Cwmbach and Terra Nova…

Cwmbach is a project that has evolved without a firm ‘concept sketch’. Whilst I have studied photos of the inspirarion, Cwmmawr extensively - and feel I know where the layout is heading, that lack of clarity has actually proven to be a bit of a block…

So it was with a degree of avoidance that I approached the piece of modelling foam with a variety of cutting implements yesterday. A new material for me, unfamiliar. Not a great start to create the basis of the ground at the back of the layout, itself almost ethereal - in mind but never decisively sketched out - so here we are, working in reality, making a scene from feeling, alone.

The first cut was not easy - literally. This is a material I will not come back to in a hurry, but it is light and dense and will support the trees I need at the right hand end. Those early shapes were forced and hurried, too coarse and overpowering. An old razor saw made lighter work of the material and helped me find something of a flow and with each cut I began to see more clearly the form I had imagined. 

The left of the layout is the screens, and this end is a little easier to visualise - we have a flat ‘roadway’ and a shelf cut in to the embankment for some fuel tanks and steps, as per the prototpe. The right is harder because originally I had wanted a road crossing here… however I don’t think it is feasible, instead the exit will be disguised by the old oak trees of this green valley.

After a rather tense hour of cutting and shaving the foam we have what you see here, reached something approaching the shapes I had in mind. I’ll reflect on this for a day or so before looking to glue them in place. I think one thing I’ve learnt is that a drawing or illustration of what I intend to build is a valuable tool, and one not to be under-valued, it would certainly have helped here! The silly thing is, I always produce them for customer layout design commissions. Until next time, more soon…

Support my work

I love writing and creating material for the blog. If you enjoy what you read and engage with I would be appreciative of any donation, large or small, to help me keep it advert and restriction free. Alternatively, feel free to buy me a coffee, where regular memberships start from just £1.