Embankments need to be planned at the initial stages of creating a model railway – and foliage on them can really help set a sense of time. ANTHONY REEVES shows how it can be done using teddy bear fur as the basis.
Above: A ‘OO’ scale embankment based on the scenery around Irwell Vale Halt on the East Lancashire Railway. Although these are manmade features note how they naturally blend into the surrounding countryside.
FOR THIS DEMONSTRATION I’m adding the scenic modelling materials over a 6mm piece of MDF board set at an angle of around 45 degrees. The board is attached to wedge shaped pieces of card glued to the baseboard which gives my demonstration piece of embankment stability. When building an embankment for your railway you are more likely to have a sturdy flat top which carries the track. The edge of the embankment can be attached to the flat top and can be made using a variety of materials including thick card, chicken wire, Kingspan or polystyrene sheets. All are excellent materials as they are all lightweight and readily available.
The first step in creating the foliage for this embankment is to cover it in a base layer of material, I’m using ‘Raw Grass’, which is teddy bear fur. The fur is trimmed using sharp sciss…
