Airfix signal box

For the time being an end to the Airfix week (and onto the seriously epic Wills arches week). The signal box was actually quite fun to do with swapped panels new window bars and balcony. While this doesn't exactly disguise its origins, it does make it less like all the other Airfix signal boxes out there.
I'm now at the point where I need to move on - I enjoy this sort of thing more than most, but it will be nice to get onto some track laying if only to break the several tea spoons of plastic dust that I consume every day of late.

Peco and Dapol kits

The news over the weekend is devastating. I won't add anything as so much has been said already, only that I'm as deeply upset as the rest of the modelling community. We all feel the pain.

 The requirement was for a fairly lengthy building to run along the end wall of the layout and one which was generically post-modernisation plan. The Peco office building kit seemed a likely start point and again is over looked by most modellers. Modular in design it is easy enough to move the panels around to suit. Here I've picked four to act as a front wall and put the double door wall and plain wall at the ends. The back is black plasticard and the spare units are put to one side for later. This used all the roof panels and most of the facia sections so is probably as far as you can stretch one kit.

Next on the blocks is this Dapol signal box. Panels moved, balcony removed, steps altered and new window bars added. A gentle enough set of tweeks, that change it considerably, but still manage to scream Airfix at you.

Peco Manyways

I'd not built any of the Peco kits before until I converted the station building kit a year or so back. After the Wills sheet it came as a nice surprise being quite light and delicate by comparison. Now the requirement is for a mid-late 20th century station building, something flat roofed and mod'. Enter the Peco office buildings kit.
Essentially it's a modular design and in this respect it works very well, although you have to think on your feet slightly as beyond the basic instructions for the box-art buildings there are only suggestions as to how to proceed. I needed something long and thin so laid out a selected set of walling and added bits and painted as I went along. Glazing as I went was in hindsight a bad move; yes it's easier to do it while the walls are flat, but no matter how careful I was the solvent fumes fogged bits of it in odd corners. Now a fully constructed box with a false back.

Scenic break bridge

Every GWR branch termini needs a bridge and Clees Hay is no different. This farm occupation bridge was knocked up in fairly short order and was based on one or two pictures online. The stone abutments are the obvious Wills course stone sheet and the parapet is the left overs from the AotC. The brickwork resting on the lower lip of the (just visible) RSJ. Capping is all 40 thou plastic.
Panting took longer to do than the build as I couldn't get the effect that I wanted until the German Grey came into play and toned everything down a little. There is a danger that stonework can look a little like painting by numbers.

Luckily it's too narrow for a bus, but the small boy may make an appearance again. Possibly standing on a box to see over the parapet.

Baseboard painting

There's just enough black paint left to do the Clees Hay carcass. That's the garage door frame and three layouts out of one tin - hurrah. Also some experimenting with some spray cans ala Mr Nevard. Mixed results, but I'll persevere.

Note the late 20th century cave paintings are still in place.

Profile

With the track down and painted, the profile boards went on. Simple rough straight lines of 6mm MDF glued and clamped. Followed by screws into the wood blocks behind. This gives a very robust 12mm front to trim to shape with a padsaw giving the usual slightly dropped front edge.

Saturday morning at the pictures

Emmett. Nuff said.

GWR station building

More or less done. Maybe some detailing to add once it's on the layout. The base is a Wills small station building extended by about a third with some Wills clapboard sheet. The windows have been swapped with some from the box and horizontal bars removed and vertical bars added The bargeboards are from the kit, but drilled and attacked with an oval needle file. There is a small lean-to at the back from leftovers of a Wills chapel kit as is the small porch in this view. The timetable boards are very old w/m ones from Dart Castings complete with the prints from the header card.

Kernow Models

News of model shops closing is all the rage these days. I used to have three within half and hour, now none. Although this is a little out of normal travelling range it's good to have a new shop opening for a change, so a trip was taken to Guildford to see the new Kernow shop. Peco staff were in residence for the opening day, some en-route to the Lille exhibition, others on day release and the shop staff were untested, but in abundance. Bachmann bods were floating around though not particularly forthcoming, but these two from BRM wouldn't stop talking.

The 11 day wonder that is Chris Nevard's layout was gracing the shop window, though how long it will last in direct sunlight is anyone's guess

All in all well worth the trip and great to see  Kernow expanding and taking a punt on Guildford as a new venue.

Plastic waste

Long time readers will know that I had a big change of heart a few years ago. Beforehand I'd shunned Wills sheet for being too much faff. Then I was given a Craftsman kit and thought it rude not to build it. Result: I now rarely use anything else for buildings. Result 2: There are off cuts. They are thrown into an ice cream tub which is good, but not good for finding anything specific. This morning I needed some brick sheet, but couldn't find anything suitable at the top, so ended up tipping the whole lot onto a tray. Result 3: Although there aren't any full sheets, I probably have enough corrugated to make several small sheds - or at least  roofs for a lot of small sheds, and near on the same from scraps of brick. If I was really careful and was happy to freelance a few buildings there is probably at least fifty quid's worth of random plastic here. Light railway anyone?