And now for a quarry!

 About two years ago, I detailed a number of projects that I wanted to complete before I felt that the layout was "substantially" complete (Outstanding projects ). Gradually, over the past two years, I have been working through those projects. With the completion of the Mount Windeatt refurbishment, it is now time to focus on the almost 'stand alone' quarry module.  

Unlike other projects, this is a new build sitting below the helix lid and requires the operator to relocate to a new location on the back deck rather than inside the garage. I have been very keen to build a quarry to justify my earlier purchases of the great IDR BBW wagons.

The module is not very wide (about 300mm). This means that a backdrop is very important to get the sense of depth of the scene. I did consider trying to create some type of backdrop using images from Martins Creek or Bombo quarries. However, as I was pondering this challenge, my division of the NMRA held a 'Bring and Buy ' Day. Among the items being sold were several backdrops created by one of our members. One of these was a quarry scene. While,it's probably a bit more complex than some NSW quarries of the steam/diesel transition era, it provided a ready made solution to my requirement.

For a brief moment, I considered using it as purchased but quickly decided that the mismatch between my module length (about 1.5m) and the backdrop (about 1.2m) meant that I needed to do something more to ensure the overall integrity of the scene. To that end, I painted a backdrop as I have done for other modules, removed the sky portion from the image and then glued the remainder onto the painted scene.

The remainder to the module construction was the same as for other modules - yes, including the use of foam products. The structures in the foreground, with the exception of the conveyor, were scratchbuilt or modified from unused parts of an old kit. The conveyor was a Walthers kit.  

The tracked loader is a Woodland Scenics white metal kit. Rollover cages were not common in the 1960s.

 

 

 

The old Bedford water truck was found at second hand stall and repainted to look like an ex-army vehicle now working at the quarry. In its current location, it partially conceals a much more modern water truck on the backdrop image. The modern vehicle is well beyond my modelled time period and I haven't quite figured out how to permanently conceal it as yet.

 

 

 

 

From this angle, the entrance to the module looks like a cutting disappearing around a mountain. That was a bit of a fluke. 

The stockpiles of overburden to the left of the image hid the point rodding switches.  

 

 

 

 

With this module now finished, there is just one more project to complete before I can focus on the multitude of other jobs that have been stacking up such as repairing the turntable at Kingston Plains, upgrading the strip lighting in some areas, automating the level crossing lights at Singleton and fitting a fascia to the entire layout. And that's not counting several wagon detailing and weathering tasks.

"No rest for the wicked!"