Notes from the Workshop
PETER MARRIOTT’S TOP TIPS
HOW TO: ADD REAL COAL TO BUNKERS IN 15 MINS
Adding coal to a steam locomotive’s bunker offers an instant improvement over most moulded plastic loads. Ballast Magic offers a quick and easy option, but it needs to be used carefully.
Pour some of the Ballast Magic into a clear mixing bowl, such as a plastic beaker. If treating one or two locomotives, less than a teaspoon worth of powder is required.
The coal is then poured into the beaker. I used some imitation coal I had to hand. The recommended mixing ratio is one part glue to five parts scatter material.
Peter says: Ballast Magic, from Deluxe Materials, offers a useful way to ballast your track in any scale, being a powdered adhesive that’s designed to be blended with loose stone chippings. Once the ballast has been scattered over the track and neatly arranged, all one has to do is mist the area with water to activate the adhesive. The resultant bond is quick and durable, but it can also be broken again by the addition of hot water, allowing for track repairs or re-alignments in future.