Highbury Colliery by Jerry Clifford
Highbury Colliery is a detailed model railway layout in 2mm finescale of a selective part of a colliery system, roughly based on Camerton Colliery in North Somerset.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Designing a layout is about far more than simply coming up with an interesting and prototypical trackplan, it is about creating a three dimensional picture. Tony Wright's article in a recent issue of BRM regarding modelling a prototype location was very interesting and I have great sympathy with much of what he said. Indeed, my own slowly evolving home layout is an accurate model of Bath Queensquare (renamed Green Park by BR) as it would have looked in the 1920s. However, for small layouts copying, albeit compressed, a prototype is much more problematic. Not only do the space constraints make finding a suitable prototype difficult, but, even if one can be found, creating a pleasing, balanced, picture within that space whilst remaining true to the prototype is doubly so.
What I have done with Highbury, and numerous other layouts I have designed, is to take a suitable prototype and rearrange the key elements, adding and subtracting bits as necessary, in order to create a balanced, aesthetically pleasing whole. In the case of Highbury, that prototype is Camerton Colliery on the Camerton, Limpley Stoke line of the GWR in North Somerset. The Key elements of the screens and pithead with the distinctive brick arches have been retained along with the branch running across the front of the scene. However, in order to make the scene more compact I have the sidings feeding the screens from the opposite end to the prototype. Likewise, the brick built workshops/smithy are transposed compared to the reality, the lot then knitted together with the introduction of elements from other small collieries in the area.
I have used a number of visual tricks in an effort to tie the various elements of the layout together, lead the viewer into the scene and attempt to create a feeling of space and depth - the modelled area is only 4'6" x 18"! The most obvious of these is the distinct zig-zag from front to back. Starting at the front, the branch climbs from left to right on a steady gradient, the colliery sidings coming in from right to left. The eye is then drawn back to the right by the sawmill siding kicking back. The criss-crossing of the road/tubway takes the viewer from the lower level sidings to the upper level yard, the narrow gauge then leading the eye from left to right, rising gently before disappearing into the undergrowth and the backscene.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Backscene
The backscene itself has two distinct purposes. Firstly, it should extend the modelled scene from the detailed, 3D of the foreground to the 2D of the middle distance and eventually the horizon. Secondly, the backscene frames the model, focussing the eye of the viewer on the layout and blocking out distractions in the background such as the workshop wall, the operators midriff or the general clutter that usually accumulates behind layouts at a show. I like my backscenes to be high, typically around 15", as I don't like to see the top of the sky when viewing the model. I also curve the ends round so as to avoid corners and the consequent shadows they create.
The backscene is made using a single piece of 3mm MDF, the ends being curved around a former and thin strips of the 3mm MDF glued and clamped top and bottom. When dry the clamps are removed and the now curved board will happily hold its shape and is remarkably strong. It is painted using pale blue/grey emulsion for the sky, the landscape being done in acrylics.
I'm no artist but I'm pretty good at following instructions. Essentially I used the technique outlined by Barry Norman in his 'Landscape Modelling' book (Wild Swan, 1986). I am also very fortunate that my good friend John Birkett-Smith (Ashburton, Totness) gave me a great deal of advice and reworked my first effort to eradicate the worst of my howlers!
Backscenes - The Golden Rules
Have a consistent horizon line, preferably at around eye level for normal viewing height. Features such as foreground trees, hills etc. can rise above the horizon line but the sky must never be visible below it.
Use muted colours and a limited palate and never use black. On John's advice I use white, sap green, yellow ochre, raw sienna, raw umber, blue and red. Colours in the foreground should blend in with the 3D model fading with more white and yellow as you recede into the distance. Work from photographs where possible, either of your chosen prototype or a similar landscape.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Buildings
These are predominantly plastic sheet. In the case of the stone buildings I used some Heki sheets which are very similar to the Ratio sheets being small and fairly thick. This makes them a little difficult to cut and work but does have the advantage that they need little additional support. Where thin embossed plasticard is used for the finish, such as Slaters or, in the case of the brick built workshop, some old Roxey sheets, the walls are strengthened using an odd number of laminates - usually three. This helps prevent the model warping and is the same principal as three ply, five ply and so on. An even number of laminations is much more prone to distortion.
The buildings are made up as a series of boxes. The walls are cut full size and as much detail as possible, such as sills, lintels etc. added whilst still in the flat. The ends are then mitred by rubbing the wall on a large, course file laid flat on the bench before assembling around a false floor or ceiling of 40 thou sheet. The pan tiles typical of many buildings in the North Somerset coal field proved initially problematic. I tried various methods to reproduce them using strips of paper and thin plastic rod. Some of these looked ok but they were painfully slow. Eventually I discovered some Heki sheets advertised as being suitable for Z scale which, with careful painting, gave a very pleasing result.
Slate roofing is represented using sticky paper labels, cut into strips and nicked to represent individual slates. Corrugated iron is made of heavy gauge tin foil cut to scale width strips and scored using a cocktail stick and an old coffee jar lid which conveniently has suitable grooves around the edge. Where possible I use etched windows from the likes of Ratio, Scalelink, Langley etc. There is a surprisingly large variety available and a little bit of deft work with a soldering iron means they can be cut and shut to further extend the range. If nothing suitable can be found or bodged, then I make my own, glazing bars being formed by filling scored lines with paint whilst the frames are more self-adhesive labels.
Painting is done in both acrylics and enamels using a combination of washes and dry brushing to try to recreate the subtle variations found in real life. Again, close observation of the prototype is the key.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Scenery
Landscaping follows fairly traditional lines. The basic contours are formed using a honeycomb of corrugated card or thin ply topped off with a lattice work of thin strips of cereal packet type card. This used to be done using PVA and a forest of clothes pegs but I now use a hot glue gun which speeds up the operation no end but it pays to remember it is hot - the clue is in the name!
This card sculpture is topped with plaster bandage followed by a thin coat of runny filler/PVA mix which smoothes out the contours, bonds the surface together and adds a little flexibility. Finally I give the whole lot a coat of textured masonry paint which has been coloured to give a neutral grey/brown base for the surface detail to follow.
For ground cover, particularly in 2mm, my preference is still for dyed lint. For those who have not tried this very satisfying technique it essentially involves laying dyed, surgical lint fluffy side down in
a very thin layer of PVA. When dry the lint is carefully, but enjoyably, ripped off, leaving behind the fluffy fibres. The lint 'grass' can be further enhanced by painting with thinned water colours or acrylics, steering towards the subdued yellow greens and avoiding the vivid blue greens which are so beloved of many of the commercial flock producers. Do not be perturbed by the soggy mess the lint fibres become following painting. Allow to dry and then lift them again with a wire suede brush. The brush is gently pressed into the surface before being lifted - far easier to do than describe and a job I always enjoy.
Further detailing is added using the usual variety of flock, chopped foam and foliage netting from the likes of Woodland Scenics, Green Scenes etc. Again, careful choice of colour and texture is essential if the overall effect is not to be spoilt. Trees also use a range of techniques. For specimen, stand alone trees I make a wire armature dressed with foliage netting and flock in much the same style as John Farmer outlined in his excellent article in a recent BRM.
For blocks of trees, such as the edge of the woodland at the rear of the layout, a much simple approach can be taken. I currently favour sea moss which when sprayed and flocked makes an excellent basis for dense woodland, used either as they are or hot glued into a basic wire armature. I tend to make these in batches so that I have far more than I actually need allowing me to try various arrangements until I find a form I am happy with. Failed 'specimen' trees can also be incorporated into these mass plantings where their shortcomings are far less obvious.
I find making convincing trees one of the most challenging aspects of modelling. I can make most things given a drawing, the ability to cut and join materials accurately being the main skill required, but forms that have been sculpted by nature are far more challenging and, as with any other field of modelling, I find time and again, the answer lies in going back to studying and trying to copy the real thing.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Presentation
The final piece of the jigsaw, and one which really must be thought about at the planning stage, is that of how the model is to be presented. It never ceases to amaze me when waking around exhibitions
how many layouts have given little or no thought to this aspect of the design. Thousands of hours worth of effort and wonderful model making are lost in the dingy shadows of poor or inadequately lit layouts.
The proper lighting of a display is a huge subject and worthy of an article by someone far better qualified than me. Suffice to say here that you owe it to yourself to present your pride and joy in the best light possible. I use strip lighting on my small layouts of the type sold for going under kitchen cabinets. These have the added advantage of giving off very little heat even when on continuously for six or seven hours at an exhibition. A clear, white light is what is required which gives good, overall coverage and avoids pools of light and multi-directional shadows.
I have not found the need for expensive colour balanced bulbs, light filters and so on. The secret is to do the final colouring and painting under the same type of lighting as the finished display. My workbench is lit using the same type of lighting to aid consistency of colour rendition. In order to further focus the attention of the viewer on the modelled scene I favour a stage type presentation with wings and a proscenium arch as championed by Ian Rice in his many writings on layout design. This is easy to arrange on a small layout, more difficult, but not impossible on larger projects. Finally, a curtain is used to cover the legs and hide the chaos and piles of detritus that lurk under and behind the layout.
I will close on that thorny and controversial issue of viewing height. Too low and only the front row can get any sort of view and, to obtain the best view, it is necessary to bend down or drop to ones knees - a quick glance around your average exhibition will quickly tell you that this is not the easiest thing for many. Personally, I can get down but increasingly struggle to get back up! Too high and many, including the young and those in wheelchairs, don't get to see very much at all. I have settled on a track height of around 4' which is a comfortable viewing height for the majority, being fairly easy to obtain an eye level view and, importantly when stood in front of the layout all day, is a comfortable height for operating. I would be the first to admit that it is still too high for some which is why we take a periscope as part of our exhibition kit. Whatever is chosen, like so many things in this wonderfully diverse hobby, it will be a compromise.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Highbury Colliery is a detailed model railway layout in 2mm finescale of a selective part of a colliery system, roughly based on Camerton Colliery in North Somerset.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Designing a layout is about far more than simply coming up with an interesting and prototypical trackplan, it is about creating a three dimensional picture. Tony Wright's article in a recent issue of BRM regarding modelling a prototype location was very interesting and I have great sympathy with much of what he said. Indeed, my own slowly evolving home layout is an accurate model of Bath Queensquare (renamed Green Park by BR) as it would have looked in the 1920s. However, for small layouts copying, albeit compressed, a prototype is much more problematic. Not only do the space constraints make finding a suitable prototype difficult, but, even if one can be found, creating a pleasing, balanced, picture within that space whilst remaining true to the prototype is doubly so.
What I have done with Highbury, and numerous other layouts I have designed, is to take a suitable prototype and rearrange the key elements, adding and subtracting bits as necessary, in order to create a balanced, aesthetically pleasing whole. In the case of Highbury, that prototype is Camerton Colliery on the Camerton, Limpley Stoke line of the GWR in North Somerset. The Key elements of the screens and pithead with the distinctive brick arches have been retained along with the branch running across the front of the scene. However, in order to make the scene more compact I have the sidings feeding the screens from the opposite end to the prototype. Likewise, the brick built workshops/smithy are transposed compared to the reality, the lot then knitted together with the introduction of elements from other small collieries in the area.
I have used a number of visual tricks in an effort to tie the various elements of the layout together, lead the viewer into the scene and attempt to create a feeling of space and depth - the modelled area is only 4'6" x 18"! The most obvious of these is the distinct zig-zag from front to back. Starting at the front, the branch climbs from left to right on a steady gradient, the colliery sidings coming in from right to left. The eye is then drawn back to the right by the sawmill siding kicking back. The criss-crossing of the road/tubway takes the viewer from the lower level sidings to the upper level yard, the narrow gauge then leading the eye from left to right, rising gently before disappearing into the undergrowth and the backscene.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Backscene
The backscene itself has two distinct purposes. Firstly, it should extend the modelled scene from the detailed, 3D of the foreground to the 2D of the middle distance and eventually the horizon. Secondly, the backscene frames the model, focussing the eye of the viewer on the layout and blocking out distractions in the background such as the workshop wall, the operators midriff or the general clutter that usually accumulates behind layouts at a show. I like my backscenes to be high, typically around 15", as I don't like to see the top of the sky when viewing the model. I also curve the ends round so as to avoid corners and the consequent shadows they create.
The backscene is made using a single piece of 3mm MDF, the ends being curved around a former and thin strips of the 3mm MDF glued and clamped top and bottom. When dry the clamps are removed and the now curved board will happily hold its shape and is remarkably strong. It is painted using pale blue/grey emulsion for the sky, the landscape being done in acrylics.
I'm no artist but I'm pretty good at following instructions. Essentially I used the technique outlined by Barry Norman in his 'Landscape Modelling' book (Wild Swan, 1986). I am also very fortunate that my good friend John Birkett-Smith (Ashburton, Totness) gave me a great deal of advice and reworked my first effort to eradicate the worst of my howlers!
Backscenes - The Golden Rules
Have a consistent horizon line, preferably at around eye level for normal viewing height. Features such as foreground trees, hills etc. can rise above the horizon line but the sky must never be visible below it.
Use muted colours and a limited palate and never use black. On John's advice I use white, sap green, yellow ochre, raw sienna, raw umber, blue and red. Colours in the foreground should blend in with the 3D model fading with more white and yellow as you recede into the distance. Work from photographs where possible, either of your chosen prototype or a similar landscape.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Buildings
These are predominantly plastic sheet. In the case of the stone buildings I used some Heki sheets which are very similar to the Ratio sheets being small and fairly thick. This makes them a little difficult to cut and work but does have the advantage that they need little additional support. Where thin embossed plasticard is used for the finish, such as Slaters or, in the case of the brick built workshop, some old Roxey sheets, the walls are strengthened using an odd number of laminates - usually three. This helps prevent the model warping and is the same principal as three ply, five ply and so on. An even number of laminations is much more prone to distortion.
The buildings are made up as a series of boxes. The walls are cut full size and as much detail as possible, such as sills, lintels etc. added whilst still in the flat. The ends are then mitred by rubbing the wall on a large, course file laid flat on the bench before assembling around a false floor or ceiling of 40 thou sheet. The pan tiles typical of many buildings in the North Somerset coal field proved initially problematic. I tried various methods to reproduce them using strips of paper and thin plastic rod. Some of these looked ok but they were painfully slow. Eventually I discovered some Heki sheets advertised as being suitable for Z scale which, with careful painting, gave a very pleasing result.
Slate roofing is represented using sticky paper labels, cut into strips and nicked to represent individual slates. Corrugated iron is made of heavy gauge tin foil cut to scale width strips and scored using a cocktail stick and an old coffee jar lid which conveniently has suitable grooves around the edge. Where possible I use etched windows from the likes of Ratio, Scalelink, Langley etc. There is a surprisingly large variety available and a little bit of deft work with a soldering iron means they can be cut and shut to further extend the range. If nothing suitable can be found or bodged, then I make my own, glazing bars being formed by filling scored lines with paint whilst the frames are more self-adhesive labels.
Painting is done in both acrylics and enamels using a combination of washes and dry brushing to try to recreate the subtle variations found in real life. Again, close observation of the prototype is the key.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Scenery
Landscaping follows fairly traditional lines. The basic contours are formed using a honeycomb of corrugated card or thin ply topped off with a lattice work of thin strips of cereal packet type card. This used to be done using PVA and a forest of clothes pegs but I now use a hot glue gun which speeds up the operation no end but it pays to remember it is hot - the clue is in the name!
This card sculpture is topped with plaster bandage followed by a thin coat of runny filler/PVA mix which smoothes out the contours, bonds the surface together and adds a little flexibility. Finally I give the whole lot a coat of textured masonry paint which has been coloured to give a neutral grey/brown base for the surface detail to follow.
For ground cover, particularly in 2mm, my preference is still for dyed lint. For those who have not tried this very satisfying technique it essentially involves laying dyed, surgical lint fluffy side down in
a very thin layer of PVA. When dry the lint is carefully, but enjoyably, ripped off, leaving behind the fluffy fibres. The lint 'grass' can be further enhanced by painting with thinned water colours or acrylics, steering towards the subdued yellow greens and avoiding the vivid blue greens which are so beloved of many of the commercial flock producers. Do not be perturbed by the soggy mess the lint fibres become following painting. Allow to dry and then lift them again with a wire suede brush. The brush is gently pressed into the surface before being lifted - far easier to do than describe and a job I always enjoy.
Further detailing is added using the usual variety of flock, chopped foam and foliage netting from the likes of Woodland Scenics, Green Scenes etc. Again, careful choice of colour and texture is essential if the overall effect is not to be spoilt. Trees also use a range of techniques. For specimen, stand alone trees I make a wire armature dressed with foliage netting and flock in much the same style as John Farmer outlined in his excellent article in a recent BRM.
For blocks of trees, such as the edge of the woodland at the rear of the layout, a much simple approach can be taken. I currently favour sea moss which when sprayed and flocked makes an excellent basis for dense woodland, used either as they are or hot glued into a basic wire armature. I tend to make these in batches so that I have far more than I actually need allowing me to try various arrangements until I find a form I am happy with. Failed 'specimen' trees can also be incorporated into these mass plantings where their shortcomings are far less obvious.
I find making convincing trees one of the most challenging aspects of modelling. I can make most things given a drawing, the ability to cut and join materials accurately being the main skill required, but forms that have been sculpted by nature are far more challenging and, as with any other field of modelling, I find time and again, the answer lies in going back to studying and trying to copy the real thing.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Presentation
The final piece of the jigsaw, and one which really must be thought about at the planning stage, is that of how the model is to be presented. It never ceases to amaze me when waking around exhibitions
how many layouts have given little or no thought to this aspect of the design. Thousands of hours worth of effort and wonderful model making are lost in the dingy shadows of poor or inadequately lit layouts.
The proper lighting of a display is a huge subject and worthy of an article by someone far better qualified than me. Suffice to say here that you owe it to yourself to present your pride and joy in the best light possible. I use strip lighting on my small layouts of the type sold for going under kitchen cabinets. These have the added advantage of giving off very little heat even when on continuously for six or seven hours at an exhibition. A clear, white light is what is required which gives good, overall coverage and avoids pools of light and multi-directional shadows.
I have not found the need for expensive colour balanced bulbs, light filters and so on. The secret is to do the final colouring and painting under the same type of lighting as the finished display. My workbench is lit using the same type of lighting to aid consistency of colour rendition. In order to further focus the attention of the viewer on the modelled scene I favour a stage type presentation with wings and a proscenium arch as championed by Ian Rice in his many writings on layout design. This is easy to arrange on a small layout, more difficult, but not impossible on larger projects. Finally, a curtain is used to cover the legs and hide the chaos and piles of detritus that lurk under and behind the layout.
I will close on that thorny and controversial issue of viewing height. Too low and only the front row can get any sort of view and, to obtain the best view, it is necessary to bend down or drop to ones knees - a quick glance around your average exhibition will quickly tell you that this is not the easiest thing for many. Personally, I can get down but increasingly struggle to get back up! Too high and many, including the young and those in wheelchairs, don't get to see very much at all. I have settled on a track height of around 4' which is a comfortable viewing height for the majority, being fairly easy to obtain an eye level view and, importantly when stood in front of the layout all day, is a comfortable height for operating. I would be the first to admit that it is still too high for some which is why we take a periscope as part of our exhibition kit. Whatever is chosen, like so many things in this wonderfully diverse hobby, it will be a compromise.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
