Crinan

[tjf4375]

That hotel is a work of art, fantastic painting and weathering effects. You've captured the look of weathered stone perfectly.

[EnglishElectricFan]

Hi Martyn

What a fantastic job on the Hotel...........stunning piece of modelling. It will look right at home on the the layout. 

Regards

Simon

[D1072]

Drainpipes (Wills) and canopy done. Glazing on the canopy is not fixed in place as I may replace it with with another piece, using fine white lining tape instead of plasticard support beams, which I feel look a little chunky. The valencing is another part from an old house kit. The flat roofed areas will probably get fine chippings added, or a representation of felt roofing.

The flat roof areas currently look just like my flat porch roof; lead sheet which has been painted more than ten years ago with black bituminous paint, much of which has now worn off with the result of lighter lead showing through in places.   So you could leave it exactly as it is! [and I need to get that porch repainted...]

[Signaller69]

Many thanks for all the comments and likes, it is much appreciated.

 

The version 2 canopy glazing is now in place and all windows glazed. An area of paving has been cut and scribed from card which will be used as a template for positioning on the layout, but may be re-done with scribed plasticard instead.

 

Couple of days off so hoping to get some work done on the Hotel "site" and make a start on the canal walls etc.

[Signaller69]

The flat roof areas currently look just like my flat porch roof; lead sheet which has been painted more than ten years ago with black bituminous paint, much of which has now worn off with the result of lighter lead showing through in places.   So you could leave it exactly as it is! [and I need to get that porch repainted...]

Thanks for the suggestion, lead may be somewhat more in keeping with the "period" and style of the building, I hadn't considered it up to now.

[Signaller69]

As the sun has been shining some good progress has been made today, namely the Hotel base and road surface fitted, perimeter wall made and the canal lock walls started. Latter are 80 thou plasticard scored and coarsely sanded to something I hope will resemble the concrete originals when painted!

 

Waiting for the Milliput on the perimeter wall to dry now prior to painting and fitting it, may have to think about making the lock gates soon too.

[The Ghost of IKB]

That is excellent work. Time for Alan Downes to start looking over his shoulder maybe.

[P.C.M]

Hi Martyn,

Just been catching up, the new extension is looking great, love the new building.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Signaller69]

That is excellent work. Time for Alan Downes to start looking over his shoulder maybe.

Thanks for the kind words, Allan has always been a big inspiration, particularly in using things that are to hand, kit leftovers and simplifying very complex areas where possible. However I don't feel I could match his enthusiasm when it comes to large structures (the Steelworks and Chester Rows models he built come to mind)!

Scratchbuilding a model to give an impression of an actual building is still quite new to me and I am pleased with the outcome. I can't claim its 100% faithful to the real building (especially in the window size/style, or even the stone finish, which as mentioned earlier is a bit of an unknown) but if it is recognizable then I am a happy bunny.

 

Cheers,

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

Today I have finished the Hotel perimeter wall, and another piece which adjoins the canal walls, and assembled and painted a first coat of concrete paint on the canal lock walls. These have been made as sub-assemblies which will only be fixed in place once the "concrete" has been very heavily weathered (the real walls are mainly weathered brown and black - from canal water presumably, with leaching lime marks in places).

 

These walls are 80 thou plasticard suitably scribed and coarsely sanded before being sprayed grey with a car aerosol. A Dulux "White Chiffon" household emulsion tester pot was used for the top coat, applied by brush (I find this is a good colour for new concrete) .

 

The "water" has had another coat of paint with a slightly blue tinge; once the canal walls are fitted several coats of clear varnish will be applied, with a rippling effect hopefully.

[Signaller69]

Another productive day! Canal walls weathered and glued in place and the road has been painted, Followed by gluing the Hotel wall in place (and hence the odd nail holding it in place). Gaps in the canal wall are recesses for the "sea end" open lock gates. At the back the gates will be closed to hide the woodwork (and obviously you can't have 2 sets open on the same lock anyway. . . ).

[Alister_G]

Your representation of the concrete walls is bloody brilliant, I'm going to be nicking that technique.

 

Al.

[Marcus 37]

Brilliant work on the hotel Martyn. Looks absolutely stunning. The colouring on the stone looks spot on. I agree with Al, those concrete walls do look very effective. Superb bit of modelling all round.

Cheers

Marcus

[Signaller69]

Your representation of the concrete walls is bloody brilliant, I'm going to be nicking that technique.

 

Al.

Brilliant work on the hotel Martyn. Looks absolutely stunning. The colouring on the stone looks spot on. I agree with Al, those concrete walls do look very effective. Superb bit of modelling all round.

Cheers

Marcus

Thanks gents,

Feel free to use this method by all means, I stake no claim to its originality!

 

I forgot to mention, after spraying the plasticard "concrete" walls with grey car primer aerosol I gave them a very quick pass with a red primer, which looks awful and patchy but fear not! The Dulux Matt emulsion was applied over this after an hour or so and left to dry overnight. The weathering is black acrylic with a little water, brushed on with a flat brush and streaked vertically. Further working over the same area softens, and mixes with, the underlying emulsion and reveals streaks of the underlying primer whilst leaving a subdued and random finish. The brown areas were achieved in a similar manner with neat paint brushed on horizontally to react with and streak the emulsion.

 

Now the walls are glued in place I need to add a couple of small missing edges and may do a little further weathering and add white lime marks; as with most tasks I find it very useful to use photos of what I am trying to interpret.

 

Hope this is of use.

Edited April 27, 2017 by Signaller69

[Signaller69]

A pair of lock gates have been mocked up from balsa and thin card; if I use these they will need a little modifying, walkways adding and painting but so far, so good. However this threw up an unforseen issue in so far as the gaps in the walls should really be a scale couple of feet deep so the gates, when open, are flush with the walls; as it is too late to alter the woodwork this is something I will have to live with. Also the top of the gate acts as an overflow control so water can flow over the top of the gates without flooding the surrounding area; thus it needs to be lower than the surrounding walls; this means the bare wood is visible behind the lock gate as can be seen so this needs some thought on disguising.

[Alister_G]

I reckon for the little bit of wall you have showing, a layer of masking tape and then paint to match the "concrete" and you'll never see it.

 

Al.

[Signaller69]

I reckon for the little bit of wall you have showing, a layer of masking tape and then paint to match the "concrete" and you'll never see it.

 

Al.

Thanks Al, yes it would have to be something thin at any rate, I did think about a skim of polyfilla or even just paint, but I may try the masking tape idea.

[Signaller69]

Not a lot of progress due to being away over the bank holiday weekend, however I have addressed a problem which was nagging me, namely the 2 locks are, in reality, at a slight angle to each other, presumably to stop the lock gate arms fouling each other. I didn't want to destroy the canal walls to achieve this so the compromise solution was to remove the base of the full lock and cut an angled piece away from the plywood baseboard, this piece was then glued & screwed to the other side as can be seen. Just need to fit a new canal "surface" once the glue has dried, and amend the cosmetic walling.

 

A pair of "production" lock gates are almost finished too, slightly amended from the mock up dimensions to fit better, just require final details fitting prior to painting.

 

[Signaller69]

Bit more progress, new "full lock" base fitted and painted, along with the lock gates. A 2/3 relief cottage next to the Hotel has been built, ready for painting of stonework before fitting windows and other details.

[Signaller69]

Had a bit of a running session tonight so grabbed a few phone pics featuring the local motive power.

 

[Anthony566]

Lots of fantastic modeling in this thread really really well done.

[Signaller69]

Today saw a gravel track infill (a mulch of fine sand, PVA and grey/brown acrylic paint) applied below the Hotel wall, some experimental seaweed fixed in place and a first coat of yacht varnish applied to the "water" areas.

 

Very pleased with the seaweed so more will be applied where needed though the green "algae" painted on the walls behind it will receive some recolouring to blend it in better.

[Merc435]

Looks brilliant. I remember the fire of 1978 vividly. My parents live about 8miles from crinan and we had been visiting family nearby. We took a detour via Moine Mhor to look over at the hotel. You could see the flames for miles.

Edited May 13, 2017 by Merc435

[Signaller69]

Lots of fantastic modeling in this thread really really well done.

  

Looks brilliant. I remember the fire of 1978 vividly. My parents live about 8miles from crinan and we had been visiting family nearby. We took a detour via Moine Mhor to look over at the hotel. You could see the flames for miles.

Thanks Anthony and Merc for your kind comments.

 

Merc, glad it bought back memories, I imagine seeing a big fire like that would stick in your mind. Given the popularity with tourists to the area it surprised me how few photos taken before the digital age are to be found online, though thankfully there are many images from the past few years which help with context next to the few old pictures.

[luckymucklebackit]

That water and seaweed looks bloody horrible - just as it should!!!

 

Terrific modelling.

 

Jim