Model Railway Forum

This looks amazing - cannot imagine being able to get so much detail and quality into such a small space, but certainly something to admire.......

I agree, it really is very good indeed.

Many many thanks for your positive comments. It’s nice to share what I’ve done and to learn along the way from other forum members. I’m keeping M & J Brewery Sidings as a stand alone box file rather than extending it as that was the initial reason for building it. However, I do feel another box file coming on. I’ve found some interesting black and white run down shed pictures on the net and wondered if I could do a winter scene where everything is done in a range of greys so that the finished layout would look like a black and white photo. We’ll see.

Nice one, Mick. Brilliant.

Cheers,
Artur

P.S. Can you please tell us how you did that cobble-stoned yard?

Thanks Artur - very kind. The cobbles are Wills granite setts. I used card to build up the height around the rails then stuck the granite setts on top using a thin smear of no nails adhesive. I distressed areas using a dremel. Hopefully this distracts the eye from the joins. I also used polyfiller type material to further disguise joins. The setts were primed with Halfords grey plastic primer. I then used a thin wash of black and wiped the setts with tissue so just the areas between the setts kept the colour. I them mixed up a range of browny grey colours using cheap artists acrylics and applied these by dipping tissue in them and dabbing on the setts. Finally, fine green scatter was added to some of the joins to further disguise them. This scatter was given a light brush of brown acrylic just to tone down the green.
Hope this helps you.
P.S. Before spraying with primer I lightly rubbed down the setts with sand paper to tie everything together. It’s a long winded explanation but the process didn’t take that long!
PPS I added filler with my finger between the rails and setts so there wasn’t such a deep gap. I then used a nail to get rid of any high spots. A wagon run along the rails ensured everything ran well.

Fanx for the info, Mick. I intend to pave parts of the goods yard and industrial area when their time comes and your method will do the job very nicely.

Cheers,
Artur

I am awestruck. One of the most interesting micro layouts, ever.

Wow! Thanks Chops.

G'day Mick. Counter intuitive to use such a large point in the confines of a boxfile but it's what makes this layout look so good. What can you tell me about it?

Hello Rodco
The point in my box file is a short radius OO gauge Peco insulfrog. It was laid in the entry/exit to give more room. It is wire in tube and has droppers both sides to aid smooth running. It is wired for DCC, the bus being behind the file. If you need any more info, do get back to me. It was also featured in The Micro Model Railway Dispatch (owner/editor is Ian Holmes) and in the French magazine Voie Libre.