centenary wrote: ↑Tue Aug 26, 2025 11:34 am
OK, Ive done a little test ballasting with this bathing sand. I was going to include a picture or two but, due to the area Ive done the test ballast on the layout and being in my own shadow, it wouldnt look right.
I'll try and set up additional lighting see how a picture comes out on my phone and try to post that when I can.
My initial thoughts on the bathing sand are:
It's a bit dusty! In fact, Id say quite dusty. While easy to sweep the larger particles off sleepers with a brush, a very fine residue seems to stick on them. It seems to me you'd have to use a cotton bud on each sleeper to clean this residue off and that would be a very tedious task.
If you had concrete sleeper track, it wouldnt be as obvious but with the wooden sleeper bullhead track Ive used, it does kind of stand out. I dont have any proper OO scale ballast for comparison so dont know whether proprietary OO scale ballast is as dusty or not.
Size wise, Id say it was more suited to TT or even N scale. I havent got any OO scale ballast for comparison so it's just an eye test for me at this point.
Colour wise, it's a light to mid grey. The colour to my eyes would suit diesel \ electric era ballasting on a layout. For steam era, I would say yes, you need something darker or spray paint it darker.
Coverage from a 1kg bag, which is self sealable so you dont accidentally spill it everywhere, is very good. That said, a kilo of this v a kilo of proprietary OO scale ballast probably gives the same coverage? Even so, at £5 a kilo for the bathing sand (you can actually get it cheaper if you take advantage of the Pets at Home reordering system) compared to £6+ for 250grams and more of proprietary OO scale ballast, it is definitely cheaper.
In comparison, DCC Concepts do a 5kg Legacy bucket of 3 different shades of ballast. This weighs in at a not inconsiderable £45 plus postage if your local shop doesnt stock it If you have a garage sized layout (mine has about 68 meters of track), I going to take a punt and say ordinarily, you're probably looking a 2 x 5kg buckets to fully ballast that completely!
If Im not convinced by it and currently, I think Im 50 / 50, I think Id be inclined to use the bathing sand as a base layer for ballasting and other areas such as paths etc, then use some proprietary ballast to top it off. Just some thoughts though.
having in a previous role worked on a rail depot, ballast is a curious bugger
its bigger than you think but smaller than most stuff sold for the purpose. I find the extra fine stuff aimed at N gauge is still oversized for OO but this fine sand is too small - it is however excellent for the finer gravel pathways laid trackside. the best stuff I found was a rough grade of building sand, but even then it needs painting.
if you are going to paint it anyway this doesn't matter. that bathing sand is closer to scale than the fine chippings I'm using though
centenary wrote: ↑Tue Aug 26, 2025 11:34 am
OK, Ive done a little test ballasting with this bathing sand. I was going to include a picture or two but, due to the area Ive done the test ballast on the layout and being in my own shadow, it wouldnt look right.
I'll try and set up additional lighting see how a picture comes out on my phone and try to post that when I can.
My initial thoughts on the bathing sand are:
It's a bit dusty! In fact, Id say quite dusty. While easy to sweep the larger particles off sleepers with a brush, a very fine residue seems to stick on them. It seems to me you'd have to use a cotton bud on each sleeper to clean this residue off and that would be a very tedious task.
If you had concrete sleeper track, it wouldnt be as obvious but with the wooden sleeper bullhead track Ive used, it does kind of stand out. I dont have any proper OO scale ballast for comparison so dont know whether proprietary OO scale ballast is as dusty or not.
Size wise, Id say it was more suited to TT or even N scale. I havent got any OO scale ballast for comparison so it's just an eye test for me at this point.
Colour wise, it's a light to mid grey. The colour to my eyes would suit diesel \ electric era ballasting on a layout. For steam era, I would say yes, you need something darker or spray paint it darker.
Coverage from a 1kg bag, which is self sealable so you dont accidentally spill it everywhere, is very good. That said, a kilo of this v a kilo of proprietary OO scale ballast probably gives the same coverage? Even so, at £5 a kilo for the bathing sand (you can actually get it cheaper if you take advantage of the Pets at Home reordering system) compared to £6+ for 250grams and more of proprietary OO scale ballast, it is definitely cheaper.
In comparison, DCC Concepts do a 5kg Legacy bucket of 3 different shades of ballast. This weighs in at a not inconsiderable £45 plus postage if your local shop doesnt stock it If you have a garage sized layout (mine has about 68 meters of track), I going to take a punt and say ordinarily, you're probably looking a 2 x 5kg buckets to fully ballast that completely!
If Im not convinced by it and currently, I think Im 50 / 50, I think Id be inclined to use the bathing sand as a base layer for ballasting and other areas such as paths etc, then use some proprietary ballast to top it off. Just some thoughts though.
oh yes, and on cost. as with everything aimed at modellers the mark up is huge, have a wander round a DIY barn and you can probably get a 25kg bag of grit aimed at builders for a hell of a lot less, even if you have to sieve it to get the grade you want and throw the rest its still way cheaper
I've collected sand of many different grades from many different beaches.
It's summer. You can blend in with the crowd as long as it's not a bucket full you're wandering off with.
Thanks
End2end
Not attempting to hijack this thread but it seems relevant to ask questions in it rather than start a new thread on the same subject!
Must admit, I didnt think about this when laying the cork underlay. I had intended using a DCC Concepts product that was 5mm deep as opposed to the cork's 3mm but it was out of stock with no foreseeable restock date.
On the test bit of ballasting Ive done, Ive noticed in places the edge of the cork is visible. I guess the idea to stop this is more ballast. But, I like the appearance of 'shoulders' on the ballast. What's the best way to achieve this look? Do you have to use one of those ballast gadgets (which aint cheap!) or are there other ways to achieve the shoulders look?
Bevel the edge of the cork following the track formation. If it's current deep ballasting then 3mm depth to the substrate under the cork may be OK, if shallower is required use plaster or similar in the cess to build it up as required before adding the ballast.
Bigmet wrote: ↑Tue Sep 02, 2025 3:00 pm
Bevel the edge of the cork following the track formation. If it's current deep ballasting then 3mm depth to the substrate under the cork may be OK, if shallower is required use plaster or similar in the cess to build it up as required before adding the ballast.
Thought about that but Ive roughly 70m of track, both sides, make than 140m!
Bigmet wrote: ↑Tue Sep 02, 2025 3:00 pm
Bevel the edge of the cork following the track formation. If it's current deep ballasting then 3mm depth to the substrate under the cork may be OK, if shallower is required use plaster or similar in the cess to build it up as required before adding the ballast.
Thought about that but Ive roughly 70m of track, both sides, make than 140m!
cut a bit of wood to the required angle, a sharp blade will do it.
must say I used 2mm cork (on 5mm XPS) and didn't bother bevelling the edges
