Now that the large scale buildings are done I can potter about with the smaller stuff for a while. First up was a couple of iconic pieces of SR kit. The fogman's hut came from Stig, is a Roxey w/m kit, and just needed a tidy and paint. The platelayer's hut is the Ratio plastic version and is lovely to put together bar one thing. I read the MRJ review from a few years back and agree with the criticism in that the end panels are a bit narrow. This means that the roof (which is OK) doesn't sit quite right. The pedantic could remove the central panel and replace with a wider bit of plain sheet to bring it out a bit. I reckoned I could live with this so just tinkered with the roof by notching the bolt holes that were use for the lifting eyes. Few of these seem to exist without some modification, intended or otherwise, so I plated over three of the four windows. The example a mile from here (below) has ripped window frames, covered bolt notches and has been 'tagged' in blue aerosol so there is the opportunity to personalise which few modellers seem to do.
There are two huts in the pack and I'm tempted to have the other rail-mounted for delivery. This was done either with 15' SR flat wagons taking a hut and a tool hut, or ex LNER and LMS minerals with the bodies removed for a single hut.
I'm warming to all this SR stuff.
I've got a soft spot for all things Southern too so it's nice to see these unsung but ubiquitous items being featured.
ReplyDeleteBack a couple of decades it seemed the SR concrete stuff would last forever; sadly not......a lot of things like the fencing is now breaking up due to the reinforcing steelwork rusting (especially in seaside locations) and a current trend seems to be the demolition of the lineside huts, usually by breaking up the sides, followed by the corners so the roof falls on to the resulting pile of rubble. I've been told that in some areas this is due either to vagrants using them for shelter or some local authorities trying to charge business rates for them!
ReplyDeleteA variation I remember seeing in the '70s and '80s was a taller chimney made from old station nameboards wired together......never seen THAT modelled!
Stig.