Quayside Sets

nevard_110325_brewhQ_track_IMG_9461_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia.

Due to illness in the family (temporary I hasten to add) I'm rather housebound at the moment playing nursy, pharmacist, bottle washer, human zimmer frame, maid and so on; however between these chores I'm able to dedicate a little more than the average time to getting Brewhouse Quay up and running. Yesterday saw the ballasting of the track and a start at reproducing the sets aka cobbles on the quayside.

In the past for such, I've always use Humbrol Air Clay, but my local shop now stocks DAS instead. I must say that I'm very impressed, mainly because it doesn't crack when setting, thus saving valuable touch-up time. I tend also to ballast the areas that will have the modelling clay applied, the ballast making a key to hold the clay in place. It also makes it easier to apply between the sleepers to represent fine clinker which tended to be used on British sidings rather than course ballast - the siding in the foreground here representing the technique well.

There is a huge area to do, so rather than grind out the individual slabs which would take forever and probably go unnoticed, I'm simply texturing the clay before it sets with a screwdriver and any other suitable objects to had to give lots of variety. When finally coloured it should give the desired effect from a normal viewing distance. And anyway, it will be covered with miniature ale casks and coal for the brewhouse furnace to heat the boiling copper.