12-05-2015, 05:40 PM
@Catweasel – I am running Dc only at the moment, but I hope to have a DCC system sometime next year. I really want to try out DCC on this layout in prep for my next layout which I will build in a year or so’s time. I have some boxcars and a tank car which I am wanting to sell by the way if you are interested? I can PM you some photos if you’d like? Geordies/ Mackams are a canny lot 
Although I am not local to the area I am now a permanent resident.
@Zomboid, honestly, I was terrified too but modelling ground cover is easier than it looks (famous last words...!), although practice helps too. I laid down a base of fine sand and left it to dry. I then painted it a dark brown. I then drybrushed this with a layer of slighty lighter brown. Then another even lighter brown, followed by a very small amount of almost sand coloured paint. In the areas where I wanted grass I brushed on a light coat of PVA glue (you can do as much or as little of this as you want depending on how much soil you want to be exposed. I then covered it with a layer of grass, intermixed with some darker grass (labelled as “burnt” grass I think?) When this is dried thoroughly, I got some grass tufts (available on ebay, or, if you want, in Games Workshops) and glued them down randomly (glueing them down randomly is harder than it looks!) I tried to make sure the tufts were different sizes. I also got two different shades of bushes and glued some of these down, but mainly along the edge of the grassy area along the line of the rails. I also got a couple of small pieces of Woodland Scenic fine tree branches and placed them down as well to form slightly larger, straggly bushes. Finally, I made some rubbish & debris out of brown paper. I am still improving my technique, but this is what I did this time and I was fairly happy with the result. I hope that helps, good luck.
Although I am not local to the area I am now a permanent resident.@Zomboid, honestly, I was terrified too but modelling ground cover is easier than it looks (famous last words...!), although practice helps too. I laid down a base of fine sand and left it to dry. I then painted it a dark brown. I then drybrushed this with a layer of slighty lighter brown. Then another even lighter brown, followed by a very small amount of almost sand coloured paint. In the areas where I wanted grass I brushed on a light coat of PVA glue (you can do as much or as little of this as you want depending on how much soil you want to be exposed. I then covered it with a layer of grass, intermixed with some darker grass (labelled as “burnt” grass I think?) When this is dried thoroughly, I got some grass tufts (available on ebay, or, if you want, in Games Workshops) and glued them down randomly (glueing them down randomly is harder than it looks!) I tried to make sure the tufts were different sizes. I also got two different shades of bushes and glued some of these down, but mainly along the edge of the grassy area along the line of the rails. I also got a couple of small pieces of Woodland Scenic fine tree branches and placed them down as well to form slightly larger, straggly bushes. Finally, I made some rubbish & debris out of brown paper. I am still improving my technique, but this is what I did this time and I was fairly happy with the result. I hope that helps, good luck.