And then there was a sky

I mounted the painted backdrop to the layout, a backpanel and one on the right hand side. For the moment, I want to keep the left open to allow natural light flood in through the nearby window. These are iPhone snapshots which do not show the colour properly, but it's a nice, light blue (Flexa strak in de lak No. 1009). The fascia - still drying - was painted in an anthracite colour with Flexa strak in de lak No. 1026).

Updated Valkenveld layout plan

Progress report: silo and grassland

It's not that I have been inactive lately. On the contrary. It seems I am doing twenty projects at the same time. There is an important deadline looming as Valkenveld will be shown at the Open Day of the Modelbouw Vereniging Hilversum (all info here) on 19 and 20 March 2016.

My first show entry ever. And although it is not necessary to have everything 100% finished, I want to get Valkenveld in a much complete stage than it is now in. My layout will be connected to modules of fellow model railroaders Marco and Jasiu with trains running over a length of 6.30m.

So what has happened lately:

- The silo is finished apart for the weathering. Weathering will be lightly anyway as - in my world - the silo was built and opened just a year before the time the layout is set in. The silo was primed and spray painted in white. The metallic elements got were painted with Tamiya acrylic paint (XF-16 flat aluminium) which gives a great finish.
- I started laying a grass patch between the silo area and the team track. Currently it is just the base layer as in this industrial surroundings the patch will become a wild and overgrown area. I bought lots of scenery material at the Rail Show yesterday.
- I laid a path alongside the ballasted track. But will remove it again today(!) as I have found much finer and realistic sand at the Rail Show. Some things need to be done twice it seems..
- I connected the two parts of the warehouse building together and kitted all seams. Painting still needs to be done.
- The backdrops (back and two sides) were covered with a primer and layer of blue paint (Flexa strak in de lak No. 1009). The fascia was painted in an anthracite colour with Flexa strak in de lak No. 1026).

Crosswalk

I built a crosswalk to allow my railroad personnel safer access from the team track to the switches and warehouse.