News from your model shop - 2nd July 2023

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One of the largest undertakings in the construction of any layout or diorama is the development of the local environment.  In the case of an urban scene, this is driven by the location and configuration of roads, buildings and other infrastructure.  In a rural setting, this will inevitably be driven by the size, scope and variety of the local environment and its flora and fauna.  One of the most challenging aspects of a rural environment is the development of areas of woodland or forest.  Some layouts may lend themselves to a more spartan landscape with a few trees and shrubs dotted here and there.  This can be relatively quick and easy to achieve.  What is more difficult is the development of areas of woodland, as these environments also include associated vegetation and foliage.  The prospect of having to place large amounts of trees and ground cover can be a daunting and time-consuming prospect for many modellers.  With this in mind, many of the main manufacturers have produced a wide range of products to help modellers wishing to develop a variety of woodland environments.  This week we will look at some of the items available to help modellers quickly and easily create stunning and lifelike woodland settings.

Developing woodland may require a multi-tiered approach, with ground-level vegetation and undergrowth in many locations.  Woodland Scenics are a major supplier of terrain and landscape products to assist modellers in creating vibrant and diverse landscapes.  Their green 'Poly Fiber' is an extremely versatile product that can simulate a number of substrates such as shrubs, vines and general undergrowth.  Their 'Medium Green Underbrush' can also provide further depth and variety to the ground cover and can simulate different environments such as unkempt natural landscapes or more managed areas.  Further depth and seasonal effects can be integrated into the landscape by using the 'Fall Mix Fine Leaf Foliage' set.



Developing woodland areas on a landscape does come with one notable advantage, in that many supporting products are not gauge specific, after all, a medium-sized tree on a OO Gauge layout could be equally at home as a larger tree on an N Gauge layout.  As previously mentioned, modelling a  large tract of woodland can be a daunting prospect, especially when contemplating the sheer number of trees required.  Luckily, help is at hand, in the form of the 'Deciduous Tree Armatures 0.75-2" Set', as this contains sufficient components to make up to 114 trees of varying sizes.  Further variety can be included by integrating the '5-7" Deciduous Tree Armatures' set.  One major advantage of using armature-based tree models is that they can easily be left bare to model deciduous trees in winter.  Further variety can be introduced by integrating coniferous trees such as the
'4-6" Standing Timber pack of 4.  All these items are available as parts of the extensive range by Woodland Scenics.



The sheer variety of available products means that modellers are not only able to create sufficient diversity in a particular environment but are also able to create a number of different ecosystems found worldwide.  For those looking to model a temperate or boreal northern climate, the 'Birch Trees' set by Gaugemaster would be a good option.  Conversely, those looking to create a desert oasis or tropical environment will inevitably be looking for something suitable, such as the set of '5 small Palm Trees' by Woodland Scenics.  There are also options available to help create managed horticulture environments, such as a copse, orchard or grove of fruit trees.  The 'Fruit Apples and Oranges' pack by Woodland Scenics could be very useful to a modeller looking to develop a small woodland holding.  The contained fruit is supplied as a form of scatter which could easily be attached to suitable trees or deployed as an appropriate ground scatter.



One easy way to create woodland environments is to use ready-made trees.  This allows users to quickly integrate trees into a layout but can prove to be an expensive option in situations where a large number of trees is required.  Additionally, if a number of packs are used, the trees can appear to be very similar which can detract from the overall visual appeal.  An alternative option would be to purchase a tree kit.  These kits are specifically produced to allow modellers to create their own trees, add a suitable amount of foliage and configure each tree as required.  This is a cost-effective approach to the large-amount-of-trees-needed conundrum and creates impressive and realistic degrees of diversity.  The 'Tree Learning Kit' by Woodland Scenics utilises individual tree armatures and allows a beginner to easily create a diverse range of items.  The German manufacturer Busch takes a similar approach with their 'Sea Foam Bush and Tree kit', which allows modellers to create between 15 and 30 trees depending on the size required.  With a view to diversification, the 'Forest Green Pine - Realistic Tree kit' by Woodland Scenics uses armatures to create up to 24 realistic conifers of varying heights.



Integrating a woodland environment into a layout or diorama can have a significant visual impact and can act as a very good counterpoint to the operational aspects of the layout.  With a significant variety of products to choose from, adding woodland environments and associated undergrowth and foliage has never been easier.  Why not integrate a woodland environment or similar habitat into your next project?

• Is running a locomotive at slow or very slow speed considered a good way to keep it in good running condition?
• How many crew did a steam locomotive generally carry?
• What are my options for modelling deciduous trees in winter?
• Which steam engines were used for shunting?
• What is meant by the term 'kitbashing'?

• What is back EMF on a DCC decoder?
• What is a DPDT switch?
• What is the difference between standard Hornby and Hornby digital?
• What is a sable brush?
• What is a pin pusher?

• Kato K20-852 Unitrack (BM1) Basic Oval Track Set - N gauge
• Amtech AM-V2560 60 Piece mini-drill and bit set
• Ratio Models 204 Station Building N Gauge

You can access all the unboxing videos by visiting this page or simply click on the link called "videos" on our website.