Additions to Shortwaite Hill

A few additions have been made to Shortwaite Hill, made mainly using Wills materials, Model Scene Stone Walls and plasticard.

The goods yard with added buildings. 

A replacement scratch built station shelter for "Stonegate" station before painting, the earlier model will be used for Shortwaite station up on the hill above.

The goods shed too is scratch built, using the roof pieces from a Wills barn.

A goods office from a Ratio Weighbridge hut.

In this picture is a modified and shortened Wills Barn, some new stone walls and scratch built water tower have also been added, while behind, my wife has been adding greenery to the hill scenery.

The station platform area taking shape.

Meanwhile, I have decided, for various reasons, not to go ahead with the tramway layout and want to concentrate on Shortwaite.

The Lie of the Land

Making the hill scenery for Shortwaite Hill

The rock faces, and the retaining walls at the start of the incline, made using Wills Coarse Stone sheets.

The more gradual hill sides were built-up using card strips and covered with layers of p.v.a. coated newspaper.  The steep rock faces used a base of polystyrene blocks glued in place with wood glue.

Here, I have been building up the curved lane - a piece of grey card - with thin plywood, from the over Wills Victorian bridge.

The surface was coated with "Hydrofibre" modelling compound (once marketed as "Soft-Rok" by a firm in Norwich.), it is a two-part mix of fibres and ready-coloured glue mixed with water, and can be applied over the ground former's.  If it is damaged, it can be dampened and smoothed back to shape.  

I highlighted the compound  by dry-brushing with a mixed shade of sandy/grey acrylic paints, then went over it again with sap green, and buff colours. 

These are the completed areas so far.  Cottages will be made beside the lane, and behind them Shortwaite station building.

Down below at the front of the layout will be "Stonegate Station".  Here is the station building and platform under construction, (which was later to appear at "Shortwaite Station rather than "Stonegate"!).  The building is made mainly using sanded Wills Coarse Stone sheets, and the platform is a piece 9mm plywood covered in card.