Designing a simple, basic layout

[Webbo]

Woodlands Scenics also has a how-to guide booklet (WS Scenery Manual) that describes many different aspects of scene construction including roads, trees, water, grass, rocks etc.. Even though it is heavily slanted towards WS products, it is still a very useful guide for scenery construction. It's probably best to consult other booklets on scenery construction also to provide perspective.

Webbo

[MikeDunn]

As mentioned, there does seem to be confusion between a 'backdrop' and the scenery - I think Saddlers really means scenery though ...

As a couple of the guys have mentioned, the Woodland Scenics range is quite good (I'm constructing a layout based on an old plan & using their polystyrene range to create the basis for the terrain - see http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=3448 for details & photos).  As long as you have an idea of what you want, the WS stuff is quite good.  You can put them down & play with things, get an idea of how the layout will appear in 3D (or the track areas, anyway - but it can be used in the more scenic areas; just check out the WS videos on their web site).

Hope this helps to spark ideas ...

Mike

[D1042 Western Princess]

I've built a small layout and have come to a halt as I can't find a basic book/manual that will help me to design and build a simple scenic backdrop.

But actually wrote 'backdrop' Mike.

Saddlers, can you tell us which please?

[silly moo]

Scenery can form a backdrop, especially if there's a railway in front of it  I think that the photo or painting that's attached to the backboard is a back scene.

I think saddlers will probably need both.

[PGN]

Saddler -

I recommend that you treat your first effort as a "test track" rather than a layout; i.e. a track on which to test things out. If they work, they work - leave them in place and enjoy them. If they don't work, remove them, and chalk it up to experience.

Part of the issue you have is that, if you've laid your track before even thinking of scenic, then you're almost inevitably headed for the "flat earth" look. In the real word, the landscape came first, and then the railway was built through it. So really you should plan your landscape before, or at least no later than, you plan your track. If you build the railway first, and then try to plan the landscape around it, then it almost always ends up looking wrong.

However, if you're building a test track, trying out techniques, experimenting and so on, then that doesn't matter. The point of a test track is to have something to run your trains round, and to hone your skills.

There is a good article by Noel Leaver on "Avoiding the flat earth look" in NSpirations no 5.