Over the past 3 months I've had the most enjoyable and satisfying time building this model of one of the local parish churches. In the process I have learnt an awful lot and next time, if there is a next time, there are things I would do differently.. In particular, I experimented with using DAS for the some of the stonework and hadn't realised what a versatile medium it is. Similarly with styrene sheet. I thought I'd really struggle with the spire but with styrene sheet it was relatively straig
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
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 on
Near to where I live is an old and very dilapidated tyre depot. The recent heavy snow has collapsed even more of the roof. It was constructed of brick, steel joists and corrugated iron and is full of character. I wanted to have a go at modelling dilapidated and have made a start on a version which is much smaller so as to fit the available space on the layout. The interior walls have been weathered and the roof structure begun. I fear though that impatience means I am going to struggle to fi
The Chapel is finished. Or rather, I've finished with it for the time being. Ii's been an interesting project from which I have learned a lot. I look at it now and think what I'd do differently next time. I suppose that's what modelmaking is all about and it's part of the fun - learning from mistakes and doing better next time round. Anyhow, the Chapel has found a location on the layout adjacent to the implausible retaining wall and will need a wall, gate and signboard eventually. Those wi
An unexpected day off due to rather a lot of snow and a good opportunity to tinker with the layout and complete a few projects I'd temporarily lost interest in. The garage, modelled on the Foundry Garage in Denbigh, has been patiently waiting for the "Foundry Garage" and "Flame" petrol signs. At last, it's finished and ready to go somewhere on the layout - not sure where though just yet. Talk about lack of planning. The trouble is I see something i'd like to have a go at modelling and then wo
I have several motives for writing blogs (I have another one on Google). First is to leave a record for my grandchildren - I would love at least one of them to be motivated to take up this absorbing hobby at a much earlier age than I. Second, I have discovered a whole community of fascinating and friendly bloggers. Third, because it's a very good way for me, a relative newcomer, to pick up lots of helpful tips directed specifically at what I am doing. For example, Scanman (Ian), took the tim
There was an excellent article in BRM a few months back on modelling a thatched roof. Dove Cottage, I think it was called. The technique involved glueing clumps of plumbers hemp with evostick onto the roof and trimming once dry. A very clever idea. I must try and dig out the article again.
This effort is pretty much a direct copy of the cottage featured in the article. Great fun but very messy. At least it was when I tried it.
Next up was a parade of shops. I made a start on this whilst holidaying on the Isle of Barra, staying in the same house as the producers of the BBC's "An Island Parish". Very relaxing - cutting out styrene and looking out over the sound. The shop fronts are stock windows from Langley Models. I found it hard to print the shop signs - the detail isn't fine enough which I assume is down to the quality of my printer. Oh, and look to closely at the bakery and you see there's nothing in it! Bit of a
While I'm in posting mode I thought this might be of interest to other new modellers like me.
I wondered for a long time how to make realistic looking water for the estuary. Then by chance I found a technique ascribed to Allan Downes and described on Chris Nevard's blog. It consists of PVA brushed generously over a suitable colour (in my case a silty, muddy brown) followed by a coat of gloss varnish. I am so pleased with the result. I was a little over enthusiastic with brushing the PVA so t
I looked around for a little church to model after the bridge and pub - something that wasn't too demanding - and came across this lovely church at Llanrhos in North Wales.
Made out of styrene, the model is a much simplified version. To make a true copy was simply beyond me. I couldn't find suitable off the peg windows so drew them out, had them etched and backed them with fine diamond shaped steel mesh. The Lych Gate is modelled on one in a village in Cheshire. The gra
I've been meaning to get round to writing a blog for a while. I started building this model railway 12 months ago (or may be it's been longer than that). As far as possible I wanted to build all the scenery from scratch. The track is a very basic double oval with a branch line based on no particular region. To be honest the trains are just an excuse for modelling.
I started with building the bridge and pub. I still need to do the water.
The bridge wall is made of hardboard
