Yellow Pelican Mining Co. - Painting the fascia

I have now painted the fascia as well as adding even more 'clutter' and detail to the layout.

In addition, I have built a barbed wire fence to the right hand side which was modelled from some scrap wood and Games Workshop barbed wire which I weathered with both acrylic and oil paints. In the image below you can see some Ford Model T 1:24th scale wheels which I picked up at Malvern Flea Market last week.

I really should get around to building the roof of the main building, but am having way too much fun just modelling and adding 'clutter'.

Tony

Yellow Pelican Mining Co. - Adding the crane

When I initially discussed building the layout with my grandchildren, one of the features that they asked for was a crane and one that could move. I had looked at building a larger version, based on the underground crane found at The Bath Stone Quarry, but later realised that I didn't have enough room for such a monster. In the end, I built this wooden crane based on an illustration I found on the internet.

The main construction was from wood, strip wood that I had in stock, some plastic card details and a metal post from a Meccano set.

To support the crane, I had to do a bit of reverse engineering and built a wooden post to attach to the edge of the lower loading bay. Obviously it needed to pivot and this was done with a short metal peg inserted in the top of the crane post.

I trimmed away the roof area of the building to the front of the layout and slotted the support post in place, while I worked out where the lower, main pivot post would go - a matter of measure twice (actually measure about six times) before drilling the hole in the layout. The crane is mounted on to a concrete base modelled from plastic card and the post goes down below the level of the baseboard into a wooden plug glued below the base. I still have to work out how I will operate the crane remotely, but at least it turns or swivels on the metal post.

You can also see how I have started to add 'clutter' to the layout, something that I will continue to do.

The final image, shows engine 190 on the layout prior to attaching the crane to show how the crane is positioned.

Tony

Yellow Pelican - An American style crew for the three narrow gauge locomotives

Since starting the Yellow Pelican narrow gauge layout I have been very conscious of one obvious anomaly.....

My sculpted and cast 1:27.7 scale figures are very British and don't look right on an American themed layout. American locomotive crew tend to have taller caps and thicker, heavier overalls when compared to the flat cap and thin denim of the UK crews. For example, see these two images below.

I decide to modify three of my resin figures and give them a more American style uniform. Using Milliput and Green Stuff as well as the odd 'cut-and-shut' I came up with these three fine fellows all of which have baggier and heavier denim overalls. I also 'beefed up the caps and even added a hat based on the image above to the left hand figure.

Undercoated in grey and then 'washed' the detail is more apparent.

Painting started with the flesh areas, then the linen shirts, before painting the overalls.

No. 3 - Percy with the newly painted and finished driver superglued in place.

No. 5 - Also with a new driver/engineer.

No. 190 - A new driver finished and based on another illustration found on the web. The new figure only just fits into the rear opening cab!

Finally, all three engines with the newly sculpted and painted engineers all ready for running on the layout.

Tony

Yellow Pelican Mining Co. - Adding home made plants to the layout

My next project was adding greenery and plants to the layout. I started with dried grasses and using this old pasting brush which I picked up some time ago, I cut clumps of grass which were glued to parchment paper with PVA glue.

Next, using this plastic Bonsai tree bought at Flying Tiger, I modelled some succulents. Tall plants I had seen while watching a film based in the South West of America.

The plastic stalks/leaves were bound with thin wire and then the trunks were built up with either hot glue or thread wrapped around the trunks before being painted.

Finally for now, I added more of the paper bases hanging basket material (see earlier posts). The original material is seen in the background (in the plastic bag), while the two pots in the foreground show the newly coloured ground cover which was modified with acrylic paint added to the pots and mixed with a wooden stick.

The home made plants were individually glued in place over PVA glue and sealed with a diluted mix of PVA washing-up liquid and water dripped via a pipette.

You can also see where I have started to add items of 'clutter' to the front of the layout. These items come from a wide variety of different sources, some of which I have already detailed in earlier posts.

Progress has been slower than I had planned, but the adding of the greenery has been therapeutic and a lot of fun. I'm sure that there will be more added in the coming weeks.

Tony

New Foam Cutter - a charity shop bargain

I picked up this boxed and tested Hot Wire Foam Cutter from a charity ship in Pershore, Worcestershire earlier this week - at just £2.99 I couldn't resist it.

I already have a similar red handled model, but can always keep this as a spare and I don't think this one has ever been used.

Tony

Yellow Pelican Mining Co. - Completing the groundcover

Today's update shows the natural sandstone groundcover applied to the layout. For details of the natural sandstone ballast/scatter, see this earlier post. In addition, I have started to add some greenery, in this case a natural paper substitute used to decorate hanging baskets. I picked the hanging basket material up from a DIY store some years ago as I thought it would come in handy, and so it has.

The sandstone was applied over PVA glue and then sprayed with 'wet water' (water to which I have added some washing-up liquid). I had tried using 100% alcohol in the mix, but find that my tried and tested washing-up liquid works better. At least for me it does.

The green tufts have been coloured with simple acrylic paints to vary the intense blue/green colour of the original and then glue in place with PVA glue one at a time. The process in not yet finished as I want to add more and again vary the colour to add some variety.

I have tried to be restrained with the placement as I don't want a luscious and verdant covering, but do want some variety. In addition I have painted odd stones with grey acrylic paint - again to add some variety.

The final image was taken from the bedroom window, to give a better impression of the effect I was going for. For larger images, you can 'click' on the pictures.

Tony

Wargames Terrain & Building found in charity shop!

My brother-in-law thinks that I can call myself a real author after he found a copy of Wargames Terrain & Buildings for sale in a charity shop in Hastings.

It's certainly an interesting discovery.

Tony