Greengrocer's mat

Old Tom

Registered
10 Apr 2010
1,259
2
West Sussex
tomlancaster.weebly.com
Best answers
0
I have been given a bit of greengrocer's mat to see if it's any use on my railway. I laid an area today and this is the result:

c5dc8e9ae1a2409983562e3df0782bbc.jpg


It looks fine on the photos of other railways on this forum but I'm not too sure it's right for my layout.

Can anyone tell me if the colour will tone down a bit as the weather gets at it? Any nifty ideas to make it look more realistic?

I do like the idea of a manicured lawn area next to the station (which has been built but is not quite ready for it's first public appearance! :( ) but only if it looks a bit less artificial.

All constructive comments gratefully received! :D
 

Philbahn

Registered
24 Oct 2009
12,687
3
74
Swinton Manchester
Best answers
0
Country flag
God Tom its only a toy railway. Grass is green. Thats green, doesn't need cutting, didn't cost anything. What more do you want:clap:

No offence
 

steven large

USA G SCALES OF 30 TO 50S THEMES.ASLO KIT BASHING
15 Dec 2009
6,015
0
Best answers
0
hey..it look superb.....nice fresh grass.....it yr railroading....it suit u.....i like it when locos pass it...

p.s.u can get g scale garden benches near the tree...for sit down figures to look at the locos pass by....
 

KeithT

Hillwalking, chickens and - err - garden railways.
24 Oct 2009
13,215
190
Nr Manchester
Best answers
0
Country flag
Old Tom said:
I have been given a bit of greengrocer's mat to see if it's any use on my railway. I laid an area today and this is the result:

images


It looks fine on the photos of other railways on this forum but I'm not too sure it's right for my layout.

Can anyone tell me if the colour will tone down a bit as the weather gets at it? Any nifty ideas to make it look more realistic?

I do like the idea of a manicured lawn area next to the station (which has been built but is not quite ready for it's first public appearance! :( ) but only if it looks a bit less artificial.

All constructive comments gratefully received! :D

You could bleach it and then it would look khaki . . . like my lawn!
 

beavercreek

Travel, Art, Theatre, Music, Photography, Trains
24 Oct 2009
17,704
705
Colchester, United Kingdom
www.facebook.com
Best answers
0
Country flag
Spray it lightly and carefully with dark green, beige and brown matt paint sprays. This makes it pretty realistic and it also weathers into the colours.
 

pugwash

impecunious pirate
Staff member
GSC Moderator
17 Nov 2009
21,255
1,831
61
Luxembourg
Best answers
0
Country flag
I had astro-turf down on the terrace out back, where it was in shade and damp moss grew, everywhere else it looked okay (except for the cigarette burns from the cretins)
 

Ferrysteam

Registered
25 Oct 2009
5,840
3
Co Durham
Best answers
0
I'd leave it as it is Tom,I think it looks good.Nice railway....:clap:
 

eye-kay

Trams, narrow gauge, and anything else on rails
26 Oct 2009
326
0
Warwickshire
Best answers
0
Country flag
Hi Tom

I'd just wait and see. After 6 months in the sun and rain I'm sure it will look very different. This sun is a very powerful bleaching agent.

Can you post a picture in 6 months to show how it has weathered?

Ian
 

Rob s

trains, R/C models, 4x4 off roading, motor sport
24 Oct 2009
2,010
1
West Midlands
Best answers
0
Old Tom said:
I have been given a bit of greengrocer's mat to see if it's any use on my railway. I laid an area today and this is the result:

images


Can anyone tell me if the colour will tone down a bit as the weather gets at it? Any nifty ideas to make it look more realistic?


All constructive comments gratefully received! :D

Hi Tom
I had a piece of green grocers mat that i left out side for about 3months,
it very quickly went, a dull manky greeny/black sort of colour and eventually
went mouldy. :bleh: (bin time as it started to smell as well)

The chap that gave it to me pointed out (too late) that it is not quite the
same as Astro-Turf and wasn't really designed to sit on a damp surface for
any lenght of time.

Apparently it needs to be able to drain and dry out easily, i later tried another
piece which was raised slightly and laid on a layer of gravel. this also discoloured
quite quickly but did not go mouldy. :clap:

Its use wasn't train related, more for 1/18th R/C models and the colouring was
less noticable but if memory serves, it should mellow down and look a lot better
in a few months.

It did seem to be something of a target for Birds and cats though.

I can only say that it was still OK at about 6months as it disapeared over
one week end, :confused:
Some months later it was found lining the local Squirrels nest :rofl:

P.S. I like the look of the trees especially the one in the back ground,
i assume they have survived the cement base OK,
how much bed did you have to give them
 

Old Tom

Registered
10 Apr 2010
1,259
2
West Sussex
tomlancaster.weebly.com
Best answers
0
Hi everyone - I've only just seen all the replies! (I think I must have my settings wrong because the highlighted heading meaning that there are 'new posts' just doesn't work and I seldom get an e-mail saying that there's a new post on a thread - even though I've checked the box. I'll start a new thread asking for help, I think :) )

I've taken note of everything you've said and suggested about the green stuff - thanks!

Rob s: It's sitting on very fibrous and well draining compost which should stop the rot and the bonsai trees are all still in their pots and seem to be coping well.

Cheers
 

Rob s

trains, R/C models, 4x4 off roading, motor sport
24 Oct 2009
2,010
1
West Midlands
Best answers
0
Old Tom said:
Rob s: It's sitting on very fibrous and well draining compost which should stop the rot and the bonsai trees are all still in their pots and seem to be coping well.

Cheers

Hi Tom

Thanks for the info, our local garden centre is having a clear out of Bonsai's at the moment
i looked at them a couple of times yesterday, think i will go back tommorow and see if there
are any left.:rolleyes: