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

[grahame]

As an update to clarify what the buildings are, what I'm making or have already constructed here's a breakdown of that photo:

 

 

The brown outlined structure is the station footbridge which I've mostly made and completed. It was demolished as part of the recent station rebuilding.

The black outline is a row of houses that have been demolished and not replaced and will be just a 'car park' on the layout so no need to model.

The dark blue outlined building is the Shipwrights Arms pub and house next door that still remains (grade II listed) and that I have already built.

The red outlined building is the SER office 'flat iron' building now demolished by Network Rail to have an open plaza but that I have already made.

The green outline is the corner buildings of Bermondsey Street and Tooley Street that are still there and I have already made.

The light blue is the office/shop block now demolished and replaced with a Hilton Hotel that I'm about to start making. It will be low relief hence the line going through the centre.

The purple outline is of buildings in Tooley street that I have little details of and have been demolished. I guess I will need to make them at some time.

 

All the buildings in the photo behind light blue structure have been demolished but will be behind the back-scene board line so won't need to be made as models. The chateaux style building to the right in Tooley street is still there and I will have to consider making that.

 

HTH.

 

G.

 

[Marly51]

Very challenging, but rewarding, when you piece together all the research! Great modelmaking techniques - thank you for sharing.

Marlyn

[grahame]

The first step was to work out the space to fit the model in and draw up a suitable plan for it - not difficult being a low relief model to go at the back, but I introduced a slight exaggeration of the quite vague curvature for interest and to help prevent and counter the regimented parallel lines effect often seen on layouts with low relief buildings.

 

 

It does seem that the more one looks at photos of a real subject the more one sees and there was some slight changes made when finally cutting the first parts - four main floor formers:

 

 

The pics only show a rough character 3D sketch rather than a full size floor plan that I drew up as a guide. And apologies for the poor quality of pics - I'll try and go back to taking better ones on a tripods for future snaps.

 

G

[grahame]

Next I've cut the end side walls and added floor supports to them, finally gluing the floors in place with small triangular fillets to help keep them at right angles. However, when the wall panels are added they will help pull everything together square and true. Now it's possible to see the overall size and footprint:

 

 

G.
 

[grahame]

Then I cut and glued in place the two return/reveal walls that form the ends of the recessed part of the building. These helped to firm up the structure.

 

 

G.

 

 

 

 

[Ian Smeeton]

Yes, I try to model and include all appropriate roof top details as they tend to be more obvious in N/2mm scale with people often looking down on the structures. For me the finish of roofs is as important as the rest of the building.

 

I seem to be have been low on card stock supplies so, this morning after some food shopping, I popped along to the localish Hobbycraft store and picked up some mount board. At £3 for an A1 sheet (a little over 23" x 33") it's good value. Now it's eyes down and ready to get started on the next building.

 

G.

 

I dropped in to a local picture framer, and for the asking, was handed a pile of mount board sufficient for all the buildings on my layout, the baseboards, legs and a small extension to the house.

 

Regards (tightly)

 

Ian

[grahame]

I've been a little busy with other things but have managed this evening to cut and add a few bits of card to the structure:

 

 

G.

[Compound2632]

Those middle bearing walls put paid to the idea you might use this building as stock storage shelves...

[grahame]

I went away to Stevenage for most of the weekend including a visit to the CMRA show so not much opportunity for working on the building. And this morning it's just a few bits cut and added: 

 

 

But now the spectre of the windows walls is looming - all that cutting out and so on. I need to work out exactly how I'll try to replicate the modernish 60s style and I could do with some clearer photos for a better look.

 

G.

[phil_sutters]

As an update to clarify what the buildings are, what I'm making or have already constructed here's a breakdown of that photo:

 

Plan 1.jpg

 

The brown outlined structure is the station footbridge which I've mostly made and completed. It was demolished as part of the recent station rebuilding.

The black outline is a row of houses that have been demolished and not replaced and will be just a 'car park' on the layout so no need to model.

The dark blue outlined building is the Shipwrights Arms pub and house next door that still remains (grade II listed) and that I have already built.

The red outlined building is the SER office 'flat iron' building now demolished by Network Rail to have an open plaza but that I have already made.

The green outline is the corner buildings of Bermondsey Street and Tooley Street that are still there and I have already made.

The light blue is the office/shop block now demolished and replaced with a Hilton Hotel that I'm about to start making. It will be low relief hence the line going through the centre.

The purple outline is of buildings in Tooley street that I have little details of and have been demolished. I guess I will need to make them at some time.

 

All the buildings in the photo behind light blue structure have been demolished but will be behind the back-scene board line so won't need to be made as models. The chateaux style building to the right in Tooley street is still there and I will have to consider making that.

 

HTH.

 

G.

The components seem to be very similar to those used in Alexander Fleming House (as it used to be) down the road at the Elephant and Castle. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ddtmmm/2230168915 . The latter has a less regular pattern, with projecting 'bays', but the overall look is much the same.

[grahame]

I've cut out the windows for just one wall section (from 0.5 plastic sheet) to see how it looks, but there's around another 80 windows to cut out . . . . hmmmmm . . . 

The sections will be braced by various beams and columns that will be glued in place to give that modular 60s build look;

 

 

G.

[brylonscamel]

Here's the latest, which will do for this morning - as I've other tasks to undertake:

 

DSC_4384.JPG

 

G.

 

I've just picked up on this thread again and love these updates on your church model - especially the way you've taken time to document the process. It's like some of my teachers used to say - you get extra marks for showing your working out!

[brylonscamel]

POST CLEARED

Edited January 18, 2018 by brylonscamel

[brylonscamel]

Hi brylonscamel,

 

Excellent modelling. I may be in the wrong here, and expect I'll soon be told.

 

This site/ blog was set up by grahame to show us all his building projects.

 

Perhaps you could set up something similer to show us your projects.

 

Please don't take this wrong, just constructively.

 

I had no idea!

[brylonscamel]

Hi brylonscamel,

 

Excellent modelling. I may be in the wrong here, and expect I'll soon be told.

 

This site/ blog was set up by grahame to show us all his building projects.

 

Perhaps you could set up something similer to show us your projects.

 

Please don't take this wrong, just constructively.

 

I might throw them up on the 'anything you can do ..." thread

[grahame]

I've no problem with people posting comment, critique or feedback on this thread or even adding images of their own scratch-built card & plastic structures, especially to demonstrate particular techniques or ideas. Hopefully, we can all learn from it.

I've been a bit busy elsewhere with various day trips and working on the NGS Journal including reviewing the new NGS Carflat wagons and the RT Pendolino EMU. Issue 1/18 has just been published (see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/81640-ngs-journal/page-9&do=findComment&comment=3018493)but that only means a flurry of activity on the next issue (2/18) including those reviews and the supporting photography.

 

Consequently there has been little progress and work on the building. However, I have just started to mark up some more of the front walls for cutting out the windows. It's a tedious process . . . .

 

 

G.

 

 

[grahame]

30 windows now cut out. But another 50 or so to do . . . . .  and trying to keep them all square and true.

 

 

These pics are probably a little dull and repetitious so it might be best to wait until there is a little more progress (rather than just cutting windows) before posting again. And I'm out tomorrow.

 

G.

 

 

[GreenBR]

Hello,

Anyone who can cut out that many windows and not go insane (and in N gauge) deserves a medal.

[grahame]

Anyone who can cut out that many windows and not go insane (and in N gauge) deserves a medal.

Thanks.

 

Maybe not insanity, but I'm beginning to question my choice . . . And my eyesight. Nonetheless another 30 cut out this afternoon. I'm well over half way through forming the apertures although the horror of all those window frames to make is now looming closer. Sigh.

 

G

[grahame]

I've now cut out the majority of the windows - 92 so far with just a few odds and sods left as well as the shop(?) fronts at street level:

 

and started to add some of the column/beam details. Oddly these type of 50/60s office block type buildings are far harder to make convincing models of than the usual old twee rural buildings seen on many layouts. The repetitive lines and columns of windows and features are tedious to cut out, keep in alignment and difficult to make look effective. I don't think there's ever enough credit given to those who scratch-build modernish style urban streetscapes such as those found on the EM 70s website:  http://emgauge70s.co.uk/ There's some very inspirational modelling on it.

 

G. 

[sb67]

That looks fantastic already, some great work there Grahame.

Steve.

[grahame]

I've just quickly knocked up one of the roof structures. It's quite plain and basic and simplified. It will be right at the back of the layout so can be relatively impressionist although I've yet to tidy it up and will add some detail as well as painting it so that it blends and matches in with the rest of the building.

 

 

G.

[westerhamstation]

Hi Grahame, some lovely modelling especially when you are doing it N gauge. We seem to be following parallel paths only in different scales, as I am currently building in Ewer Street, not far from where you also are building In the Tooley Street area. I have the same feeling about windows as you have, its not the cutting the apertures out, it's filling them up with something else. All the best Adrian. 

[grahame]

Hi Grahame, some lovely modelling especially when you are doing it N gauge. We seem to be following parallel paths only in different scales, as I am currently building in Ewer Street, not far from where you also are building In the Tooley Street area. I have the same feeling about windows as you have, its not the cutting the apertures out, it's filling them up with something else. All the best Adrian.

 

Thanks.

 

And yes, even if you have windows it is will they fit the apertures you cut out and is there sufficient, or if you don't have suitable windows it's the effort required to make enough frames that will fit.

 

Have you got a thread or pics of your Ewer Street efforts - presumably the old depot.

[westerhamstation]

Hi Grahame, Yes I have got a thread and pics, its all on here under my Westerham thread

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/64587-westerham-ewer-st-thorburn-bain-cowho-can-remember/page-91

  All the best Adrian.