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

[grahame]

The building is tall and thin, but seems to fit in well with the others and not look out of place. I've cut the front and back walls from embossed brick plasticard. They are not glued in place as I'll work on them, cutting windows and adding details, while flat on the work surface and then fit them once completed and painted. As usual the pitched roof surfaces will be covered with Redutex tiling:

 

 

[grahame]

I've started cutting and fiddling with the walls. The back, which is the side that faces the viewing position, is the one I need to ensure is decently finished. However, it is obviously probably very plain so there is not much detail required - just sills, lintels and drain pipes (a bit like Telephone House).

 

On the other hand the front, which is the side that will be hidden is a gem of fancy intricate architectural details but there's little point in modelling it all and I'm keeping it relatively plain and simple. I've got this far now, but with a roast in the oven will need to stop the modelling and get on with preparing the veg.:

 

[grahame]

I've got some basic details on the building front (the side that won't easily be seen). Consequently it is fairly simple, rough and ready. Just a few paint effects should lift it a little and be sufficient. But I'm struggling to know what details, beyond sills, drain and vent pipes, to add and enhance the rear side (the main facing side).

 

 

 

[grahame]

I've added a see-through view blocker in the carcass and all wall sections are now cut, prepped and primed ready for painting, adding windows and fitting in position. Then to make and add coping stones, hopper head, drain and vent pipe details.

 

 

This is how it look roughly in place next to the burger bar block (from the 'wrong' side). The view blocker I've added (basically an internal wall) prevents seeing in one side and out the other - right through the building. You can also see some of the Downesglaze windows (bottom of pic) that I'll be using for this building. The window apertures have all be cut to size for them to fit behind.

 

 

 

[grahame]

And this is how it fits in the scene from the viewing side - a somewhat squashed and restricted site with a difficult view of it. Presumably people won't notice it as an individual building but as just part of a block in an urban environment:

 

 

 

[grahame]

Windows in and walls on. Here's how both sides look, although there is still some tidying and touching up required and making and adding some details:

 

 

[grahame]

Down pipes made and added (and a flue vent on the extension roof). Here's the latest front and back of the building:

 

 

 

 

[grahame]

What will be the front left part of the layout is progressing well. All the buildings are made, although not finished with details and work still required on most, as well as some overall dirtying down. Also there's many roads and pavements yet to be made. But I'm happy with how things are going especially as everything has been scratch-built.

 

The most recent building made is almost lost amongst the others:

 

[acg5324]

Amazing stuff as always.

[Siberian Snooper]

Wow, what progress and to such a high standing. The scene you have produced looks very lifelike.

 

 

[KNP]

Very, very impressive.

 

[grahame]

With the sun streaming though the window this morning it was an ideal opportunity to take a snap without any artificial light. And of the other side (the real building front in London Bridge Street, although the side that won't be easily seen on the layout) including the new building and how it fits in with the others. The pavements, kerbs and roads are obviously yet to be sorted. And the front (rear side) of Telephone House needs tackling (perhaps a project during 'self isolation'):

 

 

[grahame]

I've cut a piece of mountboard to cover the rear/front of my Telephone House model which is effectively a blank canvas. I'll keep the details and features very simple, perhaps even including non-glazed solid windows as this side won't be able to be seen. Well, not easily. And I'll not bother with brick embossed plasticard.

 

 

Snag is I've only got a very low res period photo although also some much later (too modern) ones from when it was converted to a hotel and there were bars along the ground floor:

 

 

 

[grahame]

There's plenty of modernish pics of Telephone House on the web. At least they give an indication of structure and colour. The ground floor is faced with (Portland?) stone and odd that the top storey is a different colour brickwork. I'm glad I'm not making a more detailed faithful model of the frontage:

 

[Siberian Snooper]

I wonder if the top floor may be a later addition, as the style seems to be different to the lower floors.

 

 

[grahame]

Possibly, although that floor is there on the B&W pic (taken 1948) which is presumably shortly after it was built.

 

Anyway I've been producing a simplified front (/back) today from mountboard. I've included some basic relief and I'll add some styrene strip just to provide some more of the architectural features, particularly the large jutting cornice that is below the top floor, and to tart it up a bit. Cutting all the window apertures was a little time consuming but they are 'blind' so will be painted black. 

 

 

 

[03060]

12 hours ago, grahame said:

The ground floor is faced with (Portland?) stone and odd that the top storey is a different colour brickwork.

 

Is the top floor colouring not just due to it being in the sunlight ? The left hand set of windows on the next floor down also look to be the same colour as the top, the rest of the building being in shadow, which is also evident on the building further to the left.

 

Regards,

Ian.

Edited March 24, 2020 by 03060

[grahame]

Maybe. The main brickwork does seem a rather a garish and vivid red terracotta while the top floor is somewhat orangey and lighter. But neither look particularly appropriate, as if the colour has been made more vibrant and tweaked in post photo production for publication.

 

However, I'm not going to paint two different colours (it would probably make the building look rather stripey with the white/grey stone of the ground floor) but paint all the brickwork a pale brick red colour. Not that the side will be easily seen. Oddly, the other side is in a yellow brick.

;-)

 

 

 

 

[grahame]

Hmmm. The RailMatch light brick red seems to be quite a dark pinky colour. But it'll have to do now. 

 

[Siberian Snooper]

Looks good to me and that was quick work.

 

 

[grahame]

Phew, painting completed. I started painting the black windows with a brush and paint (as in the pic above) but it was tedious so the majority are coloured in with a black Sharpie marker. The white window frames are simply formed by running a paint pen around the inside of the recess. It's all a bit rough and ready but I didn't see much need for modelling carefully in detail for something that is very unlikely to ever be seen when on the layout. However, I might give it an overall dusting of grey to tone it down a little (just in case!):

 

 

 

[grahame]

Yep, definitely needs some toning down. It looks quite bright and over colourful, although the photo lighting does seem to lighten and make things look more vibrant than they really are. Luckily the whole wall is just hanging on the carcass so comes off easily.

 

 

 

 

[grahame]

Here's a pic that might be of interest. It shows the extent of the west end of the layout (the yellow line) that I'm hoping to replicate (or at least try to) and puts the area in to overall perspective. Guy's hospital tower, which rather dominates the front centre, won't be included as it is on the south side of St Thomas Street and the modelling will extend further west (right):

 

 

 

[millerhillboy]

superb work Graeme, you must have the patience of a saint (or enjoy making buildings).

[grahame]

Thanks.

 

I do quite enjoy making buildings but I've had to press on with them as there are so many required. I'm not looking forward to constructing the trainshed roof and forecourt canopy and detailing the two tower blocks. Gonna need a lot of patience for those.