Backscene

This month’s miscellaneous musings from the Model Rail team.

I may have finally cracked the issue of the small pond on my ‘Lisburn Lane’ layout, after about six different attempts. The first version was OK, using Deluxe Materials’ Solid Water poured over a bed of sand and small stone chippings. However, the water was too clean for what would be a stagnant, reedy pond set amid farm fields. Over the past year, I’ve tried to apply further, coloured layers over the existing ‘water’, using a variety of products, with some truly awful results. Indeed, the pond’s contents began to resemble toxic industrial effluent! However, the latest attempt seems to have worked, with a layer of AK Interactive’s acrylic Puddles fluid spread over the surface, followed by another thin coating of Deluxe Materials’ clear Solid Water. The cured pond now looks almost opaque, but at least it sports a more natural colouring. Furthermore, I’ve planted more reeds and grasses around the perimeter, thus vastly reducing the amount of ‘water’ visible, which has also helped.

Modelling hours this month: 8 Note to self: Never give up on a project, even when things keep going wrong!