Westford

Modellers Group
Westford BR(WR) 4mm scale model railway exhibition layout.

Pages showing the construction of the Branch Junction, Page Two.
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I missed a few sessions so there is a bit of a jump in the photo's!
The scenery has progressed a great deal, initial landscape coverings have
been applied. A base coat of green paint and while this is still wet, green
sawdust scatter is sprinkled on. When this has dried, clear matt varnish is librally
brushed on and Woodland Scenics 'turf' scatter is sprinkled on. Two or three more
layers are applied to build up the texture using other shades of greens.
The hedges are teased out plumbers hemp, stuck down with PVA adhesive.

The brick abutments are Slaters plastikard and have now been painted. The
bridge sides are scratch built from brass. The road surface is fine sand
sprinkled on to wet paint.

This low level shot shows the branch line running in to the cutting.
Hopefully the cutting will disguise where the line runs through the back scene.
Once the ground cover has been finished, the fence posts will be painted and
the 'wire' added. This will be thin sewing cotton. The Ratio telegraph poles
will also have wires added using the same coton thread.

Here is a high level shot of the same scene as above. The light shade in the
mainline ballasting was caused by the close to freezing temperatures at the
time of ballasting. PVA should dry transparrent, but when it is very cold, it dries
cloudy! As the ballast will receive a wash of weathering, this should blend the
light area into the rest of the track.

This is the small road bridge. The light green is the first stage and the blotchy
bit in the foreground is stage two.

General view of the extension board. Fencing in progress.

A week later and all the fence posts are in position and about three quarters of
the 'grass' has been 'planted'! First signal for the extension installed and just
visible in the distance.

Things are looking good.

View of the junction from above the branch.

A close up of the underbridge.

The new signal in place and operational.

A view along the main line looking towards Westford. The new signal with
stop arm (red with white stripe) and fixed distant (yellow "fishtail" with black chevron)
protecting the branch junction.
There are two more signals to be built and installed on this board, one for the branch
which will be a wooden post version (the first for Westford) and a junction bracket
for the up line. (beyond the train in the above picture)

A test train on the 'Up' line. The different shades in the grassed areas shows the
stages in building up the texture.

Here is a close up of the signal, the cut out in the scenery will have a retaining wall
built and the base will be blended in with the surroundings. The signal is operational
and is operated by a Fulgurex slow action point motor mounted below the baseboards.
None of the signals on Westford are lit as in the bright lights used to illuminate the layout,
lighting in semaphore signals is hardly noticeable, especially as most are viewed from the side!

Thank You for visiting our model railway pages.

Modellers Group Westford BR(WR) 4mm scale model railway exhibition layout.

Modellers Group
Westford BR(WR) 4mm scale model railway exhibition layout.