DCC Concepts Legacy LB-4SE Ballast – Dark Grey – Shed or Steam Era OO Gauge

OO GaugeDCC Concepts / LegacyLB-4SE Ballast – Dark Grey Blend – Shed or Steam EraPot Size = 200g  OO/HO scale Ballast – Shed/ Steam EraA really well scaled Dark blend that accurately reflectsprototype size and is eminently suitable for 4mm scale (OO) or HO modelling.The Dark mix colour has been chosen based on field research and is suitable forheavily trafficked Steam Era lines, Station areas and Shed areas. Also idealfor modern diesel sheds where locos stand as they darken considerably with oilsand other things. Use in combination with other Legacy Ballast for transitionalareas and weather with powders or paint as appropriate for realism. Thiscarefully processed Ballast should not change tone when glue is applied using asuitable mix and wetting agent.If you did not grow up with steam, visited an active steamshed or have not researched widely in relation to the steam era, then it ishard to really appreciate just how dark, dirty and gloomy things were aroundsteam locomotives and their facilities.Coal is black and smaller bits of coal, muck and dust wasdropped everywhere.Oiling of steam locos used a “total loss” system so that oilwas used before it was then just dripped away, often mixed with steam and hot,mucky water. Washing out of locos took all of the ash and clinker away, washingit into the environment… and of course smog, soot, and the grungy particles inthe smoke were constantly “airbrushed” onto the buildings and anything else inthe area… especially the ground areas.Accordingly, the predominant colours of this ballast arequite dark, just as the real world was… so, our Steam Era ballast representsballast that has been laid for some time and subject to the muck, brake dust,rust, weather and other “industrial effluences” that were inevitably depositedas trains pass.Although dark, it is not an unrelieved blackness. It is,once again, a complex blend based on lots of checking and it now closelymatches our research.As with the brown and grey mixes, consistency matters sograin size was checked with a vernier before packing. Because of the nature ofheavily used areas around steam, we added slightly more fines to this mix aswell.