13. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thank you for that nice reply Gormo... I'll take it as a massive compliment.:tophat::thumbup:
     
  14. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    All inspired by your good self :thumbup:
     
  15. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    I only want to use my art and the skills I learnt at art school such as observational detailing as a way to support our hobby and modellers alike who may want to know how I do stuff, but thanks Keith for your kind words.:tophat::thumbup:
     
  16. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    If I knew someone who made an O Gauge kingfisher I'd have put one into the scene.... Thanks for the compliment Ian :tophat::thumbs:
     
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  17. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    So now the tracks are laid in on the diorama, I've used Peco flexitrack and separated the sleepers from their connections to give a correct spacing of ballast cribs which in my opinion is a little detail which is very often omitted but make all the difference. I have my own method for track laying which I've devised as I don't ever lay track onto a flat baseboard but lay onto a built up formation which allows for undulations to the surface as in the real world, to overcome running issues I lay my track in to produce a level "top" in the same way as a real permanent way gang would when working on a relaying job. Firstly I find the high spots and mark them, then I place the track lengths in and starting at the first high spot I fix the track in place with Cuprinol two pack plastic Woodfil, once hardened I move to the next high spot and do the same again taking care to slew the track into alignment. Now done properly the whole length of flexitrack will be fixed solidly and be in suspension over the low areas, next step is to in fill with a base ballast and again I have my own recipe which consists of four parts fine sand sieved, one part portland cement and one part plain tie grout. Mixed together I dry fill the sleeper cribs and the mix finds its own level under the sleepers, a little light brushing to level things down I then spray the mix with water then add the top ballast, again I prefer the Jarvis Scenics N Gauge ballast because it looks correct on O Gauge track. The top ballast will now start to absorb some of the water previously sprayed onto the base layer and at this point using a pipette I'll drop a dilute 50 /50 mix of PVA and water as a top dressing. Yes it looks a mess but within 48 hours it will have set like bell iron and believe me the track won't move a jot.

    [​IMG]
     
  18. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    And looking from the other direction, next job when the ballast has dried will be to infill any low spots or voids and the spray paint the rails with sleeper grime. The cess edges will be painted black with poster paint to represent ash ballasting, I'll put the gradient post in and some other bits of detailing and then this job will be done... or more so it will be up and running as the Highlander models scenic backdrop to photo shoot the new products as they are built.


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  19. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Making a couple of telegraph poles out of kebab and some lollipop sticks, insulators are made from 1.25mm diameter Plasticard rod, I'm going to hang the lines using the heavier gauge EZ Line light rust colour elastic wire. The poles will be spaces at 1250mm apart which means I only have two to make. :avatar:

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  20. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    So now the final nature bits are in place and the track is ballasted, the next job is to airbrush the rails with rust colour and sleeper grime with a liberal smattering of brake dust. I've also built the grass up a bit along the embankment top to simulate overgrowth, a tip here is to create an illusion with piece additions of grass fibre, there is no need to cover the whole embankment surface unless you want to create a jungle effect or you are happy to use up all your scenic material. Mr Sollis's gradient post has now found a new place a bit further away from the bridge, the gradient reads LEVEL to 1 in 385 descending, this really is a great addition to realism because it is a bespoke design and I'd recommend anyone to get in touch with Mr S if they need specialist items printed. The white looking pieces running down between the lines are alignment pegs which denote the correct track positions to maintain clearance of the bridge ironwork... this is something which happens on the big railway.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2019

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