Help/ideas required making this shed look more 'British'

[Foden]

One of the things I picked up at Warley was a Proses LS-037 'engine house' kit from the Bachmann stand. I was impressed with the mechanism of the twin opening shed doors, and interior lights, plus it looked a nice kit, so on impulse I bought one, hoping to use it on a 90s era TMD style layout.

 

 

The kit obviously has origins as a HO engine shed, and is very 'American' in appearance. What I would like to do is use the kit, but modify it in such a way that it would look more organic on a British layout of the era.

 

But between a couple of different ideas I've had wandering through my mind this past week, ranging from cladding the whole kit in Slaters brick plasticard, to adding a brick lower structure and metal upper, with possibly even adding a pitched roof, I'm finding myself at a loss.

 

I can't get away from how square and boxy the structure is, and although on inspection it's a fine kit, and would look wonderful on an American layout, I'm not seeing a definitive vision of how I can get it fitting in a scene depicting a typical British yard. Put simply, I can't seem to find a prototype that is a realistic starting point for adaptation. I'm thinking the structure is maybe too tall for a British brick built shed, and the wrong profile for a steel framed structure of the type?

Maybe this was a poor impulse purchase on reflection, but I like the door mechanism, and am possibly even giving thought to using the mechanism incorporated into a scrathbuild.

Any thoughts, or advice before I go further? As I seem to have encountered a modeller's mental block!

[keysan]

You could always try filling it with a few class 76’s and add two side extensions 

[sorabain]

I think if you lower the roof (perhaps cut half of the upper section out), filling in the remainder of the upper windows at the same time you'd go a long way.

 

Excuse the crude MSPaint hack job, but it's a start

 

Edited December 3, 2019 by sorabain

[AdamsRadial]

The must un-British thing about it to my eyes is the flat roof, if you could make up a typical saw-tooth roof using some of the glazed portions this would transform it.

[RobjUK]

Don't know if this is some help?

 

This site used to be a railway works of some sort, with sidings at the far end of the bays and a track down each bay.

The frontage has been partly cladded / modernised, but the style of the brickwork, original windows and roof is still very clear; a very distinct character.

 

 

 

[Fat Controller]

There were some not dissimilar structures on the WR, where exchange of large components meant that extra height was required to allow for travelling cranes.

[Foden]

5 minutes ago, sorabain said:

I think if you lower the roof (perhaps cut half of the upper section out), filling in the remainder of the upper windows at the same time you'd go a long way.

 

The issue is, the mechanism for the operating doors fills most of the height of the roof for the first quarter, so losing the height, would be losing the mechanism for the operating doors sadly.

 

3 minutes ago, AdamsRadial said:

The must un-British thing about it to my eyes is the flat roof, if you could make up a typical saw-tooth roof using some of the glazed portions this would transform it.

 

I agree completely. Right now I'm thinking a kind of hybrid building. Using the original structure without the roof, and scratch building either a triangular pitched roof, or the saw tooth you describe. Also cladding the main structure with more convincing (and more to scale) brickwork and lintels would help I think.

 

3 minutes ago, RobjUK said:

Don't know if this is some help?

 

This site used to be a railway works of some sort, with sidings at the far end of the bays and a track down each bay.

The frontage has been partly cladded / modernised, but the style of the brickwork, original windows and roof is still very clear; a very distinct character.

 

 

 

 

It really does. Most pictures I see are from the ground up, so this does help. Although I fear maybe a little extravagant in design for my skills right now. 

[Foden]

4 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

There were some not dissimilar structures on the WR, where exchange of large components meant that extra height was required to allow for travelling cranes.

 

I did wonder if the excuse of heavy cranes would allow the height. That said they seem to be more appropriate from what I've seen for large multi track buildings at major depots. But I feel some compromise and license will need to be implemented here at some stage.

[sorabain]

fixed it for you

 

[Foden]

1 minute ago, sorabain said:

fixed it for you

 

 

I thought your MSPaintcraft had set the bar pretty damn high with the first revision, but this.....

[MartynJPearson]

Losing the American style signage and having the wasp stripes on the doors might help too. Also wondered about the colour of the mortar.

 

And if all else fails, a flagpole with a Union Jack on top... :)

[russ p]

Just had a look at these , not cheap! 

[Foden]

12 minutes ago, MartynJPearson said:

Losing the American style signage and having the wasp stripes on the doors might help too. Also wondered about the colour of the mortar.

 

And if all else fails, a flagpole with a Union Jack on top...

 

The signage was never going on, wasp stripes on the doors was a possibility if they could be laid nice and flat to get the effect right.

 

8 minutes ago, russ p said:

Just had a look at these , not cheap! 

 

Not atall, no!

I have to confess to buyer's remorse after picking this up. I've always been a fan of working (as in working without physical interaction) depot doors, and the mechanism for the way this works is very tidy and nicely packaged, which is what sold it to me. "I'll make it work, I'm sure I can" was the thought that crossed my mind as I handed over the cash.

Truth be told the building IS a nice kit, it's just not British outline. I wouldn't have gave it a second look had it not had its trickery. That is the humble truth I'm ashamed to say.

That said, I've not given up on this yet, I feel there's life in this with some vision and craftsmanship. 

Edited December 3, 2019 by Foden

[Fat Controller]

One further thought; paint the exterior walls in a white, or off-white, colour to give a closer resemblance to one of the WR 'Heavy Maintenance' sheds

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

How about cladding the entire structure other than the rail door openings with uninterrupted corrugated siding, in the usual style of UK steel frame industrial buildings? The height is fine, headroom definitely required for overhead lifting tackle and  the lighting fixtures. You can extend the building easily this way too, if there is more space on your site.

 

To really give it full UK character, have a personal door somewhere toward the back, propped open flat back against the wall so the crash bar and 'fire exit only' sign on the inside face are visible. Add an improvised lean-to roof nearby with a couple of tatty old chairs beneath, and a hillock of cigarette butts alongside...

[Kris]

Could you transplant the mechanism into a shed that is to your liking? 

[rob D2]

Clad the whole thing, except the bottom 10 foot of brick and you’ll have somehting like the old bescot TMD which had a flat roof 

 

 

[SteveyDee68]

May I point you at Scalescenes downloadable modern industrial unit kit? That might give you some ideas or suitable cladding.

[Steamport Southport]

Either clad it with corrugated material or paint the upper tier part concrete.

 

ISTR Springs Branch was flat roofed.

 

https://www.derbysulzers.com/springsbranch.html

 

One thing I would say is it looks a lot better without white windows.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuTNS6oJhdA

 

 

Jason

[cypherman]

Hi all,

I would definitely get rid of those round extractor fans. And definite must for a 90's engine shed would be dirty and broken windowpanes. You could also extend the slight sawtooth windows to cover the roof from side to side. maybe make the a little bigger. As you have said you cannot drop the height of the wall try covering them with some fairly non-descript grey metal cladding. But to be honest I feel the operating doors a gimmick that will be rarely used once the novelty has worn off.

[F-UnitMad]

14 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

One thing I would say is it looks a lot better without white windows

That would be my suggestion - lose the multi-pane, heavy framed windows & replace with more open looking panel glazing, a bit like on the old Hornby TMD Shed.

[Dungrange]

In the "How common were/are the small TMDs" thread

Pandora posted a link to a photograph of the shed at Hithers Green.  The one thing that I immediately notice is the height, so some similar cladding on your purchase could certainly hide the part where the working mechanism is.

[AMJ]

I think that it needs a roof like the Hither Green one above.  Depending upon the age it would probably be an asbestos one.

 

A bit of cladding to cover the top of the kit and a roof and I think that it will then look British outline.

[Foden]

Thanks for all the replies guys, got a good few ideas now going forward.

[Foden]

Related question... what would be the best glue to use to stick plastic sheet such as slaters to the wood?

I've read a light scoring to the glued face of the plastic sheet and a thin layer of Gorilla glue will work well?