I just thought I'd show a few photos taken outdoors. The diorama is 36x18 ins HO scale
Mike
Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0
WOW ! Those are terrific! Wish I could put something together like that ... reminds me of many days around the backroads of New England ! Well done!
Jim
Mike,
Your attention to detail and your scenery is superb. I can't tell where the diorama ends and the "real" scenery starts. Ya, that's one great backdrop you have there....
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Thanks for the positive comments! I'll be delighted even if it only vaguely resembles New England
Bapou - the photos were taken between 11am and midday. The locos and track got pretty hot in the sun.
very very nice!
ray
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
That is some very nice work! The details really make the scene.
However, one question: Did you intend for one of the rails to be (or appear) un-ballasted?
Gorgeous, Mike. It works! I didn't notice the ballast until the message above, but I suspect that will come in a jiffy.
-Crandell
NICE! May I ask, how did you make the mud roads...they look FABULOUS! I need to make some, so any tips are appreciated!
Brian
Modeling the N&W freelanced at the height of their steam era in HO.
Daniel G.
The overall scene is so well executed I completely overlooked the ballast issue on the first look... Better tend to that, and you'll have a prize winner!
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Very nice! As mentioned didn't even notice the ballast. Having the park behind without any close objects really helps blend the scene into real life.
Hey i'm just up the road if you fell like giving me a hand?!
Thank you all for your comments.
The ballast IS coming - honest Actually I don't mind ballasting, but I just haven't got around to finishing it and tidying up what's already done.
Still making shrubs and trees, and I have plenty of little jobs to do to it yet. It's been great fun taking it outdoors and turning it around to alter the light.
The road was made with plaster, DAS clay and artists modelling compound, also known as texture paste. After it all had dried [the texture paste needs overnight, at least] I sifted some fine dregs from an old bag of ballast and glued them on where I reckoned gravel would build up. Then it was all thinly painted with acrylics, ballast included.
Here's a pic of the early stages, with ruts made from the modelling compound. It holds its shape well.
and here's the same bit after painting
I've used cheap acrylics - about $3 a tube from the bargain centre.
I made sure I got a nice bend in the road. I don't care why the road bends instead of being straight - it makes for better pictures
ngartshore - just saw your post. Does 'just up the road' mean Cairns, or similar?
Great stuff, I couldn't tell if it was real or what scale. I'm trying to figure out how to model a gravel road to a farm house and vinyard an have not come up with a reasonable facsimile. I'm looking at (real real fine) sand or fine woodland ballast. THis is HO layout but i'm using N scale for the farm which is in the back. Any ideas?
Lee S.
mikelhh wrote: Thanks for the positive comments! I'll be delighted even if it only vaguely resembles New England Mike
It sure can pass for New England in late summer. Even your darker mud/ gravel roads. Many sandy spots around here will brown out by July and August if we have a dry summer.
I too didn't even notice the ballast or lack of.
Living in Maine I would say very good job. Only thing my wife saw right off was the lack of pine trees. Pine trees are every where, cant look very far without seeing one.
But other than that great work!!!!!
Kevin
mikelhh wrote: ngartshore - just saw your post. Does 'just up the road' mean Cairns, or similar?
No closer than that! In Brisbane
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Thanks everyone.
Lee S There are many more experienced roadbuilders on here, but seeing as you asked me, I highly recommend the texture paste. You can even mix sand into it [small rocks too. sawdust as well] You can even mix your acrylic paints into it, if you want. In my opinion it's the perfect medium for making dirt roads, and lots of other things. I would think your finest sand mixed with the paste would work well. But I also think that when it's painted with something earthy like raw umber, from a distance it looks like dirt anyway, and doesn't need any other textures added.
Bob K [bogp40] - thankyou for the vote of confidence. I'm working from images found online.
Kevin and wife - thanks for mentioning the lack of pines. I'll get onto it as soon as I can. It's now on the list
Thats a nice back drop mike
North or southside? i'm north myself...
James, Brisbane Australia
Modelling AT&SF in the 90s
I'm northside in Kallangur - not really Brisbane, of course, but close.
To Foreigners its Brisbane.
I'm at Bracken Ridge...not far at all from you...
james saunders wrote: To Foreigners its Brisbane. I'm at Bracken Ridge...not far at all from you...
I'm further down at Regents Park a fair way below the River!