One of the features of the layout that has attracted a great deal of interest is the backscene. This is a digitally printed image 14ft x 2ft. In the March 2013 Railway Modeller theres a how to article if you’re interested in gettting rid of square corners, joint lines made by ‘The Bachmann Trencher’ and square holes to let the trains in and out.
The image was kindly supplied by Chris Nevard http://nevardmedia.blogspot.co.uk/ and after a bit of trial and error with John, our tame printer, a really good result was obtained and a huge amount learnt. That which was learnt is already being put into practise on a number of layouts, including one which will really break some presentation boundaries.
Albion Yard 
Thank you for sharing your work, your blog is always interesting.
RM March will be a definite ‘must buy’
Tim
Thanks Tim.
Excellent, I’ve been having very similar thoughts recently. I need to have mine curved through a boomerang shape to fit my layout, what are your thoughts on securing it to a ply backscene behind it? I’d wondered about small neodynium magnets or magnetic strip.
Do you mind sharing who you used to print it? I’d be interested in getting in touch about mine which would be a similar size.
I’ll be sure to buy RM when it’s published.
Tom
Hi Tom,
The Railway Modeller article is out on 14th March and details are in there regarding the printer and material used. Theres no need to fix this to ply, that defeats the object of using the material to get a lightweight robust detachable backscene. The beauty of this stuff is that it can hang free without the need for ply sheeting to support it, I used lightweight stantions. Fixing it could be done with magnets, I chose a bolt/nut fixing to allow for easy adhustment and installation. This whole backscene only weighs 470 grammes. If you’re looking to fix an image to ply then just getting a print from a commercial printer (rather than kwik print etc) will suffice.
Sorry, I should have been clearer about the ply… I have already built my boards with a ply backscene, but to avoid joins in the sky I’d much rather go down this route and have been thinking about it for some time. I just need something that can roll up for transport to and from exhibitions and find a way to fix it to the ply when unrolled.
Tom, no worries.
I had a look at your blog (http://hlrco.wordpress.com/ for other readers) and looked at your layout and structure. Simply put, I think this is likely to be an ideal medium to use in your instance and the magnet support idea will work as well, so long as they are strong. The material is crease and stretch resistant too. My intial thought is if you fix countersunk steel screws into the ply fasica, cutting off the exposed thread at the rear, That’ll give you a flush fitted easy ‘key’ for the magnet to grip. Simples.
regards paul
Good idea, thanks Paul. I’ll wait to read the article in RM and give it a try! Thanks for your help and advice.
Thanks for the heads-up, Paul. I’m an intermittent taker of the Muggler but that background looks superb and it’s just the sort of thing that would suit a layout based in Liddesdale the river is bounded by lots of woodland where the railway ran. I shall definitely be checking the article out.
I’ve accidentally binned my issue where you did great things with C&L trees and seafoam by the way. Don’t suppose you have anything linked? 🙂
Thanks Dave, nothing linked, but drop me an email and I’ll get a copy to you.
Thanks Paul. Sorry about the late response!