Finally started bedding in the buildings so they no longer look as though they are just placed there without any foundations. For a long while I debated over whether to recess them all into the 3mm foam base or not as I have done with limestone crusher building as they are all interconnected with conveyors and some are a little fragile to move. Recently I came across a card version of a concrete surface that really suits this job, I really did not want to spend a considerable amount of time hand crafting it as done by notable modellers like Kathy Millatt. My layout is rather on the large side when it comes to scenic work so I tend to go for a modest amount of detail only, especially as I mix in vintage items from Wardie Mastermodels, Crescent and Dublo which are not exactly fine scale! The material of choice for me is the Busch 7412 Concrete Slab Area Card sheet which is sold as OO by the store I bought it from but is probably more aimed at HO, the sheet thickness is approx 0.6mm so thick enough to overlap the bottom edge of the buildings. The issue I normally have with such items including backscenes is joining sheets to look as one, (particularly difficult with textured cobblestones), however it was somewhat easier with these sheets. The printed 'gaps' between the concrete slab effect printing are very dark. So the way I butted cut pieces together was to leave a thin, almost hair width gap between them, which setting up by eye has given me an almost seamless run of this material from the bulk silos, past the kiln and up to the pre-mix building. Genuine Pritt Stick sticks the card well to the emulsion painted closed cell foam, original Pritt always has more tack than others I have used. The next issue which always seem to be the case is that most printed paper and card products I buy have a sheen making it look as though they are wet, this I solved by applying Peco limestone powder washed on with isopropyl alcohol using a cheap 10mm wide artists paint brush. Even applied quite wet did not damage the card (I did test this on an offcut first). Dried a bit streaky but easily mottled again with the brush and any lumps flattened with the blunt end of the brush handle. It took off the sheen and gave a cement dusty finish. Being a cement works everything is covered in cement dust, and limestone powder is close enough especially as it is the primary raw material to my cement works. For dusting between the tracks I painted diluted PVA (as used for ballasting) onto the previously painted open spaces and using a cheap tea strainer sifted the limestone powder over it. Between the rails it dusts into the ballast so gluing not necessary. Anyway the effect can be seen in the following pictures. To be continued ... Jim Return to index of articles.
