by Bob Alderman

This article follows a request on the Guild website Forum and describes the method we used to produce around 180 feet of walling on the layout. Yes, the figure is correct! The scenic side is over 40 feet long and walls were needed each side of the railway as well as across the fell side.

The method of construction was described to me by Norman Soloman in a conversation where I was bemoaning the amount of walling we needed. It is one that he used on an extensive layout. Like us, he needed a quick, reliable method to produce them.

The basic construction uses a card foundation surfaced with DAS modelling clay. The stonework is impressed into the clay with simple tools and subsequently painted.

A card strip awaiting its surface

The foundation of the wall is a strip of corrugated card glued to the layout. The card strip is cut across the corrugations so they are vertical when fitted. PVA glue was applied to one edge to secure it and cocktail sticks were pushed through the corrugations into the surface of the layout pinning it in place. The ends were cut off once the glue had dried and left in place. Nails can be used as an alternative but will need to be removed later.

The stonework is embossed using a small block of Styrofoam that has been sculpted to form the stone shapes. This is a simple procedure. Blocks of foam are cut to around 30 x 60mm. I used 20mm thick foam because that was to hand. I don’t think thinner would be suitable as it will lack stiffness and thicker may limit the ability to use it. The shapes are created by applying the tip of a soldering iron to the surface of the foam. The heat causes it to shrink away into hollows. The size depends on how long the iron dwells near the surface. The hollows are rounded not rectangular. I tried to make this shape with a reshaped bit but it wasn’t really effective. With the amount of walling we needed, it was felt that the extent and the overall effect would outweigh the incorrect stone shapes.

A pair of embossing blocks. Norman called them ‘stompers’ The Das is prepared to go on the wall. We evolved a system of tearing out a lump; rolling it into a notional ball; flattening the ball onto a surface and then rolling out like pastry to a thickness of around 3 mm. The flattened DAS is then cut into strips to be applied to the wall.

Preparing the DAS

Before applying the Das to the card it is covered with pva glue. A strip of DAS is then pressed onto the card – a strip to each side.

Gluing and positioning the DAS

The foam press tools are applied each side of the wall and then pressed together squeezing the DAS.

Squeezing a wall

The applied DAS can be longer than the blocks. They are just moved up to complete the surface. Some retouching will be needed. A cocktail stick recuts the gaps between the stones quite well.

The top is completed with capstones. The DAS is rolled into a sausage the diameter nominally that of the wall thickness. It is pressed onto the wall and indented with a blade.

Applying the capstones

A palette knife proved to be useful to indent the top but another blade could have been used. It tends to flatten the top so careful pinching upright is needed. The edge of the blade can sometimes create a drooping edge. This will need further reworking. The detail pictures show that I have been less than successful in the session I photographed. I have partially destroyed the shape of the stones at the top of the wall. A piece of tube slightly flattened end pressed into the DAS will restore the shape.

Once the DAS has dried the wall can be painted. An undercoat of matt emulsion, I favour magnolia colour as it is not stark white. The walls on The Summit have been painted with artist’s acrylic paints. These paints have dense pigment so a little goes a long way. The method that has worked best is to apply a small palette of burnt umber, ochre and raw sienna, using more of the first two. Small patches are spotted onto the surface spaced 20 -30mm apart. The brush is cleaned between each colour and then a wash of water is dabbed into surface blending and spreading the colours across the wall. Once this is dry a further wash of grey has been applied. This suits our local wall colours. It should be noted that the colour of the walls at Ais Gill changed dramatically depending on whether they were wet or dry.

Ready for painting

Your choice of colours will naturally suit your location.

As the walling was carried out by a team of club members I drew up a set of ‘sketch instructions’ so a common approach was used. These members have proudly become known as ‘Hadrian’s team’!

The method above suits when there is lot of walling to do. When small area is to be done then a more precise approach can made.

The photo illustrates a wall about 400mm long on my layout. It is made from DAS but is founded on 6mm ply. The DAS was stuck in small patches to the ply with pva adhesive as before. It was evened out by pressing it between finger and thumb. This dries the DAS a little faster than impressing. With the drier surfaces the courses between the stones were scribed into the surface. This allows straight lines. It follows the same style as the stonework on the ruin behind. This is a Slater’s product. It is intended to appear that the wall is made from stones robbed from the ruins.

Individual stones have been painted with acrylic paint from the Citadel range.