Scratch built 4 aspect signal

With working 0805 LEDs. Took wuite a while to make because the parts were so tiny. The wire I used was 0.1mm gauge

Starting work on high street

The beginning of lots of shop building has started with a fish and chip shop. Kind of cliché but was a relatively simple scratch build. I'm using a laser cutter to try and speed the process up. The only problem is burning on the sides of the card, and the smell which comes with it! Other than that it should make window cutting less monotonous!

The Techlab Network has not detailed

No more loops. Keeps the track curves more realistic and means I now have a bridge segment cutting across the doorway..🤔

Been quite busy over the last 2 years or so with the TLN. A lot has changed although it might not seem it. I replaced the entire layout with new track plans, wiring, modules etc -multiple times. I am still not quite 100% happy with certain parts but my approach has changed a lot. I went through a period thinking everything has to done in order but now I tend to do many things in parallel to keep it interesting. After all, that's why we do it.

Without further ado, some update photos:

This is Segment G which is going to be a smelly old suburban town in South East London somewhere, eventually. Admittedly, a lot more work required, but it's a start.

Custom platforms and weathered ballast with an old Graham Farish class 33 in mail livery. This loco has been weathered with rail match paints and tamiya weathering powders.

Laser cut window frames provide super accuracy with minimal effort 

Scratch built tower block based on the Bachmann tower. The fascia is 3D printed but the rest is cut from card and covered in Scalescenes® brick paper or simply drawn with Promarkers and pastel.

More scratch built houses. All have internal lighting on both floors. Starting to get a feel for what kind of papers look right for the era and theme I'm going for. I'm especially happy with the old 2 storey house at the far right. I based this off some houses I saw on google street view in Birmingham.

Micro diorama with a water colour painted background. Although, having tested airbrushed sky backgrounds I have to admit I now prefer these and will be installing throughout in due course.

Lastly, a 3D printer streetlight built from scratch. Uses a 0603 SMD yellow led. 

More progress on the loop

I have created a road-tunnel now which connects to the canal bridge, and formed some terrain using that plaster of Paris matting roll which hardens after being left to dry. I extended the canal a little bit and also built a signal box, passenger footbridge and small station.

Canal extended

Cut a hole which will become the road tunnel

Road tunnel complete

The passenger footbridge was designed on paper from scratch and then cut out on 200gsm card. I weathered it a little using pastel dust.

The sides of the footbridge being drawn

Cutting out the triangles to give the impression of trussed steel

Added some custom steps which are 1mm card covered in paper and coloured with ProMarkers, pencils and pastels

Custom footbridge complete

Class 101 underneath new footbridge

Countryside Loop progress

The rear of the loop will be covered over, with an access hole to allow access to any derailments. I shaped some thin flexible plywood around some hardwood uprights which give it rigidity. I've managed to put a simple platform in against the rear wall. Next step will probably be ballasting and finishing the lid of the box section.

Class 156 at Countryside Loop station

Countryside loop shaped and painted

I used a proxxon jigsaw to cut the countryside loop to a bit of a smoother shape, and gave it a base colour of brown. Next step is to box in the hidden section behind the stone wall and then then start working on the terrain. 

Countryside Loop Wall and Tunnel

The countryside loop will be partially covered by a rock wall with two tunnels. The rock wall shown below was made from extruded foam, the kind which is quite solid and does not fall apart into lots of little white balls. I hacked it up with a bread knife and then sprayed it: grey, dark brown, tan, yellow and white. It looks okay for a first attempt. The tunnel entrance is my custom design which I created by editing a Scalescenes rock-wall texture. Each individual brick in the arch was positioned manually at varying angles to complete the arc. I added some smoke effect to the tunnel entrance simply by brushing on black pastel dust.

Class 27 exiting countryside loop tunnel