Summer Scenic Makeover

I had been planning to give my O9 diorama 'The Headshunt' a scenic refresh and to create a storage box for it, but rather unexpectedly I have ended up giving 009 layout 'The Old Quarry Line' similar scenic  treatment. Whilst this had been on the cards it has well and truly queue jumped! 

This started one idle weekend moment I was looking at ways that I could add an abandoned siding to hold a couple of wagons, potentially around the curve at the left-hand end of the layout. Common sense eventually prevailed and I opted for the more reasonable location in the yard alongside the workshop building. Two channels were cut into the existing scenery and blackened/painted rails placed within, held in with PVA and bedded back in using DAS stone modelling clay. Once dry this was blended in with various paints, fine turf scatter and Silfor grass tufts. The Meridian Penrhyn Fullersite wagon has taken up residence, in the past it lived at the end of the main siding . This will be fixed on place using a wire wound around the axle, through a hole in the board and secured below. It would have been glued by now if the subsequent days weather hadn't been so warm.

Suitably in the swing of things I decided to look at refreshing and enhancing the scenic treatment of the layout using materials that I didn't have available at the time of the build, including coir matt hanging basket liner, Peco 10mm tufts/strips and Martin Welberg tufts. One area that received new additions was the area around the drain outlet. The new areas of vegetation were created using the coir hanging basket liner, prepared off-layout by being teased out, sprayed with hairspray to fix and when dry sprayed with two shades of matt brown paint. This was glued in place on the layout and once the glue was drying, sprayed with hairspray again and foliage material added. This was actually the original material recovered from the two trees that I re-worked earlier in the year. Further hairspray and other layers of scatter were added to add variation and a small patch of Woodland Scenics purple foliage - another recent purchase!

Looking around the curve I have added the Peco long tufts around the bottom of the fence and on the opposite side of the line. In places I cut the strips lengthways, sometimes a tough job as the glue layer can be quite thick. The skip body that used to be by the workshop has now moved here, with the vegetation encroaching over it. Additional vegetation is provided by the dark green Martin Welberg tufts.

On the far side of the layout there is a new tree located on the embankment. In line with three of the other trees on the layout this is a metal-framed Hornby Skale Scenics tree - R8907 Oak. This was purchased last year with the intention of maybe using it on a 7mm scale project, where it would represent a small tree! This has been glued in place but not yet blended in, I think there may be more vegetation to go in around the base. I did add some additional foliage using hairspray and Woodland Scenics loose material in a close-enough shade. Some areas around the middle of the layout have been enhanced with more areas of the coir hanging basket liner and recovered foliage. The Snailbeach hopper seems quite at home, the other kit may yet see the light of day in one form or another!

It is always good to revisit scenic projects from time to time to update the materials and techniques used and to refresh tired areas. There are still a few jobs to do here once the weather cools a little - the workshop is rather hot at times lately making sitting in the shade daydreaming/planning a nicer option!

Colin