Stephen Fay’s O gauge layouts and dioramas, Commission builds, personal builds and magazine articles

Down in the forest what can we find !! Sonning has been yielding scenics now being recycled into St Stephens. The trees are not fixed and won’t be until the track work is completed.

 

Sunday fun day! More cutting and carving of polystyrene, painting the plaster with a wash of terracotta and red, laying down a bed of real earth as this will be under a canopy of trees the grass will be thinner. I’ve made up some slabs on top of the outlet out of DAS clay, first time I’ve used it, I’ll use it to disguise the joints in the 422 resin stone wall as well but these will be the last to go in after the lower section is fixed in place post track laying. I painted in more Liquitex gel on the water fall yesterday and that’s drying out nicely, once I’m happy I’ll go over it with clear gloss nail polish to make it really shine.

 

With a little imagination,
The 10.35 Paddington Penzance powers up St Stephen’s bank behind 6028 and 6023

 

Polak naturex coarse tree leaf material arrived today and it’s gotten very expensive to ship in direct from the Czech Republic! Unfortunately the UK supplier is having major issues getting stock due to the red tape now associated with it, I will have to try and source something similar from another supplier. These home made large trees really need large leaf foliage to look their best. I’ve got a few packs to do another large tree. MBR actually do something similar so next time I place an order for a few trees I’ll get some to try.

 

Another pair of trees with the new foliage added, liquidating some of the Sonning track boards. Track weathered and as the sun was shining I grabbed a shot of the king

 

Canton has been on the back burner for a while but things are moving forward, The steps for the footbridge are on order with the laser cutters and the shed will follow. My next Castle 4037 is rapidly taking shape with the builder and 5099 is away for a repaint and will hopefully be back in time for the first show in July.

 

Framed up the 3rd board for St Stephens today and fitted in some polystyrene, I’ll have to await my delivery from Skytrex now for the underpass to continue on.

 

I’m not sure on this one yet, it will be completed as one and then maybe sold on.

 

Back on to Westbourne bridge now, track weathering and bedding in buildings

 

This one is being made for a customer who does have a plan to incorporate it into a loop so he can run trains on the main whilst having locos stabled on shed.

 

track weathered up on the second Sonning board, which has been sold as a display board, Dan has been hard at work with my next castle 4037. Backing plaster added to the steep slopes of St Stephens, no wonder the farmer planted trees for timber!

 

Experimenting with Peco flexible fencing, it definitely needs toning down but I like it and I’ll need quite a lot ! Oh and I need a ton of ferns !