OK, a little progress with the ground frame, another coat of paint needed, some tidying, followed by some weathering. Window frames are self adhesive paper label cut into narrow strips.

OK, a little progress with the ground frame, another coat of paint needed, some tidying, followed by some weathering. Window frames are self adhesive paper label cut into narrow strips.

I might add a little etched green house, it's seen here resting in a possible spot. There will be a fence between the running line and crossing cottage garden in due course.

A start has been made on the ground frame. A hole will be cut into the ground in due course for this. The windows have still to have the frames added. Painting has begun, the finished result will be tired and dull - not like here.

The barrow crossing at the other end of the layout has had the missing timbers added with apologies to P4ers who will no doubt be appalled by the flangway gaps!

The barrow crossing at the other end of the layout has had the missing timbers added with apologies to P4ers who will no doubt be appalled by the flangway gaps!

'Exit stage right' has seen a little more work with trees and bushes to hide the train's exit off stage. One of the trees represents an old pollarded Willow, a type seen all over the place on the Somerset Levels.

'Exit stage right' has seen a little more work with trees and bushes to hide the train's exit off stage. One of the trees represents an old pollarded Willow, a type seen all over the place on the Somerset Levels.

Growth around the good shed has now been glued into place (Woodland Scenics Poly Fibre, dusted in foam and saw dust flock, recoloured with aerosols etc.)

Whilst out photographing layouts for the mags, I'm often battling with the amount of dust found on them - it needing to be removed before picture taking can commence. How about covers lads? Pretty easy, just split some dustbin liners as a source of lightweight dark plastic to keep dust off and stop fading. Water scenes in particular are often spoilt with a mantle of old dried skin particles and household dust (yuck) . A walk along the Wey Navigation yesterday however showed that there is indeed a prototype for it, the stuff floating on the water coming from the willows on the bank, which despite looking similar is far less scary!

Some red targets (plastic card) have been added to the level crossing gates, along with some bespoke CK supplied mesh (cheers Capt'n!).

Some red targets (plastic card) have been added to the level crossing gates, along with some bespoke CK supplied mesh (cheers Capt'n!).

Trees: Bend wire > solder joins > cover thicker bits in masking tape > cover in Humbrol Dry Clay (might as well use it up) > paint in thick PVA to strengthen > add a fine gossamer of Woodland Scenics microfibre > spray a mist of matt black and grey primer over whole tree > spray microfibre with photomount > dust on Anita Decor & Silvia 'tree foliage' scatter > adjust colour with 'Ford Laural Green' (Halfords) > Place under layout lighting > realize looks too emerald > adjust with diluted biege/greeny matt emusion PVA mix through an artist's diffuser > have a Westons Cider. Gottit?

Still much to do, should really sort out the gate targets, just working out how to get a really round (really round!) and clean mask when adding the white surrounds to the red centre. For the sceptics, everything you see here is 'as is', no sky photoshopperrrtrickerypoos......... It's interesting how the little Canon compact makes the backscene appear bluer over the more subtle Nikon DSLR. Of course one could match them with Photoshop, maybe when the layout is finished. Lots still to do....maybe another cider and some sleep first, there's no rush.........

Other growth (much still loose, just positioned for appraisal - only rear fixed so far), scatter coated seafoam, rubber nag's hair (what happens to the horse, is it still alive, dog food or a 'plat du jour' in Paris? guess we'll never know, let's not think about it...) and some Heiki tree foliage. Re-coloured as per the trees. Have another cider.

As per the real structure, there was a water butt, this is simply a tube of corrugated plasticard wrapped around 1/2

The muddy area in front of the cottage, will be a vegetable patch/allotment soon.

To replicate the very fine chicken wire on the gates, I dug out some gift wrapping ribbon (gauze with 0.5 mm holes), having decided that the supplied gauze was way to course (scale 6 inch holes, probably OK for gauge 1)

Added the hairy bits to the right hand side, a mix of hanging basket liner and Silfor, in turn colour adjusted with this odd greeny PVA mix I made up some years ago which has been used on both Arne Wharf and Cement Quay, stippled on with a 1 inch brush. Before setting, the fibres were brushed upwards with some L shaped tweezers. The grass was then finished off with a buff colour matt emulsion just on the tips of the blades. This way the Silfor and hanging basket liner blend quite well. Stil some tidying up of stray hairs to do. Still much to do, one of the bigger jobs being trees and some signals to protect the crossing. One will be a LSWR latice (bought today from Wizard Models at Expo EM), the other, a tall wooden S&D post maybe, like the one at Bason Bridge. The low relief shed will look better when the end has a bush there to hide the transition to backscene

The loco is a weathered Bachmann one, renumbered to reflect one of Radstock's finest or worst, depend on your viewpoint. On the former S&DJR. these engines were mainly used as bankers, the 3 link rather than screw coupling being correct for this particular engine. They did make the odd sojourn down the Highbridge Branch from time to time.

The photographer's spanking new Austin A30 Countryman (Springside) contrasts well with wheezy LMS heap which is performing a spot of shunting (Parkside Dundas LMS CCT). The area just to the right of the car is likely to be a small coal dump..................

Another 24 hours, another snap, this time showing the beginnings of the grassy bits on the left hand side of the layout. There will be a bank of willow in front of the image with the telegraph pole in the distance to mask the Highbridge side of the layout's exit. The goods shed roof is still loose (and it shows too), pending that there will be some internal detail before being fixed into place. I could say that the reason for the shed's slight lilt to the right is because it's sinking into the bog, it's simply that it has not been bedded into the ground properly yet (I fix all my buildings to layouts - less things to pack up after a show and hopefully no gaps around the bases).

Had the S&D remained open into the 1970's, this is maybe what the branch train would have looked like?

The transition off the end of the platform needs tidying and the barrow crossing needs some extra timber...........

OK, to put a spanner in the works even more, here's the Peatworks inspection vehicle, (on temporary loan from Arne Wharf) normally used by Sir Henry Montague Fitton Bessemer-Rawlinson, for occasional inspections of the short line. I don't know where they are now, maybe they've walked up to Burtle for some local cider?

The final days of a Somerset outpost............

The pic above show the attack of the hanging basket liner earlier today. It will be trimmed, using small scissors and a vacuum cleaner to make it stand up. It will then be recoloured very lightly with a highly diluted PVA/yellowy/browny/greeny emulsion mixes using a smallish stiff brush. The grass at the rear will be trimmed too, to make it look less like the mower has been emptied. The glue/paint mix ultimately sets hard and stops the shreds of hanging basket liner breaking off and going everywhere it shouldn't.

The coarser ballast is sand from the Solent strained through a fine sieve, something I've been using for years (Combwich). I did a test section the other night with some Green Scenes stuff but it didn't look right, it looking like old tea leaves in colour once dry. The beach sand is tiny pebbles, being almost round, the grains literally roll into place. It also takes PVA well too, in fact alot better than granit or whatever it is that the scenery suppliers give us.

The main running line has been ballasted at last, it contrasting quite well with the fine ash/mud of the siding. There will be further colouring here. Between the gates and the plaform there will be a groundframe based on the one at Ascott. Under the flatform will be tall grass and weeds.

Reeds were darkend little, they're still wet here. When almost dry (after this pic) they were tweeked a little and the tops bent over a tad. Water was recoloured a little to suggest algae and stagnation.

An odd European import traverses the 009 tramway towards the rear..............

Templecombe's GWR Pannier No 4691 trundles over the crossing with a few vans carrying bagged peat, or maybe Clarke's shoes?

37403 trundles over Catcott Crossing with a short train of vans from Burrowbridge.

37403 trundles over Catcott Crossing with a short train of vans from Burrowbridge.

The cracking in the clay (which is normal) is easily addressed. 'Mainline' still to be ballasted (granite).

Made a proper start on the level crossing gates (secondhand white metal MSE), targets to add, then some more painting needed (black bits) and weathering. Might add some checken wire 'mesh', the supplied being too coarse. Now where's the wife's wedding dress?

Long shot showing the whole layout just about.....

Made a proper start on the level crossing gates (secondhand white metal MSE), targets to add, then some more painting needed (black bits) and weathering. Might add some checken wire 'mesh', the supplied being too coarse. Now where's the wife's wedding dress?

Long shot showing the whole layout just

Reeds from plumber's hemp.

Reeds from plumber's hemp.

Heljan Western.

During a spare moment earlier today, added a little more Silfor and a splash of paint here and there...... not sure the Wizzer would be alllowed on this route though. Scary to think that this loco takes up about 20% of the length of the layout.......

During a spare moment earlier today, added a little more Silfor and a splash of paint here and there...... not sure the Wizzer would be alllowed on this route though. Scary to think that this loco takes up about 20% of the length of the layout.......

During a spare moment earlier today, added a little more Silfor and a splash of paint here and there......

44417 (had this loco since 1982) is awaiting a new chassis, there's no way those old Airfix wheel sets are going to get through the pointwork!

44417 (had this loco since 1982) is awaiting a new chassis, there's no way those old Airfix wheel sets are going to get through the pointwork!

44417 (had this loco since 1982) is awaiting a new chassis, there's no way those old Airfix wheel sets are going to get through the pointwork!

During a spare moment earlier today, added a little more Silfor and a splash of paint here and there......

During a spare moment earlier today, added a little more Silfor and a splash of paint here and there......

A bit more work on the painting of the clay after looking at colour albums from the era/area. Very early stages, the final result will be weed ridden 'house style'

A bit more work on the painting of the clay after looking at colour albums from the era/area. Very early stages, the final result will be weed ridden 'house style'

A bit more work on the painting of the clay after looking at colour albums from the era/area. Very early stages, the final result will be weed ridden 'house style'

Back to Catcott; the peat shed looked too 'low relief' from certain angles, it was also casting a shadow on the backscene. A litte hacking about with a Stanley Knife to reduce roof height and some Wills Asbestos sheeting has solved both the problems, it is also a little less imposing too. Still unsure as to which side the tank should go. There'll be a narrow gauge line passing through the shed too...........

Back to Catcott; the peat shed looked too 'low relief' from certain angles, it was also casting a shadow on the backscene. A litte hacking about with a Stanley Knife to reduce roof height and some Wills Asbestos sheeting has solved both the problems, it is also a little less imposing too. Still unsure as to which side the tank should go. There'll be a narrow gauge line passing through the shed too...........

This shows how the clay can crack a little, easily remeded with a splash of water and a little rubbing with a thumb or stiff brush to fill in any cracks.

Catcott: the new goods shed roughly in position as Templecombe's 3206 pulls in with its train from Highbridge. Lighting wise, the previous 'energy saver' bulbs have been replaced with 3 good old fashioned incandecent 60 watt bulbs (better stock up with these whilst one can get them) to give a better quality of light, especially with the rendering of green - these snaps being taken with the little Canon G9 pocket camera simply being set to pre set 'tungsten' white balance. The bulbs don't stand as proud from their mounts either ('energy saver' bulbs have a rather large base before you get to the bit that glows), thus meaning the illumination is less overhead and more from the front.

3206 slows for the short Catcott platform with its train from Evercreech Junction. The 'Catcott Burtle' inlay is temporary, having now tracked down some small cast letters as a correct replacement. The track is still to be ballasted and the unsightly solder blob near the point stretcher needs to be removed (along with the thin cosmetic C&L stretcher which has distorted). casual snaps like this are a good aid for seeing 'what's hot' and 'what's not'. The carriage is a Dapol LMS non-corridor 'sub' with 'Flushglaze' and moulded handrails/tank fillers on the ends replaced with wire. Halfords 'British Leyland Carmine' as on my full sized MGBGT is quite a good ringer for 1950's crimson - well, once weathered anyway!

Catcott: The Wills wooden good shed now with top coat of dry brushed green and cream allowing some of the primer to show through.

Catcott: a bit for Silfor grass.

Catcott: a bit for Silfor grass.

Running in boards.

Here's the old Parkside brakevan (gosh it looks rough this close!), it was built in hospital whilst visiting my wife there during an operation a few years ago. Most take flowers and chocs, I took a mo

A little more Silfor grass on Catcott.....

This morning's work (about 45 mins), saw the rhyne bed painted a darkish grey emulsion colour, then coated with a thick layer of PVA (first of about 4 or 5 coats). A couple of patches of Silfor were a

This morning's work (about 45 mins), saw the rhyne bed painted a darkish grey emulsion colour, then coated with a thick layer of PVA (first of about 4 or 5 coats). A couple of patches of Silfor were a

This morning's work (about 45 mins), saw the rhyne bed painted a darkish grey emulsion colour, then coated with a thick layer of PVA (first of about 4 or 5 coats). A couple of patches of Silfor were a

This morning's work (about 45 mins), saw the rhyne bed painted a darkish grey emulsion colour, then coated with a thick layer of PVA (first of about 4 or 5 coats). A couple of patches of Silfor were a

This morning's work (about 45 mins), saw the rhyne bed painted a darkish grey emulsion colour, then coated with a thick layer of PVA (first of about 4 or 5 coats). A couple of patches of Silfor were a

A bit of spare tiling grout has been used for the canal and beginnings of the road surface. It looks rather like snow! Modelling clay will be used for any further work, it goes where you want it rather than sticking everyhere you don't! Another layer of greeny grey paint (emulsion) will be added to the 'water' prior to adding PVA.

A bit of spare tiling grout has been used for the canal and beginnings of the road surface. It looks rather like snow! Modelling clay will be used for any further work, it goes where you want it rather than sticking everyhere you don't! Another layer of greeny grey paint (emulsion) will be added to the 'water' prior to adding PVA.

The last 48 hours have seen the rhyne straightened (now more like the real thing due to the peat works now being at the rear). The aim is to treat the wall like this one on the edge of the Avon in Bath snapped earlier this week.

Back in 1971, with the remaining part of the S&D still being open as far as Glastonbury (from Highbridge) for the Clarks shoe factory and the new and groovy rock festival, WR Bubble pauses at Catcott Burtle Sidings.

Dug out the my first ever (and last) brass loco kit I put together in 1982, a Craftsmen Midland 1P...........