ABOVE: Creating your own rock castings is a cost-effective way of making an impressive cutting. Here Bachmann’s model of LMS pioneer diesel 10000 rounds the curve on Topley Dale past the newly installed rock cutting.
THE RECENT RENOVATION of our office test track Topley Dale called for dramatic scenery to match its Peak District setting. A prime feature of this area were the deep rock cuttings which were made to allow the railway to take a suitable route through the hilly terrain.
We had already used this theme for the original section of the layout, but we have refined our methods over time to create a more realistic setting on the new section.
The vast majority of the products we have used here are from the Woodland Scenics range. The main component is its Lightweight Hydrocal Plaster which is supplied as a powder which is mixed with water to create a thick liquid which can be poured into a mould. Woodland Scenics offers a series of rubber rock moulds for this purpose and we used four different types in production of the new rocks for Topley Dale.
The art of these rocks is in their painting and installation. Three colours were used to paint each casting utilising a combination of sponge and brushed o…
