Kinross: we have light...

Over the Christmas holidays I made a start on my Kinross micro cameo layout, and made good progress learning a few new skills on the way...

Up until now it has always borrowed the lighting pelmet and lid from Pont-y-dulais, which didn’t really fit properly... I set about rectifying that this weekend and have constructed a lid from 5mm ply, trying out a few new clamps in the process which certainly made construction a lot quicker!

Fitting the edging on the lid with clamps in my outdoor workshop!

Adding the LED lighting strip with hot glue.

Testing out the lighting, before painting the lids fascia.

However, I also needed to tackle the second of the ‘flying wing’ staging areas to the left when viewed from the front. This would feature and extension of the Visser spur, and the continuation of the main towards Murray Harbour and allow more prototypical operation. As with the right hand side I used MDF, a 6mm track bed and 9mm stiffener glued underneath. This was still to prone to sagging, and so as I can’t fit a dowel to a door frame at this end, I’ve opted for a metal prop that is wedged under the board and into the carpet. It’s a temporary solution that probably doesn’t need making permanent.

Looking along the layout from the new staging.

The layout(s) in place on the back wall of my workshop. Space for a third at the top!

Completion of the main elements of the layout now mean I can focus on the last few details... these include touching in the rail sides in places where the rust paint hasn’t covered the nickel silver, a few scenic improvements including a bush to hide some wires behind the poplar tree, painting the wooden sleeper infill at the road crossing and probably most importantly... fabricating and fitting a Railway Crossing sign! 

However, it’s exciting to get to this stage and be able to take photos like these again...

Waiting for the word, on the Visser spur.

I hope this goes to show that you don’t need a lot of space for an operational yet pretty little layout. It’s like a piece of 3D artwork when sat on the shelf without the staging, with lighting left on... and it’s small enough to get started and finished before your focus changes. In the past I’ve spoken on video about it, and I’d reiterate again, this type of layout is perfect to practice a skill, learn something new or just scratch that itch you’ve had for a particular prototype. If you need any help with design, and or building, do get in touch via my commissions page on the website. In the meantime, more soon...