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  Note that track feeders have also been soldered to the bottom of the rail before tracklaying, so the next session should see the feeders connected via a plug/socket to the Wirrandra module. Also, as you can see, the top layer of styrofoam has been cut to approximate shape for Wirrandra. That's the first step of many before the scenery will even look passable. |
Left we see the subroadbed laid across the Wanilla Forest section. Below left, after another day, the track is laid, including across the scary "flood opening". After the scenery is done the surface of the dry creek will be only a scale 10' below the track. Below is a better view of the flood opening - I think I might need to build a culvert before the ceremonial first train to Wirrandra!! 
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Left: Even cutting the foam into chunks is messy Below we see a view of the new layout wiring bus, with a plugged lead just waiting for the wiring on Kelvin to be modified to suit. 
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Left is a view showing Wirrandra after the gaps between the
joists were "infilled" with 50mm (2") styrofoam. The purpose of this
was threefold. Firstly, it provides a more secure base for the somewhat
flimsy 12mm (1/2") styrofoam used a the top sheet. Secondly, it allows me
to "shape" the landscape with dips and hollows without fear of breaking
through the thin sheet. Thirdly, I am hopeful that it will reduce the
"drumming" sound as trains run across the board. Below left is the current scene at Wanilla Forest. The blocks of styrofoam have been shaped, some others added, and the landform is beginning to take shape. A road is forming to the right of the flood opening. Sadly, the lighting is all from the front, so the stream bed is hard to discern. |
Above is the first "test fit" of the culvert. Until I saw this
in place I didn't realize how far I had strayed from my Eyre Peninsula
landscape. A typical prototypical culvert is shown right
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Testing with a layer of 12mm styrofoam produced this result, much more
pleasing to the eye. The bridge sides are formed from four lengths of code
55 rail and since this photos have been detailed a litle with NBWs.
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 An overall scene of Wanilla Forest - I have carved away sections of the foam blocks to make way for 12mm styrofoam which brings the surface of the creek bed and nearby landscape up to a much better level |
 Above we see the culvert permanently positioned. The beams, made up of code 55 rail, have been painted a rusty colour and weathered, and the abutments, piers and wing-walls are balsa, painted to represent old concrete. After finishing off the new "top layer" of styrofoam, necessary since the land has suddenly increased in elevation, the track will be ballasted. |
 Above ground cover has commenced - very rough at the moment - a coat of paint and a good scatter of Woodland Scenics Fine Brown ballast as a starting point. Right is a closer view of the culvert, showing the foam in various stages of shaping and filling with "no more gaps" |
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 Above After completing the ground cover with good old Woodland Scenics Fine Brown I came to the conclusion that, despite this being used for the last fifteen years, it wasn't really what I wanted. Accordingly I have now repainted and rescattered, this time with genuine Ceduna dirt - which is a pale colour. The image above shows the difference after the rear left area had been treated. |
 This view shows the first train - hauled by the venerable rail tractor, passing over the Wanilla Forest module and moving onto Wirrandra. The basic ground cover of Wanilla Forest can be seen, as can the unfinished styrofoam of Wirrandra. For more photos of the first train go to the First Train page. |
 The fascia has been installed and painted on the Wanilla Forest board, and with the curtain material back in place it is beginning to look quite presentable again. The timetable for the first operating session to include Wirrandra is visible on Kelvin. |
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 Third time lucky! New scenery for Wanilla Forest. In the background (right) we can see the green bottle of rubbing alcohol, a contact lens fluid bottle for dribbling on the scenery cement, an olive oil sprayer, plus the very important roll of paper towels. |
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 | Wanilla Forest has had the first pass scenery completed (for the third time) and was back in place for an operating session on March 2nd. Basic ground cover and ballasting has been completed - the road and creek are still awaiting completion, as are the level crossing crossbucks. |
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 The level crossing warning signs have been constructed. Rather than take the obvious strip-styrene approach, I chose to use brass. Now all soldered up they are waiting painting and lettering. |
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The dry creek bed across the Wanilla Forest board has had sand
applied. The sand is Chuck's Ballast
Fine Sand. I used Ultra-fine to cover the joints
between the abutments and piers and the concrete base, and also
to represent sand remaining when the creek stopped running. The
foliage has been extended in a random fashion over the edge of the
creek, and just beyond the culvert we can see grass growing over
a quite large mound of sand in the bed, showing just how long it
is since the creek last flowed Now all we need are some trees :-) | |
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| As promised above, we now have trees on the Wanilla Forest scene. Here are a couple of scenes showing the dry creek bed with some Mallee providing welcome shade. For more scenes of Wanilla Forest with trees, go to the Forests and Trees page. | |
Last updated 26-Jul-04
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