The Almshouses

The dithering is over .... for now.  After being unable for ages to make a decision as to what should fill that white space behind the chapel (I've been refusing to even look at it) my very clever wife suggested almshouses. Perfect!  And there are enough interesting examples around Chester.

I thought I'd like to have a go at some patterned brickwork.  I could see me in my mind's eye deftly cutting the patterns out of embossed styrene.  Pah!  I couldn't do it - the intricate pattern was sending me blind - so I resorted to cutting out individual bricks and sticking them on in an appropriate pattern.  That way lies madness (and neck ache.  And eye strain).  The result though, from a distance, is passable.  Close to, the flaws are all too evident.   However, I can live with them since the model will be towards the rear of the layout and (a) my eyesight now isn't good enough for it to annoy me and (b) I can tell any visitors that they can't lean over to peer closely for fear of damaging models in the foreground.  And I won't take any close ups.

The almshouses I chose also have tiny, intricate, stone, arched windows. These completely defeated me. I just couldn't get them to look right.  The arches were just too small, for me, to mark and cut out.  So they've turned into not-so-tiny, not-at-all-intricate, stone-which-looks-like-plastic, rectangular windows which I think I will back with some Scenesetters window bars. .  That will have to do.

Also, all of the gables have what looks like a tiled effect.  That will be an interesting challenge.

The next challenge will be to find something to go behind the almshouses in low relief  .

I am enjoying myself .... honest.

Old Tyre Depot

Well, that was the most fun I've had making a model and I'm a little disappointed to have finished it.  I still have to bed it into the layout so that'll be a bit more fun but it'll be a while until I can get round to that.

And this is where it's going.....

I can do no more until that white space at the back has been filled for which I have had several very helpful suggestions. (This blogging lark is great - free advice!!)  But what will go there?  It's a case of breaking free from the paralysis of indecision and getting on with it.

Roofing Fun and Appeal for Help.

I have had a thoroughly good time on and off over the past few days making progress on the Old Tyre Depot, particularly playing with the roof structure.  Who'd have thought a few pence worth of plastic could provide so much fun?

However, I'm afraid work will be getting in the way of more important things over the next few days so the roof is going to have to be neglected.for a while.  I'm looking forward to painting it though.

In the meantime, I have a bad case of what can only be described as modeller's block.  There is a space on the layout, behind the chapel (on the other side of the tracks) and to the left of the castle, which is crying out for something.  But I don't know what.  It's sort of triangular - 300mm across the base (adjacent to the castle) and 500mm to the apex (adjacent to the tracks).  What should fill it?  Here are three photos to put the space in context.

I thought about a park with a bandstand (improbably near the noise of trains but that wouldn't matter - it's only pretend and no one would actually have to play there) or perhaps a row of low relief cottages with their back gardens but neither idea is really compelling at the moment.  If anyone has an inspiration or suggestion, I should be delighted to hear! 

Old Tyre Depot Roof

Having had two energetic grandchildren for a sleepover last night, it was pleasant to relax this afternoon continuing with old tyre depot.  I have made progress on the roof structure, painted the inside walls and primed the outers.

I think, though, I've been a bit hasty in assembling the roof since it now occurs to me that somehow I've got to paint it and it may have been easier to paint the joists before assembly.  I'll just have to find a brush that paints round corners.

The Old Tyre Depot

There is a very dilapidated building nearby which I often pass and admire.  It's an old tyre depot and with the recent heavy snowfall the roof has taken another battering.  After reading about the fun Iain Robinson had with his splendid Old Boiler House project I was inspired to have a go. I also needed something to fill a space on the layout, behind the foundry garage.

This next photo is a good illustration of just how fascinating this building is.  I'm going to need advice on how to achieve the effect of moss growing between the brickwork!!

I don't have room for the whole thing so the model will be an edited highlights version.

I have had a slight hiccup.  I bought some embossed styrene sheet which was supposed to be OO gauge brick work (top) but compared with the good old Slaters version (bottom) is well overscale.  I'll stick to what I know from now on.