Using sandpaper as ballast mat

[Vitray]

Hello,
I just discovered this very interesting thread: Lybster Station and this photo gave me an idea:
Can I use sandpaper as ballast or gravel mats ? All your advices and comments are welcome. Thanks.

[Mountain]

Yes. It has been done but you may need quite a corse grade.

[Vitray]

Thanks Mountain. I need a very coarse grade. Something like 40 or 60 I guess.

[Bufferstop]

Even if you don't want to use it for ballast, you can put a pack of assorted "sandpapers" to use. Here's the road past my station, the road surface is a light coloured medium grade sandpaper, I used a fine grade, black, wet and dry paper to make a reinstatement scar where a cable duct from the footway box has been laid in the carriageway.

Before the cries of "anachronism" ring out, this is a station on a Heritage line and there's filming going on

[Vitray]

Thanks for your reply. Nice photo. I don't see any anachronism here. Just a part of wonderful layout.

[glencairn]

Hi Vitray The gravel mat I used on Lybster Station covers the whole area of the station. At the moment it is used also as ballast. Really it is too fine. A much coarser grade (as already mentioned) would be much better. When time permits, I shall put gravel chippings (oo gauge) down

Using a gravel mat obviously does not cover any sleepers. (Gravel on light railways very rarely covered sleepers. )

Glencairn

[Vitray]

Thanks for your answer. As I'm absolutely not going for realism, a gravel mat will do the trick. Plus, I hate ballasting.

[Vitray]

You're absolutely right. I had completely forgotten the famous rule # 1