Stephen and Laurence had forgotten that a pub lunch had been agreed the previous week and they had brought their sandwiches. As the table was booked and Geoff was already thinking about what he would have, we decided to have a short session in the workshop before and after lunch.
We decided to get a minimum of boards out and have a think about the scenery on the two full scenic boards - the engine shed and the mason's yard. First of all, a mock-up of the quarry track cover (a tunnel with an open side at the back) was created. This will probably be 6/9mm plywood with fillets. If reinforced suitably, it could be cantilevered, or a few small pillars introduced.
After a hunt around the workshop, some of the original cardboard mock-up pieces were found. The main building with the siding and the 'spoil-heap bridge' were dropped into place as were card squares indicating where the other mason building fronts would go. Boxes with thin cork off-cuts laid over them were initially used to get a feel for the hills, but screwed-up newspaper balls made a better job. A box was used for the engine shed to assess ground level issues around it. The central area where a row of workman's cottages had been discussed some 18 months previously caused the most trouble. These would fill in the backdrop, but also form the transition between the works buildings ground level and the much higher hillside profile at the bridge. Various arrangements of cottages and terrain were considered, but it was decided that research would be undertaken and paper/card cottages produced that could be moved around (and up and down) to find a final solution.
The quarry tunnel (left) and the siding entering the main mason's building en-route to the fiddleyard. We briefly discussed how much detailing would be required to disguise the sight of the quarry traffic, but decided it was something to consider later.
