Somewhere SW of London. Somewhen before today

Next stage ….. 

…… stick a few stepping stones in place and start adding long grass. 


The layout is called “Waddlemarsh”. This will be the stream and marsh in which to waddle!  In due course the vegetation will become home to an old friend. The Penhayle mermaid is coming to Waddlemarsh :lol: as Marty guessed. 

Hi Rick    Is this a DIY platelayers hut. And if it is, where did you purchase the planking.  Best wishes Kevin 

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

Hi Rick    Is this a DIY platelayers hut. And if it is, where did you purchase the planking.  Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Kevin,

 The shed is Bachmann item 44-046 "Shillingstone Parcel Office" which might still be available in a few places.  I over-painted the printed colour and added my own weathering.  The outside toilet is part of Wills kit SS67 built up, painted and glued to the end of the parcel office.  That kit includes another similar station building not yet featured but which will sit near the signalbox and substation in an area which awaits finishing. 

Originally I was going to use the entire kit in one place but the Shillingstone building looks slightly better there and has the better footprint for a fairly tight spot.  

Hi Rick.   Thank you for your reply. Being a Southern fan I already have a concrete shed, but, it was the planks that I am interested in. To either stretch my signal box kit, or find one long enough kit to fit the name plate that I had made.Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Rick.    The best kit glue? That I know? And it is in a blue bottle by Revell, Keeps getting stuck in the bottle and gives me a Pita, would you please recommend another one please.  Best wishes Kevin

Revell Contacta Pro. Same as I use. When the tiny metal applicator tubes get bunged up I try soaking them in boiling soapy water. If that doesn’t work I unscrew the caps (which are left-hand thread) and use the metal tube as both dipstick and applicator.  

If that doesn’t work I use superglue. 

Hi Rick. Thank you.up until now I have been holding, with pliers, over the gas.  Best wishes Kevin 

The Waddle Marsh continues to grow. 

Faced with the problem of having a river in a valley on a flat board I intend to build up the far bank with a low-level retaining wall and a little “land fill” back towards the headshunt siding. 

You have an amazing knack of creating these wonderful cameos from almost nothing Rick.

It would be very interesting to see a step by step series as well as the finished article so we lesser beings could pick up a few tips or would that encroach on what you do at shows …….  ;-)

what you do at shows …….

What's a show? 




No shows in 2020 nor 2021 and nothing booked for 2022.  Those shows I have been at are advising they are now swamped with requests for next year which might edge some of us out …..  




There is a tentative invitation to Hayle in Cornwall but still subject to confirmation.  

Lovely work, Rick. 

:thumbs :thumbs :thumbs

I think we all miss the shows Rick.  I used to plan my annual November trip around what shows I could squeeze in.  These last 2 years, when I couldn't travel to UK,  there weren't any shows anyway so I didn't miss anything.

I do sometimes wonder how many of them will come back …………. :hmm  They involve a lot of work, expense and risk for the organisers and I suspect many would struggle to break even financially so why bother………..?

More progress. 

The opposite bank now exists. A card wall was faced with Scalescenes “Coursed Ashlar” printed at 67% to reduce the size of the blocks somewhat.  That was then brushed over with brown weathering powder and dark green was added at the lower edge.

A flight of stone steps was built using scrap offcuts of the card and more ashlar print. These provide access to the stepping stones. 

The land on the “railway” bank is built up using two sheets of foamboard on top of each other and will be developed into a patch of greenery. This now provides the illusion that the railway is slightly higher than the river. Which it isn’t. 

Lovely Rick - a great bit of modelling there.  Well done Sir !  :pathead

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

Lovely Rick - a great bit of modelling there.  Well done Sir !  :pathead

Thank you Peter. Any time I get card or paper out I feel I am working in Doug (Chubber)‘s shadow and hope one day to match his standards in those materials 

Half an hour later and the ground cover is in. Random bushes will appear later 

The various water fowl arrive plain white. Some have been repainted to become brown ducks and black moorhens. There will also be coots (much like a moorhen but with white, not red, bill and brow).  









And …… she’s baaa-aaack :Happy:Happy:Happy   

The ducks look good Rick - Mallards ?

At first, I thought you were going to say black swans or ugly ducklings ……..


I thought mermaids were salt water creatures.  I see they are also called water nymphs or even river nymphs.  I don't remember the nymphs of my youth looking like that …………..

I had female mallards in mind Peter. Detailing the fancy metallic green of the drake’s plumage might be a step too far. However I look at it that’s at least a tin of Humbrol for just a couple of spots :mrgreen:
Mermaids, water-nymphs, sirens. What ever you know them as Rule 1 still applies 

A little more progress. Access between the road bridge and station will be via a flight of steps.  Part-complete in this view these are built from offcuts of card and foamboard with spare brick-print paper from the Scalescenes download stuck on. The steps themselves will be formed from spare pieces not used for the concrete footbridge at the other end. 



And a gratuitous shot of the loading crane astride some wagons.