Correct Scatter/Ballast?

[geoffgil]

I have just started my first n gauge layout, and was wondering which is the best scatter/ballast for a goods yard. Any help would be appreciated.

[Bealman]

G'day, mate, and if I haven't said welcome to the NGF yet, let me do so now! 

Goods yards I believe should be done with fine dark ballast, but will bow to more expert advice! 

[RailGooner]

Prepare for ten pages of deeply subjective replies!

If the period you are modelling postdates colour photography, then try to find pictures of the real thing and let those pics guide you.

[crewearpley40]

hi this is my method :

Build up the baseboard around the track to sleeper-top level with irregular pieces of cardboard, torn not cut then with a small spatula spread ligtweight filler followed by black emulsion paint next


I used a mixture of Carr's ash ballast i found in an exhibition going cheap - the packet was sealed with sellotape luckily i had  brought some container boxes the type for £7 in a hardwore store / a certain supermarket,tupperware - enough of that

I sieved through a 1mm mesh tea strainer, fixed with pva brushed liberally on the required area before sprinkling the ash in place

N gauge black 'scatter' material as ash ballast did a ob
just to give a suggestion of texture. Generally level with tops of sleepers but with local undulations. You can then add local details (piles of ash, odd lumps of coal, puddles) etc on top of that. As Mike says above, years of depot staff and traincrew trudging about have compressed it to virtually flat. there are other methods / details depending on location / er  or rule 1



then i vacuumed up the excess 24 hours later. Loco shed yards would have ash  up to sleeper tops, in goods yards the sleepers would, more often than not, be on top of the ash ballast.

[geoffgil]

I thought it was a simple question. Obviously not.

[Bealman]

There is much info to be gleaned looking at pic on here and in the modelling press 

[ntpntpntp]

I thought it was a simple question. Obviously not.

There are so many possible ways of achieving the effect you want, everyone has their own favourite way of modelling such things and no two yards are the same, so as @RailGooner suggests try and find photos of the real thing which inspire you, and then try and simulate that effect! 

For starters is it a gravel surface (still likely to be smaller stones than track ballast), tarmac, concrete, cobbled,.....?

[dannyboy]

I thought it was a simple question. Obviously not.

I have found that when it comes to us modelling lot, the question might be simple, but the answer is not! Everybody has their own favourite way of doing things and what works for one, does not work for another. I tend to read the various bits of advice given and then 'go my own way', taking into account the bits of advice given.

[The Q]

It depends on the date. The more modern the yard is the more likely, it's normal ballast on the tracks with concrete between.

In days of steam or cross over to diesel
Goods yards used in some places normal Ballast, some used ash ballast and I believe up in the North East steel works waste.

This can be achieved, by using pollyfilla, painted grey with a slightly powdery surface, but because I have access I would use sieved coal fire ash, spread onto the top of a pollyfilla mix that's still wet and pressed in.

[njee20]

Yep, Rail Gooner's got the best reply - there's so much variation that pictures are best. There is no 'correct' way of doing anything like this, otherwise there'd only be one product :-)

Whilst Crewearpley's methods may well be his as well, they're taken from this thread, which may have some further insight, it certainly has some excellent pictures of the finished result, albeit not N gauge.

[PLD]

Prepare for ten pages of deeply subjective replies!

If the period you are modelling postdates colour photography, then try to find pictures of the real thing and let those pics guide you.

Sound advice: there is no single right answer, as it so much depends on location and era.

All I'd say is that the vast majority of commercial ballast products you see labelled as "N Gauge" are in fact far too coarse...

[Vigo]

On a trip to Iceland a couple of years ago I 'acquired' some fine ash from that unpronounceable volcano (Eyjafjallajökull) that I thought might be just right for my shed area at Inverduff. My thoughts turned out to be right. It looks the part and as an added bonus, it smells the part too - all ash-y and sulphury. Mmm

[crewearpley40]

there is no right or wrong way,i used the methods i did and it suits me. and i would use whatever suits you  or materials you may have. would be pleasant if people just describe their methods and ( im not naming names) , people need to help each other. time spent looking at whats available in my model shop,on exhibition stands helped me and its your choice what you use

[njee20]

On a trip to Iceland a couple of years ago I 'acquired' some fine ash from that unpronounceable volcano (Eyjafjallajökull) that I thought might be just right for my shed area at Inverduff. My thoughts turned out to be right. It looks the part and as an added bonus, it smells the part too - all ash-y and sulphury. Mmm

Potentially worth noting that the thread I linked to, and Crewearpley40 borrowed from, that there's a suggestion that real ash (admittedly from a loco rather than a volcano) is corrosive. I presume it's been down for a while, but you may want to make sure it's not causing any problems!

there is no right or wrong way,i used the methods i did and it suits me. and i would use whatever suits you  or materials you may have. would be pleasant if people just describe their methods and ( im not naming names) , people need to help each other. time spent looking at whats available in my model shop,on exhibition stands helped me and its your choice what you use

Yep, totally agree, indeed that's precisely what I said, I just shared the content you'd copied, IMO that's more helpful than cherry picking bits.

[crewearpley40]

Its actually my view. I would do what one and use what your happy with