N / OO9 Two scales one gauge

Slow but steady progress being made on the N-gauge theme. Some of the progress cannot be seen. 
 
The road has been coated in very fine material to resemble asphalt rather than paper-covered foam board. The mix was Peco weathering materials in black coal-dust, buff ash and some Noch fine granite ballast secured with a wipe of dilute PVA and oversprayed with hair-spray. It awaits white and yellow lines. 
 
The buildings are finally glued in place (which you can’t see) and with the pub slightly farther forward than the houses instead of inline with them. 
 
The groundwork for the play area is complete as is the brick wall on the railway boundary. It would appear that “play” has involved wrecking a car and burning out a caravan. 
 
The adjacent swap-out raft of foam-board has been cut ready to extend the scene towards Boghouses station. 
 
I need some people suited to the theme - I am slowly working through the options. 

The road has been extended and surfaced for the full length of this scene. The bus has lost its “Plymouth City Transport” identity and “Estover” destination so is now somewhat anonymously just wearing a crest and is bound for some “City Centre” or another. 
 
Lamp posts have been fitted (dummy not actually lighting up) and the first of numerous people added. 
 
More bits are in the mail. People, more people and garden fencing. The addition of white and yellow road markings in this scale continues to challenge me - ideally a very fine mapping pen would do it; white is available but not yellow. As the road is textured I cannot apply stick-on lines. 

People do make a difference, Rick. Something I need to sort out.

A few details added. Wooden fences and gates for the white houses and some weathering powders run over the footpaths. Mostly “dirty yellow” but with some “grimy black” tyre marks. 

I’m not too sure about that small gate!  Camera close-ups show all sorts but it looks ok to my eyes. It’s also N-gauge meaning even with a laser-cut kit the assembly was fiddly. Paint was dry-brushed with a mix of “Murky” and “Earth Brown” from Woodland Scenics and Raw Umber plus black from my acrylics box. 

Some lovely touches in there Rick and it's all looking extremely realistic.  love the muck and grime of the lineside wall and the weathering on the houses - first class. 

Now, so you don't get too big-headed, a couple of things I'm not so sure about.

Firstly, and maybe not much you can do about it - the double decker bus appears to have nowhere to go or to turn round when it reaches the garage at the end of the road ………………………..

Secondly, I'm not too sure about the tall fencing around the white houses.  They completely block the inhabitants view of the outside world and, as it's probably dark and dismal enough with all that industry behind them, I'm sure they'd want to let some light in.  Fencing at the same height as the gate would look better (IMHO).

Otherwise, it's looking really, really good - well done Sir.

With thanks to the Noch and Preiser ranges the population of Boghouses has grown 
 
Kids “chill” in the rough ground with bike and skateboard in evidence. Another group “hangs” around the abandoned car / burned-out caravan. 
 
More people are using both road and footpath. 
 
It’s worth remembering this is N-scale so variously 1:148 or 1:160. 

In response to Petermac ’s points 

The high fence might be handy to maintain privacy and prevent unwanted intrusions by (perhaps young, perhaps substance-influenced) passers-by. Its height also matches the side gate to the cottage with the garage. 

The “lack of turning space” will be dealt with. This scene will be extended in the next phase of the build with a new raft covering the 00-9 mountain branch and stream. Then the road will continue. 

Don't tell me this picturesque little part of the valleys has a problem with substance abuse and/or vandalism Rick ……………..

Pleased to hear a mountain branch and stream are planned, plus somewhere to park that double decker !!

Nearly forgot - what a difference the people make - superb little cameos. 

Slowly working around filling the gaps. The bridge (which is approximately TT scale to suit both N and 009 scales) has had its “wedge” of land added to the backscene. Another derelict car lies abandoned as the loader brings some logs up from the rail siding 

An almost eye-level view of the current scene as 66209 idles away and life goes on around it 

Looking good, Rick. Thanks for posting.

This is probably the site itself, but your pic's take a long time to load, but all of your previous pic's load at the same time. We have over 100mb's of download so I think admin needs to look at this.

peterm said

Looking good, Rick. Thanks for posting.

This is probably the site itself, but your pic's take a long time to load, but all of your previous pic's load at the same time. We have over 100mb's of download so I think admin needs to look at this.

From “Post #292,246”, 16th June 2025, 1:04 am

The file size might be an issue for this site.  We are only running a fairly basic and free-to-use board which won't have huge bandwidth at the back-end.  

I could reduce the file size but that requires taking a lower quality original image which would in turn affect the quality when used elsewhere.  Including possible magazine submissions.  

The N-gauge scene is slowly getting there.  The brick wall now extends another two "runs" to the left of the view above and curving gently towards the backscene to ease the road into the background.  The waste transfer siding which has the mountain stream and 00-9 branch line fixed behind it is getting its cover of flexed art card onto which a lightweight industrial scene will be built.  

I can't use resin buildings here because the art card supporting the scene is quite flimsy; I can however size it to add a little strength.  I considered using a base of plastercloth for rigidity but the mess that would make in the cottage during application has been ruled out by the Management. So it will be largely card on card which is exercising the mind.  I'm sure something will emerge from the finger-tips in due course!  

I can't say that I'd blame management for banning the plaster bandage stuff. It makes a proper mess when I use it in the garage.

Bit of detailing around the wooden fence and bus stop

Nice detailing there Rick.  It brings it to life.

Yes I thought the same.

Great to see these little things keep popping up Ric.

Progress is being made towards filling the remaining scenic gap. 
 
“Williams Yard” is a sizeable resin building. Despite being mounted only on card this will be at about the mid-position on the panel, will be glued down and therefore can be used as the lifting handle for the whole section when N gives way to OO-9. 
 
Rusted lamp posts and a car indicate the approximate position of the future road extension. The yard backs onto the railway and is assumed to make use of the loading siding. 
 
There remains a step-change in levels which is caused by fixed 00-9 scenery beneath. I hope to ease the card downward by adding some fishing weights which will be disguised somehow. 

The back scene is a not-quite-exact match as  it has had to be fitted in an odd space using offcuts of the printed scene. I wasn’t about to buy a whole new pack for such a short infill. 

I’ll swap back to the 00-9 theme soon. In readiness for this a new Scale Model Scenery kit has been built. And has been deliberately set on fire!!!  
 
Careful application of a match to the roof timbers and door - very very carefully indeed - charred and burned away some parts. 
 
The kit was built to a point short of adding the roofing slates before being torched. The slates were then cut and glued to suit and the weathering applied - soot black, green and brown / rust.
 
It will be added to the layout shortly.

This process requires care, confidence, a degree of skill and a bowl of water nearby just in case!  

You are a brave man, Rick!