Diorama

I joined the N Gauge Forum over the weekend (it is here if you haven't found it) and found my way to a diorama challenge (here).  Now my local model railway club has as one of its sections in its Annual Model Making Competition a Diorama section which is limited in size (which tends to cause issues for 7mm modellers who can't get anything in and for some 2mm modellers who think they should fill the space, although I have it on good authority it is a maximum size limit, not a minimum one) and which for a variety of reasons isn't frequently contested.  I had a go a couple of years ago and along with the other entry was fouled out by the 7mm modeller judge (both entries being N and he didn't like them apparently!).  Since I am banned from 3 sections this year (on account of winning them last year - see here for details - I thought I might as well kill two birds with one stone and use the same entry for both.

I came home from work early today owing to a massive headache - not sure if it is what my daughter has been home from school for 2 days with or something else - but after a siesta and some drugs (caffeine mostly!) I found myself a 4x6 photo frame and nicked the bit of hardboard which was in it (something to replace later no doubt!) and made a start.  The photos were all taken today and show progress.

Because I don't like straight lines, I put my track across the board on the angle.  The sleepers are actually 2mm ones which I got from the bloke who I call "The Dealer" as he was the one who sent me my first 2mm "hit"

My preferred method of putting down these types of sleepers is to use Amity's wide double sided tape.  This then means, with some thin DS tape next to the sleepers ballasting is simple.  The surrounding dirt is washed out sand from a road graded down to get it as fine as possible on neat PVA glue.

Leaving space for the chosen building (my scratch built cattle dock - see here and here for the more interesting parts of the story) the green was added after some Woodland Scenic brown.  I left the ruts from the cattle lorries backing up to the dock visible - not sure if this would be true in the UK but certainly would be here - assuming the grass was that green!

Cattle dock in place - it isn't fully glued down, just a little bit so it doesn't fall off.  It is, after all, destined for Swallow's End (which will progress, dear reader, when I sus the TOUs!)

Rails added, along with the fence and some future customers of the facilities watching over the fence.  Still to do some weathering of the track - I don't think it would have stayed that clean for long after building and I don't know it would have been replaced to such a neat standard either!  There is still some things to do on the dock itself - tap, water trough etc and I am considering a light.  Either way, quite pleased with the afternoons effort.