The Quay

Another few hours worth of work sees the quay starting to take shape. All this is removable including the sea bed in readiness for wiring the layout. I will need to cut some access holes underneath the baseboard as the pins on the point motors are just that little bit too short to fit underneath the ply base. Hopefully all goes well and there is enough access to put the point motors in and the wiring.

I have also made a culvert (hard to see in these photos) behind the sluice gates. I admit to photoshopping the bottom of the walls to remove the unsightly gaps as none of it is glued down (again, for obvious reasons). However, I am really pleased with how it is looking so far. Scribing looks much better when the clay has dried whereas when soft the scribing is more rounded and not suited to ageing stone. The culvert and tunnel have also been scribed as well as the culvert wing walls.

Hope you enjoy this set of photos.

Modelling quay walls - A first 'proper' attempt

This is my first proper attempt and they look pretty decent if I may say so. The reason they are all at funny angles is because they have not been glued due to obvious reasons. These photos aren't very good, but they are adequate for now. I have tried to recreate worn looking stones with some stones missing and cracks appearing. I am pleased with the results so far, but I've still got another metre or so to build - this little lot has taken me 3 hours already! Despite what people say, I am not finding it too tedious - rather enjoying it. I expect that mindset will change with time. It certainly shows my creative aspect! Painting will come once I have learnt how to...

Construction of Calshot - Part 4

Just a small update. The layout has been moved to MkI's legs with a drape around it to win Brownie points! That way I can have it tucked in the corner and can work on it where it is out of the way. Having it like this makes me wonder if I actually need a backscene. Then again, it is not going to be very photogenic without one.

A sluice and little footbridge have been built from left over scraps in the scrap box (funnily enough!). Still needs the mechanism and a spot of weathering. If it's one thing I think will improve my modelling exponentially it is being able to weather objects. I should really buy some appropriate paints and weathering powders and experiment.

I have also started building some quay walls using DAS modelling clay. They won't be glued in place until the trackwork and electrics is done to prevent damage. I will need to score them to represent stones and also paint them at some stage. The photos below should help visualise the progress.

A long way to go, but slowly getting there! Comments welcome.

The construction of Calshot - Part Three - Basic relief

Construction is ongoing on Calshot MkII. Progress is a little slow due to lack of materials but I did manage to scrounge enough polystyrene to do the majority of the first layer of the basic relief. The polystyrene isn't quite thick enough to be up to the trackbed height so another layer will be needed.

In the photo below the Walrus seaplane is standing on the slipway (yet to be carved) and the inset image is one little cameo I hope to include which will be a sunken pillbox with exposed and eroded foundations with two residents - one lying on the grass and a fisherman nearby hoping to catch something from the Solent.

I like placing these little scenes for people to find and I expect you'll find more of these as the layout develops. Particularly considering I have an expanse of concrete I need to break up the monotony with these little cameos.

By the way, I'm tempted to add a little stream at the rear where the little girder bridge is similar to the stream that runs parallel with the spit before emptying out into the Solent. (Edit: I'm not sure it does go into the Solent but just ends in a pond!) The jury is still out on that one.

Anyway, here's the photo, apologies for the background but it's been too wet and windy to go outside!

Trackbed complete

Trackbed complete

Time spent so far:

30 mins - ply base

1 hour - ply track supports

2 hours 30 mins - trackbed

Total: 

4 hrs

This top picture shows the trackbed has been completed. (Without NG track shown)

This picture shows the NG track.

Next job on the list is to buy 3 right handed 009 points and two yard of flexible 009 track. I will be able to get some builders insulation for the rest of the board (to keep weight down) in the week so a start can be made on the basic relief of the land. The next job then will be to drill holes for the point motors and then pin all the track down.

Really glad this project is getting going - it has taken me too long to plan it. I've been thinking about the new layout for months now! The seaplane has been built awaiting painting and today I went to the real place to take some prototype photos (Over 100!). Looks like this layout might meet it's deadline...

Mock Up

Mk II - Well on it's way!

Overall I think this plan has a lot going for it, it looks similar to the prototype and works well as a layout. The composition seems to work well. A slipway will be in the foreground in front of the hangar. There may be a pier on the extreme right where the NG siding is.

I know this mock up hardly makes for good photographs, but I hope you can see past that and perhaps realise what it is I am trying to achieve.

The Mock Up

Calshot MkII - A mock up trial

Aerial Photo

Inside the hangar

View from the slipway and pier

Towards the hangar and castle

This is really just one option - by no means the final plan. I'd appreciate any comments, good or bad,  or any questions you may have I will be more than happy to answer them for you. I wonder how long it will be till I can safely say I have a final plan?!

Putting your foot in it!

Now we've got a basic outline, where do you progress from here? Well you draw many sketches of variations of different plans!

Here's eight I've knocked up. But I'm not sure which, if any, to go for! (Sound familiar? )

What a difference a day makes!

Some strange goings on have been happening today. Things such as walking past an aisle in a shop and something flying off the shelf without anyone there. Another strange thing has been this:

The egg(ish) shaped layout works out at 4ft x 3ft

It may not be what you expected (or I!), but this is the start of the construction of Calshot -MkII.
It's a kind of egg-shaped layout (I like to be different, and it shows!) but I'm yet to decided what will go where yet, although I do have a vague idea.

This Catalina should give a sense of scale

To be honest, I was fed up of all this planning malarkey so I decided to risk it and ask dad to cut out a bit of 9mm ply with a rough sketch of a shape I thought up last night (!). The old layout is being dismantled, the pelmet and backscene are already off, as is half of the beach as I tried to carry the whole thing downstairs on my own (all 6ft of it).

If anyone has a bright idea, let me know as it may influence my design.

New Features:
. Layout curtain with Velcro for ease of fastening
. Ply trackbed
. NO polyfilla, DAS clay will be used instead

And one bizarre one.. (still in the idea stage)
. Temporary backscene that can be moved round to a different part of the layout for a different view.

If anyone would like my initial ideas for the layout I'll try and put a sketch up. I'm hoping the baseboard will be built in one week.