Two Planks Become One

They must feel your better off at home Kevin
Chin up, cup of tea and put the radio on bud  :)

Good to hear from you Kevin. Lots to catch up on, on here to keep you going!

Kevin

Its good to hear that you are home and whilst hospital can be a good place to be, at least at home you can have a cup of tea and sit around in your pyjamas all day without anyone telling you what you have to do.  My dad spent some time in hospital at the start of the year and was pleased to get home for the simple reason that no-one woke him up 4 times a night to find out if he was sleeping ok!!!

I am not able to model right now and depend on forums, YouTube and books to keep my interest going.  I would recommend this - chill out, kick back, make a brew and rest.  In a few weeks I am sure that you will feel better and, if the doctors are happy, you can get back to the Plank

Barry

Hi Matt.  I did complain about my inability to walk without help. But they must need the bed. Best wishes Kev 

Hi Kevin
I've been following your quest for the backs of houses with gardens in low relief.  You can certainly buy "off the peg", but they are pricey.  The advantage is that they are ready to plant.  Scalescenes do a print and cut version.  In theory the cheapest option, although it involves having a printer and quite a lot of cutting, including relatively thick card - although you can always use thinner card and laminate, but that means more printing and more cutting.  And the added cost of the card, paper, glues etc. soon adds to the cost if you don't already have a supply.

Alternatively, you could look at laser cut kits.  they will require putting together and painting, but are a pretty good compromise…

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121949224748

You could look at these as a starting point, or just search laser cut houses rear low relief or some similar search to see what is available.
Alternatively, Metcalf also make some….



Regards

Michael

Hi Matt.  Touch wood, this is another reply I am back to sleeping in my own bed., which is next to the Railway Room.With luck this will inspire me to finish the layout, as long as I can purchase the stuff on line. It would be better if I was fit enough to attend, as soon as things are back to normal, a Railway show, where I can buy what I require.   
Best wishes Kevin

That is good. Can't wait to see updates with progress again!

Hi Chris.  Thank you for your reply and encouragement . Keep up the good work on Teasel Bay.The trouble is that I am locked down, and I cannot expect my food shopping volunteers to get the stuff that I require for the Railway as well. I still haven’t done anything to my scenic break. I will be happy when I can get out.  Best wishes Kevin 

How are the planks doing Kevin ?  Trying to catch up with everyone after a manic work period so Im slowly ' doing the rounds'  :thumbs
Cheers

Matt

Hi Matt.   My Inglenook Junction works okay, but, the boards are still bare.  Meanwhile I am still doing my exercises and looking forward walking without the Zimmer frame, and when I can do my model Railway shopping.And I am fiddling around thinking of jobs that I can do, cut and shut etc, as manufacturers don’t bother making the coaches to match the Loco’s livery’s.  Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Zelda the Swordsman.   After months of Lockdown twiddling my thumbs, it is about time that I got my finger out?I have decided that I need to , for starters, direct my attention to the scenic break on Inglenook junction, where the backside of the aforementioned scenic break really looks bare , and I am considering the purchase of some sort of foam, and a hot wire gadget to shape it, but, I don’t know what type to get . The foam has to include a blackened tunnel and be glued to a piece of plywood to keep it together. Best wishes Kevin 

Good luck with that Kevin. I find once you’ve got some terrain on the layout it breaks up a boring flat board. 

Hi Chris    Thank you for your reply,  but, I would have thought that  an experienced modeller like yourself to give an answer. about the tools and materials that I require. Best wishes Kevin 

I just do trial and error like everyone else. You can use just about anything to build up terrain and coverIt with plaster cloth or Sculptamold etc. I’ve seen people use near enough anything to build it up. 

Hi Chris.  Thank you for your reply, that sounds like a good idea, but I don’t want to make a mess as it takes me all my time to do the house work as it is.    Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Matt.    I thought that it was about time I sent you an update, well it’s like this  yesterday the “ Heart Nurse “ paid me a visit? It would appear that the Pacemaker cannot cope and my heart is still running fast, and I require a stronger dose of some of the tablets I am taking, it must be the excitement of building, or trying, a model Railway  . Best wishes Kevin

Glad to see you slowly "getting back on thread" so to speak ? 
Re the scenic break bit, why not try some paper mache ? All you need is scrunched up paper to give you a base to the shape you want then use some dilute pva liberally pasted over the top and layer on strips of paper, paste, paper, paste, paper etc. Not really as messy as sawing up polistyrene but surprisingly strong once its dry ?.. if you want a cutting side, use some heavy cardboard as your former, then go on with the paper mache to build up layers

Give it a try on a scrap piece of board and see what results you get 

Cheers

Matt

Hi Matt.   Thank you for your reply. With the lockdown and my “ Diogenes “ I haven’t got a lot choice. Which leaves with the Railway, I also have some wagon kits and couplers. Best wishes Kevin

Hi Matt and any interested parties. Today I thought that I would sit back and have a running session, wrong, I had to clean the track, out with a bottle of IPA, and a soft cloth, rub, rub, rub, considering I purchased a knock off track cleaner, which I am yet to use and for the sake of the lockdown otherwise I would have a dropper or a very small funnel, I have been recommended lighter fuel and cotton buds , but, that sounds a bit dangerous? Anyway I did a bit of loose shunting with a pair of kit built Presflo wagons. Any advice on track cleaning would be much appreciated. Best wishes Kevin

I mainly use the rough side of a 2"square of Hardboard Kevin, use a cotton bud to spread a generaous dollp of IPA and  thenrub it round the track rough side down. Better than cloth as it doesn't leave fluff and the hardboard is rough enough to loosen any dirt without being as scratchy as a track rubber. When it gets too worn just cut the end off 
The older it is the betther as older furniture seamed to have a better quality of Hardboard but newer stuff still works, it just doesn't last as long :roll:

( P.S. if you cant get hold of any PM me and I can post you a few squares, I have a few square feet of the stuff removed from the back of an old unit)

Cheers

Matt