Connecting the two layouts & Platforms

I had recently finished the wiring to power up the each of the blocks and had a test run to operate Port Dock with Commercial Street and the operation was quite successful. The connection track from Commercial Street has proved a bonus for operation as shunting moves from Commercial street yard can use it as a headshunt.

At the end of Commercial Street, a small 100mm long section
of the straight track was removed and a new re-aligned peice of new track added.

Platform construction, basic open frame using balsawood, supaglued to the baseboards which won’t lift during ballast gluing.  

I chose a mortared bluestone walling for the platform edges to match the old photos I have of them. The paper was sprayed with Dullcote™ and dried quickly in front of an air blower heater to seal from moisture. The bluestone walling was cut into strips and glued on with PVA glue. Matching the stone pattern at each end of the pieces was tricky, but I had cut up several strips and you can pick from them to match the stonework as best you can.

I photographed a bluestone wall then stitched together several
copies of the image and printed out on my printer. 

Platform tops were made from 2.5mm balsawood shaped to allow them to overhang by about 1.5mm all around except where the main station building will be situated. These strips were Supaglued down for quick assembly.

The concrete blocks are represented by some Metcalfe Models™ paving, cut into strips and PVA glued on flush with the edges.

Decoration of the platform surface in this instance is to represent old cracked tarmac or asphalt. I used 800 grade "Wet & Dry" abrasive paper. Cut and shaped to fit inside the edges of the blocks. 

Finishing with black weathering powders.

Then brush it with powders to weather, then scratch in the cracks the back of an Xacto knife and then rub over with your finger. This fills the cracks with residue from the powder.

The blocks need to be separated with
actual gaps, so knife these in before
final weathering with black powder. 

The finished result with cracked and weathered asphalt or "Tarmac"