The Old Workshop - completed

I have been absorbed over the past few days working out how to construct the parish church (I'll make it up as I go along) so have neglected the old workshop. It's now done though. I have very much enjoyed the project - there's something appealing about modelling old and neglected buildings.

I have, at last, been weaned off using proprietary roofing slates thanks to the method Iain Robinson describes in the comment at the end of the post in his blog.  In case this helps someone else, I used 3x3mm squared graph paper from the web, printed on 100 gsm paper, cut into 6x3 rectangles, stuck down with PVA, painted with what I guessed was an overall slatey sort of colour, then picked out individual slates in different shades.  This first attempt is not perfect but much more pleasing - and satisfying.  It makes me think I may have to revisit the roofs of earlier models now though. (I bet I won't.  Too lazy).  The ridge tiles are strips of paper laid over a piece of string glued to the ridge, with thinner strips applied for the joins.  I copied that idea too.  I copy everything.

Here's a nice roofing example too on the lnr models blog.

The Parish Church

One of the features I fancied modelling on the new layout is a townscape with a church rising up behind the station.  A bit like Barmouth but on a much smaller scale.  Right at the top and set beneath the cliffs of Barmouth is a very imposing church.  It's surprisingly big considering the size of the town.  Looking around for something more modest I came across this pretty church, St John the Baptist at Pentrobin.

The Vicar very kindly agreed to me taking photographs and measurements.  I've taken a few so as to start thinking about how to model it but will need to return to take a lot more.

I thought about embossed sheets for the stonework but there is nothing suitable on the market so produced a very, very roughly cut and executed sample of three possible alternatives - DAS and scribed styrene, all DAS or all scribed styrene.

I've settled on the left hand one - DAS and scribed styrene.  I would have gone for all DAS but just do not feel confident enough to model the whole church that way.  Cowardly I know but I'm far more confident using styrene strip to model any ornamentation.  Looking forward to this project.

The Old Workshop

In between moving to the new work area (which is bathed in natural light and much more pleasant) I have been tinkering with the Old Workshop I started a few weeks ago.

I still need to join the two buildings with a corrugated roofed shelter, build a staircase and tile the roofs but have started painting.  I noticed some helpful tips on Lee's excellent blog on the use of talc or weathering powders after painting to blend the colours together.  It's not something I've tried before but it does give a much better effect (and the talc smells great).  I fear I may have overdone the dirty windows but a bit of a clean will fix that. 

Starting Over

A bit quiet of late but I've been moving the "workshop" to a better spec - one with natural light, which is wonderful.

Unfortunately it has meant leaving the original layout behind and starting afresh but I don't mind at all as I never want to actually finish a layout or I'd have nothing to do. Some of the buildings I will relocate from the old layout but others I will happily leave behind and pretend I never built them.

The new layout involves very little planning apart from a round and round bit for the grandchildren to play with.  I will just build around that.

I have concluded that I am incapable of planning too far in advance (although I would love to be able to create something like the wonderful Rails to Llangunllo) but I know what will happen. I'll have something in mind now I want to have a go at but then see another building or something on another blog I want to make instead.  Blog-reading, I have decided, is antithetical to planning!

The Almshouses....just about done.

After adding chimney pots, ridge tiles, barge boards, gutters, downspouts and finials I'm going to leave the Almshouses alone.  At some point I want to add a couple of hanging baskets but I'm done for now.

My artistic adviser, Mrs Chas, advised that the roof really needed terracotta ridge tiles to finish it off.  She was absolutely right.  She always is. I wondered how to make them but could think of nothing other than bits of styrene strip glued on to the paper tiles with Mek-Pak and topped with styrene rod.  Perhaps there is an easier or better method.  Something more ornamental would be beyond my ability to make but I suppose the serrated edge of a greetings card might work.

I bought this gadget some time ago for cutting lots of small lengths of styrene strip.  It's wonderful.

Holiday time!

The ever observant Mrs Chas pointed me in the direction of a very interesting old building due shortly for demolition so while on holiday this week I made a start on a rough copy.  Here's the original....

And here's the copy.  Yes, I know, it's hard to tell them apart.

A few days ago, I stumbled across another lovely old building which again someone will want to pull down in short order.  I went into the shop to the front of the building to ask if I could take a few snaps.  The shop was empty.  It always is.  I know the shop. People are scared of the aged proprietor.

Me: Sorry to trouble you, but I am a keen railway modeller and would love to make a model of the old building at the back.  Would you mind if I took some photos please?

Aged P: (Fixes with stare and chews silently) You might be one of those people who wants to look around.

Me: (I wonder how to answer - it's true - I am one of those people) Not to worry, I thought I would ask. It's such a lovely building.

Aged P: (More staring and chewing) Alright then, but only one or two.

So here is one of them...

I am very grateful to him for giving permission.  One day soon this building will pass out of memory and it's replacement will almost certainly be unmemorable.

On the theme of modelable buildings and scenic ideas, I came across these in and around Pwllheli.  On the coastal path, an old farmhouse and outbuildings...

The ground frame at Porthmadog....

I couldn't resist this hut at Pwllheli Station. It's a very poor imitation of Lee's far more characterful version which is here.

And finally, this from Aberdaron.  The buildings are not so interesting but I like the way the road goes up and to the left and, where it curves, there is the church and blue sky.  Having a road blend into the back scene is something I find hard but I thought this real life example very helpful.

Well, the holiday is at an end but I post this photo, from the National Slate Museum, as a handy reference source on slate sizes.  (For an excellent and handier reference on how to make a model slate roof, see Iain Robinson's comment on his blog post here).

The Almshouses .....

What with one thing another, including the local quarry running out of slates, and sitting in the brief sunshine,  progress has been sloooow.  But at least work on the roof has started.

I was surprised to see that after a bit of painting, the flaws in the patterned brickwork appeared marginally less noticeable although not to the extent that it will bear close inspection.  Still it's an improvement.

The stonework in the gables presented a bit of a puzzle.  I thought about using Das but I really didn't fancy my chances of producing something which didn't look just clumsy.  (For a master class in using Das see Iain Robinson's blog, here for example).  After a bit of experimenting I settled on drilling holes in styrene sheet, filling them with Squadron putty and making a few indentations while still drying. 

Still plenty to do - finish off the slates, add flashings, ridge tiles, gutters and downpipes, chimney pots, barge boards, final painting.  And hanging baskets.  Now that'll be interesting.  It's not going to be finished anytime soon.

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