This week I managed to get the last of the backboard panels installed. I'm pleased with how it looks so far.
Today I picked up 2/3 of the points I need and some track
from Model Railroad Craftsman in Blacktown. I always like the range of scratchbuilding
and scenery items in there, so it was good to wander around briefly. Once home,
I put some gap filler over the screws and the joins on the panels in the
backboard. After cutting out the supporting timber for the track and setting
some of it up to check distances, I figured, why the hell not, and pulled out
part of the backscene.
This is "Barinore" by Haskell and I'm noticing it's becoming more and more common in layouts with photographic backdrops at the moment, namely Spicer's Creek and Morpeth, as well another HO scale one from the Epping Exhibition last year who's name escapes me. By the same chap who made Smaldon Curve layout. I digress. I've noticed on all of the layouts that that backdrop in particular unobtrusively blends into the background due in no small part to the effort each of the modellers have put into their scenery, both in quality and in not 'crowding' the scenes.
I chose the medium sized one (450mm x 2600mm), and although it currently looks a bit big for HO, I'm hoping that having some similarly-sized trees on the layout and some terrain will reduce that. Keen to hear anyone's thoughts or previous experience on that too.
Lastly, I thought I'd include a picture on how I'm installing the risers. I've got a length of 100mm x 19mm pine which I'm cutting to the width of the track baseboard where it crosses the SHS supports. These are secured with two different types of screws to a 20mm x 20mm bracket I got from Bunnings. I measure it's position from the front of the plan and matched that to the layout frame to get it into position and line it all up. The track baseboard will be screwed on top once level.
This is "Barinore" by Haskell and I'm noticing it's becoming more and more common in layouts with photographic backdrops at the moment, namely Spicer's Creek and Morpeth, as well another HO scale one from the Epping Exhibition last year who's name escapes me. By the same chap who made Smaldon Curve layout. I digress. I've noticed on all of the layouts that that backdrop in particular unobtrusively blends into the background due in no small part to the effort each of the modellers have put into their scenery, both in quality and in not 'crowding' the scenes.
I chose the medium sized one (450mm x 2600mm), and although it currently looks a bit big for HO, I'm hoping that having some similarly-sized trees on the layout and some terrain will reduce that. Keen to hear anyone's thoughts or previous experience on that too.
Lastly, I thought I'd include a picture on how I'm installing the risers. I've got a length of 100mm x 19mm pine which I'm cutting to the width of the track baseboard where it crosses the SHS supports. These are secured with two different types of screws to a 20mm x 20mm bracket I got from Bunnings. I measure it's position from the front of the plan and matched that to the layout frame to get it into position and line it all up. The track baseboard will be screwed on top once level.
Until next time, cheers.
Ben
The medium is the largest that is available and was used on the O scale Spicers Creek module. There was a initial concern that it may be to small as the trees in front were taller. The selection of the height of the photographic element sets the perspective the taller the closer the backdrop will feel to the viewer. If you paint the sky you have the freedom to chose,
ReplyDeleteGary