This was a few months back, initial track laying and ballasting done, and no backscene of lighting rig. At this point I knew I’d have foreground water, just not how much or how I’d represent it.

A few months on I’d got most of the core elements blocked in, water effect sorted, and a simple lighting rig established. The foreground was still ‘bothering’ me however.

Whilst it looked okay, it wasn’t generating the ‘got it’ feeling that you get when a piece falls into place. This was partly compounded by having to swap the control section from left hand to right hand end. Originally the configuration was determined by the build location in the man cave, with Larkrail on the horizon this needed resolving.

A quick build of a control switch panel, and relocated to right hand end was the catalyst for the next sections of scenery.

With the controls in final fix positions, just a DCC plug and simple point switching via Peco PL-11 switches and a PL-35 Cdu, I now had all the basic’s completed.

The water foreground was still an issue in that it didn’t look right, with tracks too close to the edge.

The obvious solution was to make a land grab into the water, which wasn’t ideal, but was necessary. So that was the next step. Having done this, the land proportions fell into place, this doesn’t always happen, sometimes Pembroke 87, it needs a bit of maturing time to develop, i.e, for you to be happy with the effect and path you’re heading down.

So the land mass is now correct proportionately to the tracks, the first fix of grass and scrubs are in. They’re too bright however so some toning down and removal will take place. Once that’s done the Silos and elevator will get final fix, details and weathering. Then it’s back to the right hand end and masking the entry and exit points. At that point it’ll be done, and then on to Shelfie 3 for a refresh, or start Shelfie 5!