Hi and welcome to Ivan's info.

New Photo's loaded of my layout, hope you enjoy.

I am sure some people are curious as to who the owner of Hunter Valley Model Railway Supplies is and what type of layout he has at home.

I started off initially with a Hornby Hymek and a couple of Lima Loco's when I was knee high to a grasshopper. In my teens I built various 8x4 layouts all of which were dismantled for a newer and improved plan.....sound familiar?

I started construction of my first exhibition layout based on the GWR called "Narrofairston". The first exhibition I took this layout too was the Combined Hunter Region Modellers Exhibition at the Police Boys Club Broadmeadow. I kept this layout for a couple of years before selling it, I hear it still exists but a a NSW Outline layout.

My current layout was started 14 years ago and has featured at the Our Town Model Show (when it was at the Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium), Richmond Vale Museum Exhibitions and the Kurri Kurri Model Train Show. Originally based on the GWR in Wales it has been undergoing some serious modifications including attacking the scenery with a grinder fitted with a cutting disc to remove a hillside and tunnel and to make way for a a new 2nd station on the main line, double tracking around the sea wall as well as a total redesign of the branchline. The layouit is now based on the era of the end of steam with the appearance of the 1st generation diesels. Everything gets a run even a UP DD40 AX until it wedged itself under the road bridge and took a while to release it.

Anyhow here are a few photo's hope you like it. I will keep you updated on modifications as they are constantly taking place.

Happy Modelling

Ivan

Here is a view of the construction of the new small dock area with the 1st of 3 scale freighters that will be part of the scene.

Bachmann Weathered 56XX Tank rounds the curve past the lighthouse.

Hornby L1 Tank heads past the ocean, rails have been painted using Humbrol #113 Rust.

Hornby Double Chimney "Ince Castle". The textered rock faces have now been painted and highlighted with a lighter colour. The tracks will have super elevated camber before ballasting.

Work is progressing up on the branchline. Hornby DCC Sound Class 50 sits in refuge siding. The nissen hut is a Skaledale model with a scratch built brick base and steps.

Step 1 - Bare timber that the DAS Self Drying Clay will be applied to be carved in to a stone retaining wall. The white plaster area above is rock face that was made using the (aliminium foil method) and has yet to be painted and weathered.

Step 2 - Prior to DAS being applied I use Bond Crete as an adhesive to glue the DAS on to the formwork.

Step 3 - A smoothed out section of DAS to the correct thickness (approx 4mm) is applied to the Bond Crete.

Step 4 - Applying horizontal guide lines using the BACK of a knife blade, try to ensure that lines are level.

Step 5 - Carving and shaping of individual stone blocks with a small flat bladed screw driver. Try to ensure a random pattern in the walling for authenticity. Small area's at a time are better as this section in the photo took approx 1.5 hours to complete at the end of this the DAS was starting to dry out.
 

Step 6 - Progess at 1/2 point and how using the blade of the screw driver I have started adding texture to the face of some of the stone blocks.

Step 7 - The completed section. The DAS clay will dry to the near white colour then it can be primed and painted for more realism. I first started using this method over 25 years ago when I built my first exhibition layout and have found this method to be reliable and hold up to time.

I hope this has been of interest and helpful

Part of the streetscape of the seaside village of Porthmorgan. All the buildings in Porthmorgan  are scratbuilt.   

Two trains are about to pass each other over the river bridge which is a "Wills" Kit.

A busy scene at The Junction. Track is Peco Code 100, lineside fencing, telegraph poles, signals & grounded coach are all Ratio Products, whilst the engine shed is a Wills Craftsman Kit.

A Hornby Class 121 Bubblecar pulls out of the bay platform, whilst a Hornby Class 31 Diesel is about to pass a Bachmann 4MT 2-6-0 and Class 4 Ivatt 2-6-0 doubleheading a freight train.

A Class 121 returns to the bay platform passing a Bachmann 2-6-2 small Prairie Tank. The water tower is a Ratio Kit, whilst the yard crane is a Wills Kit.

Looking towards CWM Harris station, the white area in the background is a recently plastered area while the white buildings in the background are concept prototypes for a new industrial area.

A Hornby Merchant Navy 4-6-2  hauling a Bachmann MK1 coach passes a local passenger servive.The footbridge is a Hornby kit while the platforms, signals, and fencing are Ratio products.

A Hornby Merchant Navy 4-6-2"French Line" awaits a green signal.

Another view of the seaside village of Porthmorgan, this time the bakers and churchyard.  

Holiday makers frolic at the seaside while a train pass around the seawall. One fisherman battles the waves in his rowboat. 

Another seaside view, this time a Hornby Weathered Class 31 in BR Blue makes an appearance. It took quite a while to figure out how to form up the ocean with waves breaking, even the sand has a sloping effect around the seawall which is made from plywood covered in DAS Modelling clay and carved into shape.

A View of the town centre of Porth Morgan.Buildings are all scratch built using Peco & Wills Windows and Heki Brick Sheets. Road vehicles are a mixture of Cararama, Corgi, Oxford & Classix.

A view of the CWM Harris Junction. The grass in the foreground is a new Heki product while the fencing, signal & telegraph poles are Ratio products. The engine shed & tunnel mouth are Wills Craftsman Kits. The platelayers hut is a Cooper Craft product.