I’ve been refining my “ballasting” technique. These lines are at the back of my layout and having checked by dry ballasting, I have decided that the lines the self don’t need ballasting, but that the shoulders of the permanent way would look a lot better for it. I layered up the ballast and gave it a suitable camber between the tracks. Then, armed with a 20 ml syringe I first filled it up with a 10 % IPA solution and wetted the ballast. Then I switched to a 50:50 mix of PVA and water and ran the mix through the ballast. I worked in 20 ml sections (about 225 cm) and after I had glued the ballast I added a sprinkle of 2mm straw along the rail margins then covered the still wet central portion between the tracks with a 2 mm spring grass base coating. I vividly remember permanent way gangs spraying the rail margins with weed killer, first on foot with knapsack sprayers, later using specially modified rolling stock. Now I have to leave it alone till it’s hardened off! Looks great so far!

Posted by Knutsford-Ian at 2024-03-11 16:19:15 UTC