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The scenic side of a model railway is a very personal area
as individuals perceive the natural world in different ways. We encourage
clients to complete the scenery on a layout to give it their personal
touch and allow the satisfaction of completing the task on a layout that
is the most apparent to viewers. We do however offer a full scenic service
to customer requirements; and we are frequently asked to deliver layouts
with the ballasting completed. This task is very tedious after the track
has been installed and may cause running problems if not added neatly. We
ballast at the same as track laying making the process much neater - see
our ballasting section |
For those requiring a few hints and tips on the
production of scenery, here are a few 'tricks' of the trade!
STRUCTURAL SCENERY
| 1). The base of any scenic model is usually a structural
frame. If the scenery is contoured and not flat, the frame is simply
made using plywood formers shaped to represent the finished landscape
shape. On large layouts these formers can form part of an open frame
construction baseboard supporting track beds and cut out for tunnels
etc. Remember the lowest datum point on your layout may be below track
level e.g. a water feature. |
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2). Once the structural frame is complete, form the landscape
profile using chicken wire with a small mesh size. Most builders
merchants and some DIY stores sell a 6mm square mesh that is best
suited. With such a fine mesh the plaster bandage will not 'sink' into
the mesh which can show through. Staple gun the mesh in place, hammer
down the staples to keep them out of view later. For smaller spans
tapestry web can be used. This should be made more rigid by applying a
coat of varnish. |
| 3). Apply the landscape cover material, usually 'modroc'
plaster bandage or similar. The first layer is best applied by cutting
the bandage into small squares (approx' 4" x 4") before
soaking as this is easier to conform around shapes and easier to
handle. |
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4). Before applying a second layer, use a decorators flexible
filler cartridge to go around all scenic edges. Whilst the filler is
still wet apply the second layer bedding the bandage into the filler
to guarantee a flexible neat definition that is crack resistant at
joins. This is most needed around civil engineering features e.g.
tunnel mouths or retaining walls and where the scenery may join a flat
surface. |
SCENERY - GREENERY
Once the scenic profile has been achieved several methods can be used to apply a
basic ground cover. The plaster bandage is best covered with a thin coating of
modelling plaster with brown or green paint added to the mix (always make a
small sample to ensure it will set with the paint added). This prevents the base
white plaster coat showing through if the surface is scuffed. The plaster layer
also smoothes out the surface removing traces of the wire mesh, and fills any
small gaps in the bandage. From this stage one of following methods is usually used:
 | Basic method - paint the plaster surface with green gloss paint and apply
the scatter/flock to the paint as soon as possible using the sticky paint
surface as an adhesive for the scatter. Layers can be added once dry as
below. |
| Standard method - paint the plaster with an undercoat watercolour e.g. Woodland Scenics Basecoat and allow to dry. Apply the scatter/flock to the
landscape after PVA adhesive has been applied using a paint brush. The
secret of a natural looking model is to vary the use of colours and
textures.
 | For
general grassy areas using the Woodland Scenics range as an example, select
a fine base texture of a colour more yellow than that required - Burnt Grass
is normally used. Carefully blend in areas that are browner and greener than
the Burnt Grass - use earth and grass green. If a distinct pathway or
similar is required across the area, apply this to the wet PVA adhesive
first before adding the greenery. Use earth colour scatter for best effect.
Once the base coat is dry, apply patches of a more textured ground cover e.g.
Woodland coarse turf in two shades e.g. light and medium green. This creates a
more 3D appearance that can be increased using the extra coarse turf and
foliage clumps. Scrubland areas can be represented using the Heki Wild Grass
to give great depth to ground foliage. Rock faces and the base of buildings
can be 'bedded' in using coarse turf around the edges to remove the distinct
line interface between the object and the scenery. This can be seen in the
adjacent photograph of the tunnel mouth where the coarse turf overlaps the
join between the tunnel moulding and the scenery. Static grasses are now
popular adding greater 3D to the scenery. |
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| Grass mats - at one time dismissed as train set scenery but with the
emergence of static grass mats some very effective scenery can be made
particularly when used along side the standard method above. Many
manufacturers now provide scenic maters both static and non-static. |
Without doubt the best scenery is created using a depth of colours and textures which
will usually involve careful selection of materials from a variety of manufacturers.
SCENERY - ROCK FACES
| The
image to the right shows a simple rock face manufactured using basic scenic
materials, and installed using the techniques described above. The natural rock
exposure is represented by cork bark cut wafer thin on a band saw allowing it it
to become more flexible. The cork is fixed to the plaster base terrain using a
glue gun. If larger and thicker pieces of cork bark are used, they can be set
into the scenery before the chicken wire or similar is applied. Once in place
bring the base scenery coat up to the edge of the cork before disguising the
edge of the cork with coarse turf pressed into PVA adhesive overlapping the
cork. Rock can also be sculptured into plaster and painted using paints from the
Woodland Scenics range. Polystyrene blocks can also be carved to shape before
painting with textured paint and then finished with paints as above. |
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SCENERY - WATER
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Water is
one of the most difficult scenic items to model in a realistic way. The most
un-natural looking water on a model is real water! When modelling water two main
factors have to be considered, is the water running or still; and how deep is
the water to appear. The photograph to the left shows water in the form of a
village pond. The technique used to achieve the depth and reflection are the
same for all water types, although movement can be introduced in a river or the
sea. The pond appears to have depth by illusion as it is only about 1mm deep.
The depth is formed by painting the pond base with a selection of colours that
will create depth - dark green, brown and black. The reflective surface is a by
product of the material used to represent water - clear gloss varnish e.g.
Ronseal.
Several layers of varnish (3-4) are applied to give depth and reflection.
Movement can be created by 'drawing' the top coat of varnish before it dries i.e.
to represent the wake of a boat or perhaps a duck! Waterfalls can be made using
a glue gun to form thin strands of resin glue from the top of the fall to the
bottom. Remember to varnish the surrounding rocks to make them look wet from the
splash! The finishing touch is to blend the water to the scenery using the same
technique used in forming rock faces above. The photograph of the pond shows how
the blend works. The pond and the surrounding grass are formed on the same piece
of plywood. The extra coarse foliage covering the join between the pond and base
grass makes the pond appear slightly lower. Always form the water before the
scenery and allow to dry for at least 24 hours before adding the scenery. This
prevents the scatter powders falling into the water. |
A variety of 'out the bottle' waters are now available from Woodland Scenics
and other manufacturers e.g. Javis. |
