Snow Day

Posted byTrevorPosted inAchievable Layouts, Great Western Railway in 7mm scale, GWR Bydemill (Highworth), Layouts I have designed or built, Scenery
A blizzard hit Bydemill, burying it under a blanket of snow.

I had a frustrating hobby day yesterday, so today I decided to go for a quick win and start shaping the terrain on Bydemill – my 7mm Great Western Railway layout. Since I’ve used foam board insulation, this is a quick but messy job.

Little bits of insulation get everywhere. Fortunately, they vacuum up well.

I use a variety of tools for this, but when I need to remove a lot of material – for example, when shaping layered-up chunks of foam into a slop – it’s hard to beat a wire wheel in a power drill. Just be sure to wear eye protection and a particle mask – and keep the shop vac handy!

Foam snowflakes, everywhere.

These two photos provide a before and after comparison of the long embankment that runs along the front of the layout. (This embankment will keep scenery low where operators frequently need to reach into the layout with a coupling tool):

Before: The one-inch step down at the front is very apparent. (Also: I must devise a place for operators to set out their wagon tags.)
After: The world looks better already!

There’s more to do, but I’m pleased with the results so far. I think there’s more snow in the forecast for tomorrow!

Published by Trevor

Lifelong model railway enthusiast and retired amateur shepherd who trained a border collie to work sheep. Professional writer and editor, with some podcasting and Internet TV presenting work thrown in for good measure.