After some months pause we start again. The gravel needs to be laid. Woodland Scenics's products are not at all bad and the first job is to find the correct mix for the setting and the age. The intention is to have differing types of gravel. Along the track and in the station it will certainly be darker but at the shunting yard in cannot be too light. When the colour is mixed to a satisfactory hue we pass to the actual laying during which we used certain tools which Enrico obviously couldn't be without and which were immediately very useful.

After having more than once verified the absolute immovability of the tracks, with the utmost care the gravel is laid between the sleepers and then, using only the fingers, it is distributed as uniformly as possible. To align the outer edges a simple metal ruler is used.

When the gravel for the area under discussion is distributed as perfectly as possible, we pass to the preparation of the glue. Of the many possibilities on the market I chose John Ballast Glue which was diluted with 50% water and ten or so drops of Jons Better Wetter as a dissipator. In order to get the glue to cover as uniformly as possible without lumps in it we need to wet the area very well whilst protecting the nearby zones from the spray.

At last with the proper dropper the a sufficient quantity of glue is distributed taking care that the product expands above and below the space occupied by the gravel. In my case, for each sleeper, I sometimes arrived at 10 drops. When the whole piece is perfectly solid, the ugly flat headed nails used to block the rails provisionally) will be removed. The holes left by the pins will be filled by a drop of water, the necessary gravel and a drop of glue. Finally, after a couple of days decanting, a good aspirator is passed to remove any detritus, leaving only well-fixed gravel between the sleepers. This process must be repeated for all visible portions of track and, taking great care, also in the gaps between the points, the crossing and the uncoupling mechanism.

In the photographs below some details of the gravel of the goods yard and the procedure I adopted for the points are visible: two drops of grease on the the moving parts to avoid unwanted grains in the joints and the interruption of the gravel in the area around the command lever. Later the loop will be closed by means of small strips of adhesive tape and on these a very thin layer of gravel will be glued. In the other photos the laying of the gravel in the area between the tunnel and the station is seen. In the left hand photo one can see the masking tape used to obtain a distinct line between the edge of the bank and some small pieces of gravel still to be removed by means of the hoover. To glue the gravel in this area a layer of Pattex – Vinil legno Express is applied and then, by use of the fingers the necessary quantity of material is spread. In the enlargement the slight inclination (about 1mm.) that has been given to the tracks in the bend close to the tunnel can be seen.

A last job remaining to be done to the sleepers after having “rusted” the vertical parts and the bolts is the “shading”. (In the lower right hand photo the lower of the two tracks has been treated and is clearly different from the other.) In the past the sleepers were exclusively made of wood treated with creosote to resist animal and vegetable parasites and atmospheric agents. Notwithstanding this protection, the wood, even if very resistant, after years of life exposed to the elements and continually subjected to tensional stress, began to show evident cracks and irregular usage. To render the sleepers more realistic it is necessary to “shade” them. One dips a brush in a whitish paint, cleans the brush of almost all its colour on a piece of paper. Then with the last vestiges of colour on the hairs one shades the sleeper in a lengthways direction with a light hand. The colour left on the brush will be deposited on the relief's of the sleeper leaving the lower parts darker. A touch of visual realism which is rather quite attractive.

Even if in reality the difference is more marked, in the photos it is fairly easy to see the difference between the composition and colour of the gravel on the tracks and in the station (LH photo) and that of the end of track. (RH photo).

In the lower left hand photograph, taken from inside the model (and therefore giving a view that normally would not be visible [note the tracks that have not been “aged]), one can see two important details of the uncoupling mechanism in the station. The motor, without its black plastic cover furnished by the factory, has been inserted in a purpose built platform. This platform has no inner side, but the most important thing is that small black tube underneath the gravel (yet to be glued into position) under which is housed the metal control rod. This was necessary to avoid blockages of the mechanism due to unwanted glueing. In the lower right hand photograph the solution adopted to fill in the space through which the control rod of the points passes can be seen. To the sides of the rod two small strips of soft plastic have been positioned. These strips will then be covered by a very thin covering of gravel so that at completion, the small 5mm hole will be absolutely invisible to the naked eye.

The removal of the pins used to immobilise the tracks took longer than I first thought. Probably because I used elements that were too large. After having inserted coloured drawing pins to indicate where the removals had taken place (so that I would know where to intervene for the restoration work), I proceeded to fill in the holes one at a time with a few grains of gravel each. Immediately afterwards I wetted the surrounding area with a brush then awaited the consequent absorbtion. Two drops of glue concluded the job which, for the record, was repeated 96 times. Too late I found a method which was both simple and practical for the adjustment of any malformation of the gravel – without having to spray the area (it works only as an add on). In a small basin one puts the necessary quantity of gravel for the job in hand then water is added. The mixture is well stirred until the gravel has absorbed as much water as it is going to take. The rest of the water is then removed. At this point, as if it were a mass of soft plaster, the mixture is applied where necessary modelling it by means of a finger. A drop of glue to cement the whole, does not form lumps and is absorbed immediately.