Anyone ever built a layout on 2 levels???

[RyanNI]

Thinking of begining a layout and have one designed. Though i'd like the lane to the farm on a hill.... not steep or long but off the ground about 15cm and 30 - 40cm long lane, whats everyones thoughts on this? is it a bad idea?

[DMullen]

i want to do the same, but wouldnt have the space  :(

but im sure it would look great and add to the realism

[RyanNI]

i havent got much room either being honest, just have to make it though!!!

[denis086]

i think a couple of lads on here used that aeroboard theyuse for insulation in houses to make hills

[noel]

PM "smallclaas" he has experience of doing this, i'm sure he could give you a few pointers.

I have though about doing a 3d type layout, but don't have the space 

good luck and keep us posted if you get it done 

[Bren]

i think a couple of lads on here used that aeroboard theyuse for insulation in houses to make hills

what about polystyrene

[RyanNI]

i was thinking of like a slanted peice of wood the length of my farm and then roughen the lane up and put two fields at each end, eventually extending up the side of the farm, and then make the fields rough before grass layout, tracks through fields etc. Basically a double base though the main farm 15cm off the base, if you get what i mean

[RyanNI]

PM "smallclaas" he has experience of doing this, i'm sure he could give you a few pointers.

I have though about doing a 3d type layout, but don't have the space 

good luck and keep us posted if you get it done 

would take me a while, think if i deffinitly start building the yard i'll start by raising the base by the 15cm and that will let me have the opportunity to do a lane later on!

[pbmoynan]

myself and brian are in the middle of doing a layout on different levels at the minute

[RyanNI]

any pictures of them?? Any hints??

[Deere-est]

PM "smallclaas" he has experience of doing this, i'm sure he could give you a few pointers.

I have though about doing a 3d type layout, but don't have the space 

good luck and keep us posted if you get it done 

That's your best bet Ryan. Just take a look at his topic for starters. 

Cullies Farm.

[Leakeyvale]

Leakey Vale does have a hill but only because the Mill is 1:200 (approx) and looks silly on the same level.  That meant I had to make a stab at changing perspective to accommodate the size difference. 

Hills or simple changes in level do help a layout look more realistic but I would keep the hill fairly low otherwise it may look "wrong"

[intey 434]

not a bad thought ryan. i was going to try it myself but never got round to it if the lane was 30-40 cm long, raising a height of 15cm would it not leave it quite steep

[RyanNI]

yeah  ... 5 - 6 cm would be enough maybe

Modified for Text Talk.

[CMB]

what about polystyrene

good idea. For quick hills I used to stick flat polystyrene slabs on top of one another with pva glue and cover with flock. Shape with a hot wire cutter or polystyrene cement.

[Simon]

What ever happened to chicken wire and papier mache?!  :D

I remember making a diorama for 1/35th plastic military vehicles out of it at school, we made a dirt road [using brown paint powder for dust  ] with a cutting either side out and painted them up to look like hewn stone with grass and foliage on top, just right for an ambush. The whole thing was only about 2' square but it was effective.

With the space I have available for my [and the kids'  ] layout, I'll definitely be trying to get some height to it.... will probably use a combination of materials to achieve this, rigid insulation cut to shape, good old fashioned papier mache and probably a fair quantity of soil for the infills....

Let us know how you get on Ryan...

[Leakeyvale]

What ever happened to chicken wire and papier mache?!  :D

...

I second that -chicken wire and paper mache.  Railway modellers use chicken wire roughly shaped, pva glue and cheap toilet paper pasted in layers - looks really effective and  you can use sandpaper to smooth it once dry.

Don't use expensive loo paper as it is too embossed and has too many layers.  Really cheap stuff

[jcb4cxkid]

its very popular to do this lots on the french forum, but you dont need lots of space 

[Tractorman810]

did think about putting one side of my fields boards on different levels, but with the eves where they are it would make the fields smaller unfortunatly, as the whole layouts raised already  , i guess with care i could make the 3rd field on one side higher, as thats running along with the eves not across them