My new layout design.

[capeklr]

Worked out quite well. 
I have since then carefully cut that ledge smaller and used some more plaster to slope it nicely.
I've also added a walk way.
Now everything must dry out properly and then I can start with colours, sand, drift wood, making up some jetties
and placing that sunken boat.
I wonder where I can find some HO scale fish?
Any ideas to be incorporated into the lake?

[BigEd]

Nice!

I remember seeing someone making HO fish from tin foil. Looked silvery in the resin...

Some ideas I found online http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/219438.aspx

[capeklr]

Thanks Ed, I'll have a look at that on Sunday.

[capeklr]

Spent a bit more time last night, colour in the lake bed, place the Perspex sheet on again.
Remove the protective film off the Perspex.
Place some matches I the holes where I want to have the two jetties.

[capeklr]

Placed the two houses and temporally connected the lights.
I'll have to dim the lights in the one house.
 

[capeklr]

Houses still need to be secured properly so that there is no light leaking out under the houses.
Also need to fix the roof of one of them and a bit more paint here and there.
Then grass and plants, people and other details.
lots of fun to be had here.
Last photo for now, express train rounding the homes.

[capeklr]

Question time.
I want to have a fence running along the street, sort of a border to the properties.
Should I use the metal wire one or the white plastic one?
I'm tending towards the plastic one, a bit of paint some grass around it and it should look great.
I also have more of it.
What says the jury?
 
Some weights on the house are there to secure it while the glue dries.

[Georgecape]

The plastic to me looks too plastic/artificial/perfect but the other one looks real authentic.
I'am only judging by the photo - I have very little experience of looking at dioramas and then it may look completely different
I frequent the freerails.com forum and the dioramas there are all weathered and rather authentic so pse excuse my biased view.

[LooVille]

Good Morning.....

First off, the Lake is looking awesome  Very nice.

Fence: I'll go with the plastic also. Looks a bit more old era and with some paint you can really make it look real.
Metal one looks a bit to modern to me.

Awesome to see you building again. Nice......

Enjoy and talk again soon.
Cheers,
Evert

[BigEd]

Plastic fence too - it can always be painted or weathered. Much finer detail compared to the metal one.

All's looking good...   

[capeklr]

Hi,
I'm tending towards the plastic fence as well, it looks a bit more period neighbour hood fence to me.
The metal one I'm starting to think looks more like a Karoo farm fence.
Tonight I glued down the second house, also added a bit of brown colour to the lake bed.
Still not quite happy with the colours there.

[LooVille]

Good Morning Jörg,

Very nice, I tend to fade a bit of the brown earth paint I use into my rivers and lakes. And I also paint the center much darker. I think my water is a bit to blue on my layout but it is just an idea.

I like watching the Woodland Scenics guys doing rivers and lakes. They have a awesome video of a pond also.

Cheers,
Evert

[capeklr]

 
Both house are now secured to the removable section.
No more light leaking out under the houses.
I also added 330Ω resistors to the lights of the second house and it looks much better now.
I see I'll have to do the same to the street lights.

[capeklr]

I added some more paint to the lake bed, blue and a bit of blue/black to give it some depth.
Six more street lights which much still be connected and some green and brown for pathways.
Just to see how my ideas are coming together.
Let me know what you think about the lake.

[capeklr]

Some more.