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Scratch-built card and styrene structures (based on real buildings around London Bridge)


grahame
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And not least the randomness of architectural detail: some wall sections have a triple window, some have a double with a single on the right while others have a double with single on the left, and some balconies railings have single central vertical support and some have more. But quite a striking design overall.

 

G.

I honestly hadn't noticed the vast variations in each unit's make-up. I bet the builders really appreciated the architect's desire to save them from boredom!

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Here's a rough knock-up of how the building engages with the New London Bridge House skyscraper. Even in N gauge and with compression this is still pretty large. Nothing is glued in position at the moment to allow for detailing and finishing:

 

 

092908.jpg

 

G.

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Modelling progress seems to have slowed down a bit. I've got some primer and top coat paint on the main sections now. I won't be bothering with the individual bay windows on the second floor and at the moment the rear walls are just plain. However, I shall probably add the panel lines by pencil on the tower (lift shaft?) before sealing it all with matt varnish and adding the glazing and main doors. Then I'll be able to assemble the building, add the roof details and try to bring it to life.

 

175056.jpg

 

G.

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I've fitted the doors and glazing (clear plastic) and glued the walls in in place. The panel lines are just pencil, sealed in place by matt varnish. The roof ventilation pod and tower are not glued in place, and although the pic doesn't appear to show much progress, it's now time for the fun bit - the roof details. The aerial photos show a mass of it.

 

135002.jpg

 

G.

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  • 2 weeks later...

With the Warley weekend and other things to do, progress recently has been very slow. All I can report on is starting to build the 'greenhouse' style structure under the tower block which I assume is the entry foyer. It's tricky with a lot of sloping glass on both sides, having a rhomboid footprint, needing to fit under something and a lack of decent photographs for reference. Presumably the doors are vertical so will need an upright frame and little canopy made for them (and for both sides).

 

With glass walls that makes seeing inside easy, I've painted the internal walls (a modern pale pinky/orange colour), added a curved receptionists desk and a doorway to the lifts. I might later add some seating and figures. The grey tower block looks a little battered (it is quite old now) but will be covered and painted.

 

211045.jpg

 

G.

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Just discovered this topic. It's very far from my approach but it's so refreshing to see someone doing some "real" modelling. I admire the way you are not afraid to tackle some really challenging subjects and produce impressive results. Also nice is the way N gauge alllows you to do some really big buildings.

 

Keep up the good work!

 

Chaz

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I've made a few low backed black leather sofas for the foyer and added a receptionist behind the desk (some can't be seen in the photo). They might be difficult to see when it is on the layout and obstructed by the tower over it, so I wont go any further with internal details. Just got to sort out the entrance doors and canopies for it:

 

212154.jpg

 

G.

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Hi Grahame

 

I believe the corner building in your post 22 is the original entrance to the Underground at London Bridge. I remember always complaining as a boy in the 50s that it was a long walk to the BR stations. There was also a pedestrian subway outside the LBSCR side running down to the tube station. I haven't been able to find any photos of the tube station but I have found one of people queuing for this subway. I hope this little bit of info is useful.

 

 

 

Regards

 

Gerry

 

ps are you exhibiting a layout anywhere?

 

 

 

 

 

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Sorry, messed up attachment in my excitement!

 

Gerryattachicon.gifLondon Bridge Inderground station.jpg

 

Excellent pics and info - thanks.

 

That's definitely the building, although some changes to it such as the removal of the rather large Bovril advert, some stuff on the roof and the buildings attached further up London Bridge Road demolished since it was snapped. I've always suspected it was something to do with the Underground, possibly offices over a ventilation shaft but didn't realise it was the actual station entrance. 

 

It's also taken before the Seifert designed New London Bridge House (25 London Bridge Road) was built - construction of that started in 1964. Both buildings have now gone and been replaced by the Baby Shard which has made the road/area very depressing and windy.

 

https://www.emporis.com/images/show/656443-Medium-fullheightview-view-from-the-western-side.jpg

 

Have you got any other historic photos of the area?

 

Unfortunately, I'm not exhibiting any layouts now. I've sold both 'Hedges Hill Cutting' and 'Stoney Lane Depot'.

 

G.

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Found another from the LT Museum taken in the 60s. This is how I remember it when I first started working in London. Dirty and dusty unlike Adelaide where I had just returned from! 

 

Sorry to hear Stoney Lane is gone. I love anything Southern Electric, especially N scale..

 

Gerry

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Found another from the LT Museum taken in the 60s. This is how I remember it when I first started working in London. Dirty and dusty unlike Adelaide where I had just returned from! 

 

Sorry to hear Stoney Lane is gone. I love anything Southern Electric, especially N scale..

 

Gerry

 

 

Thanks - I wasn't aware that the LT Museum site had an on-line photo collection.

 

From the pic below you can probably tell that all this building modelling will hopefully end up in another BR(S) electric layout (although I need to move house and am finding suitable property thin on the ground). Consequently I'm making the effort to get some of the many buildings required at least started, even if as I build them they get demolished in real life like the SER 'flat iron' building and station walkway bridge in this pic. And if Farish announce an N gauge EPB (shrunk down from OO) next year then I'll certainly be purchasing quite a fleet.

 

195029.jpg

 

G.

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A while back I started to make the London Bridge power box. It's an imposing and brutal building, and a signature structure;

 

040420.jpg

 

And it's big. Having scaled it out I realised that I'd have to significantly compress it. The model is basically made from card and clad with appropriate plasticard sheets (apologies for the poor quality of some of the snaps). And obviously it needs to be finished :

 

041051.jpg

 

091400.jpg

 

091440.jpg

 

G.

Edited by grahame
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I don't know how on earth I've missed this topic :O

 

I've just had a quick skim and am totally bowled-over at what you've achieved here Grahame. Quite inspirational. Some real character architecture remininscent of time and place.

 

Your eye for detail has always impressed, but the speed at which you now seem to be churning out top-quality buildings is even more impressive again. Likewise the scope and scale of what you're working on.

 

You've always set-the-bar for us N-gaugers, but with these models have raised standards even higher again!

 

Topic bookmarked to keep bang-up-to-date with developments  :)

Edited by Southernboy
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I've been away for a few days so nothing has been done recently but now I'm thinking about the next building. I'd like to have a crack at the row of shops in Railway Street that curve in front of the viaduct. They will be facing forward on the layout so will need to be well detailed and finished. In the picture below the street is closed and the shop fronts are behind the hoarding boards.

 

181529.jpg

 

However, I've not yet worked out the radius of the curve and the height of the viaduct for the layout so that'll have to go on the back burner for the time being. And I'll need to look at others. There is the entrance/foyer to Southwark Towers (now demolished and replaced with the Shard) that might make an interesting project or the building opposite that at the top of London Bridge Street where there used to be stairs down to Thomas Street and that looks like this:

 

183332.jpg

 

G.

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I've decided on making this building next, but in an earlier condition than is pictured here (which is post Shard). If anyone has any pics of it from 20 to 30 years ago I'd be grateful to see them.

 

102700.jpg

 

I've given some thought about how to tackle it. It's not a straightforward box. The plan of it is not a problem but it straddles different street levels. The rear of the building (which will be the front on the layout) goes down a further level to a lower street making it five storeys tall and it is located on a sloping site on the upper level (as can be seen in the pic in post #68). London Bridge Street slopes down to the old tube station entrance (the triangular building I made earlier) and Borough High Street.

 

I've started by working out the overall size (height, width and length) I'll make it (with the compression necessary) and sketching some plans. Then I have cut two identical floors. These will be the first floor and the third floor (which is the roof of the open extension with railings) from the upper street level.

 

164739.jpg

 

G.

Edited by grahame
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The two floors are assembled with internal walls superglued in place to keep them the correct distance apart and accurately one above the other. The longitudinal wall will prevent seeing completely through the building. This card carcass, cut from 1.5mm thick mount board, forms the heart of the model that provides strength and something to hang the walls and details on: 

 

180415.jpg

 

This is just my current building modelling technique and is not the only way to construct model buildings. But it works for me.

 

G.

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Next the roof was cut to size and added as the top floor layer. The pic below shows progress with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. The first (ground floor) will be added below but needs to incorporate a sloped bottom edge. I'll probably now build it upside down (as the roof is flat) until roof details need to be added. But that's it for today. I need to cook some dinner.

 

185428.jpg

 

G.

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I've started hanging on the plain walls and have added the lower floor longitudinal view block which incorporates the road slope (hence it needing to be propped up at one end I the pic below):

 

134846.jpg

 

G.

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And the end girder work fabricated from styrene strip. The corner uprights were formed of two strip glued in an L cross section profile. The brick insert sections I will cut from embossed plasticard. 

 

154212.jpg

 

G.

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Brick wall inserts cut and temporarily put in place for the end extension section. They're not glued and need to be detailed, painted and glazed before fixing in place. But it's starting to look like a building now. The little shop is a coffee bar now but I seem to recall it being a key cutting service or tobacconists back in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Can anyone remember? Or, better, has any pics from then? Also I remember that the opening/entrance to the left of the shop/bar door had stairs down to St Thomas Street, or have I got confused?

 

182345.jpg

 

G. 

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The final task of the evening was to make three air-con units to go on the extension roof as a break from the building construction. These a quite small in 1:148 scale (the longest dimension is 11mm) and are each made from eight separate parts:

 

221243.jpg

 

More tomorrow, if I get time.

 

G.

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