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

[grahame]

With the complication of the two sloping ground floor levels I thought it might be easier to make the building from top to bottom - upside down as it were. The pitched roofs can be added later. So I started with cutting the floor plans for the top floor ceiling, 1st and 2nd floor levels but not the ground from thick card:

 

 

G,

[sb67]

Looking forward to seeing this progress. I am blown away by your buildings, I'm trying to build a Model Railway Scenery Low Relief Warehouse out of card and that's challenging enough let alone building something from scratch.

Keep up the good work  

Steve.

[grahame]

Here's the first bit of gluing things together. The internal walls for the first floor and the 2nd and 3rd combined:

 

 

G.

[phil_sutters]

I think I ought to get modelu3d to scan me so I can walk round the corner to get my train from London Bridge - mind you I have put on a bit of weight, since I worked in the local history library in The Borough.

[grahame]

Only a little progress today. The model is standing on the lid of rolling stock box as the plain end walls have been added and due to the sloping levels would prevent it standing up straight. The embossed plasticard brickwork front wall has only been temporarily tacked in place and will be removed for cutting out the windows. The ground floor shop frontages will be made separately and don't feature any brickwork although they only extend a little way around the side (on London Bridge Street).

 

 

G.

[grahame]

It's simply a matter of cutting out the window apertures and then dropping in the cast metal surrounds. They'll need a little tidying up first and before gluing in place, but it is quite simple and straightforward, and they do look reasonably impressive.

 

 

G.

[grahame]

All the front upper windows are now cut out, the ground floor shop carcasses started and the main end flank wall covered with brick plasticard. I've also cut the London Bridge Street wall but that now needs the window and door apertures cut out. The curved corner section may prove a little tricky as there are a couple of prominent balconies.

 

 

 

 

I hope these pics of the stages of construction of the building are of interest and use.

 

G.

[grahame]

Finally, for this morning, I've cut out all the window appertures for the side wall and started added some of the architectural details:

 

 

G.

[grahame]

Slowly, slowly, add a little here, a little there . . . .

 

 . . .  and eventually, hopefully, you'll end up with a completed model;

 

 

G.

[grahame]

I've made a basic carcass of the curved corner section as a separate assembly and glued it in place (the two flat side walls are removable ATM to allow access for glazing etc.). It needs detailing up, including making and adding the strange balconies.

 

 

Currently the building looks quite smart and modern (with the contrast curved section, without the ornate window surrounds in place and no pitched roof yet made and added). It'll probably be quite a challenge to paint it to look decrepit and run down when the construction is completed.

 

G. 

Edited April 1, 2017 by grahame

[westerhamstation]

Hi Grahame, yet another great piece of modelling taking place in front of our eyes. All the best Adrian.

[grahame]

I was out all day yesterday so just a little progress this morning. I've tidied up the metal casting and glued them in place (which makes the sides rather heavy). And added some bits of plastic strip to provide more detail for the pediments - they don't exactly match the prototype as making curved ones it tricky and the aim is to capture the character rather than every last brick. Besides the building is now gone so there's nothing to compare against and suitable reference pics are rare.

 

 

G.

[grahame]

A quick blast with the grey primer helps ties things together and show where any rectification work is required:

 

 

G.

[grahame]

I've added the flank wall (overlooking London Bridge Street) window surround details. They are less ornate and simpler than those on the other (Boro High Street) wall as they will be facing away from the viewing position. Now there's three main constructional work areas to tackle: the roofs, the shop fronts, and the curved wall details (windows and balconies). Then it'll be painting, adding the window frames/glazing and final details, so still plenty to do.

 

 

G.

[grahame]

The pitched roofs are being made as separate assemblies. Firstly I've made cardboard tents (pictured below). Next these will be covered with Redutex self-adhesive roofing slates and then the ridge tiles added. I've not been able to find out if and where any chimney stacks are located. I've only photo I've got of the roof is one very poor aerial shot and the building doesn't appear to have any.

 

 

G.

[KNP]

The pitched roofs are being made as separate assemblies. Firstly I've made cardboard tents (pictured below). Next these will be covered with Redutex self-adhesive roofing slates and then the ridge tiles added. I've not been able to find out if and where any chimney stacks are located. I've only photo I've got of the roof is one very poor aerial shot and the building doesn't appear to have any.

 

 

G.

 

Is the building still there if so try Google Maps - satellite view. This might give an indication.

[westerhamstation]

Hi Grahame, taken from google earth. All the best Adrian.

[grahame]

Thanks. That's very similar to the one I got from BING maps. But it looks handy for the roof details on the post office next door

 

I can't see any chimney stacks on either pic and I decided that turn the two shorter ridged roofs through 90° as one, for a little interest in that area and to save on making two the same. The building has been demolished now so I don't suppose anyone will notice ;-)

 

G.

Edited April 3, 2017 by grahame

[grahame]

Redutex is quick and easy to use and being pre-coloured and embossed looks effective. It can be easily cut by scissors or craft knife and is self adhesive. Ridge tiles will be added to cover the joints.

 

 

G.

[grahame]

I can now tick off the curved window surrounds and Juliet balconies. They were added from little strips and bits of plasticard - quite a tricky operation but I'm pleased it's now done even though the enlarged pic below cruely exposes my dodgy modelling.

 

 

G.

[grahame]

I've decided that the shops will be a burger bar at the corner, a newsagents/sweet shop in the middle and a mini-mart at the right hand end. The pics I have show the corner as a Fish Bar but I'm sure that in the 80s and 90s it was a burger bar, possibly earlier a Wimpy that was later downgraded to a non-branded independent. I've made a tentative start with the top fascia on the corner with an angle that the door will be set in to. It holds the bottom of the walls in place so the red band in the pic is just an elastic band to hold the tops temporarily in place for the photo:

 

 

 

G.

Edited April 5, 2017 by grahame

[grahame]

One shop front carcass now installed (details, painting and glazing to be done):

 

 

G.

[chaz]

One shop front carcass now installed (details, painting and glazing to be done):

 

 

G.

 

I know you are working in 2mm (or is it N?) but would you mind telling how big that building is? H x W x D would be good.

 

You do seem to be getting on at a fair old pace.  

 

Chaz

[grahame]

I know you are working in 2mm (or is it N?) but would you mind telling how big that building is? H x W x D would be good.

 

The layout will be N/2mm

;-)

 

The track will be 9mm, the stock 1:148 N gauge (but then much is that scale even on 2mm finescale layouts) and the buildings probably indeterminate although it is easy to use 2mm to 1 foot as as quick ready reckoner equivalent.

 

This building is approx 5.5" (l) 3.5" (w) 5" (h).

 

G.

[grahame]

I seem to have reached a difficult stage. Not only is shop front fitting fiddly but resolving the sloping pavement in two directions is tricky to ensure that verticals remain upright and the top of things like glazing and signs are horizontal (but not parallel with the pavement). And with a lot of glazing and thin glazing bars I think I'll probably construct them as separate assemblies that can be dropped in later:

 

 

 

G.

Edited April 6, 2017 by grahame