Superquick versus Metcalfe Models

[Butler]

Hi

I am looking to get some background detail on to my layout, mainly low relief kits. A great number of my layout is made from Metcalfe kits, and to be fair, they are pretty good and reatively easy to build. With a bit of colouring on the corners with water colour paint, I feel they are quite satisfactory, but I have run out of ideas from their range. I have not used Superquick since I was a young lad, and that’s over 50 years ago, but I never really thought they were up to it. Have they improved in quality and more so in strength? The range seems greater than it was back then, I guess it must be. 

My slight concern is I feel that Metcalf seem a little overscaled, ie a little large in scale. The only other buildings I have are Bachmann, and compared to these, Metcalf do seem big. Which is correct? Mind you with low relief, it’s not a big deal being a little smaller, , even giving depth because of it.

Has anyone any advice or comments.

B

Edited March 14, 2021 by Butler

[JSModels]

19 hours ago, Butler said:

 My slight concern is I feel that Metcalf seem a little overscaled, ie a little large in scale. The only other buildings I have are Bachmann, and compared to these, Metcalf do seem big. Which is correct?

 

I can't help on your other questions, but regarding this point, I've always felt that the ready to plant resin buildings from both Bachmann and Hornby always seem slightly underscale.

 

Jonathan

[Roy Langridge]

11 hours ago, jrb said:

 

I can't help on your other questions, but regarding this point, I've always felt that the ready to plant resin buildings from both Bachmann and Hornby always seem slightly underscale.

 

Jonathan

 

I think an awful lot of buildings for railway use from almost all manufacturers are under-scale as they just would not fit on a model railway if they were not.

 

To put it in context, I got married in a very small country church - I just measured up the main building at about 75' x 30' which would be 300mm x 120mm. Extra bits stick off that.

 

Superquick's Country Church which looks to be based on a similar sized church is 185mm x 65mm - so 46' x 16'.

 

Bachmann's church is 195mm x 96mm or 50'x24'

 

Scalescenes' church is much bigger but also represents a much bigger sort of church, but once again is compressed.

 

Whilst some buildings are more to true scale , many are not. I have often found bus station, garages and fire stations are more to true scale (possible to allow a vehicle inside?) whilst shops etc. are often too small by a long way.

 

Edit: just to add, no criticism is intended by this. As I opened with, if it wasn't this way, many people could not fit buildings on their layout.

 

Roy

Edited March 15, 2021 by Roy Langridge

[brossard]

Just to add some useless information, I visited the set of Coronation St many years ago.  I learned that the houses on the street are 75% scale.

 

John

[Michael Hodgson]

If they did Coronation Street in a standard modelling scale and low relief, it would probably sell well to railway modeller's wives

[grahame]

2 hours ago, brossard said:

 I learned that the houses on the street are 75% scale.

 

 

Really? I'd have thought that a 'standardish' doorway at 75% size would mean that you'd need to duck to get through it. A 6'6" door would be less that 5'. And the same goes for ceiling heights. Maybe the actors are all short.

 

But, of course, there is no standard building, house, door, window, etc., size. Without knowing the actual building these kits (or even Coronation Street houses) are based on it's difficult to determine if they are under or oversize. 

 

 

[brossard]

I believe the buildings you see on the street are facades.  Interior sets would be full size.  It's all an illusion.

 

John

[grahame]

25 minutes ago, brossard said:

I believe the buildings you see on the street are facades.

 

Rather like buildings on model railway layouts . . . . .

;-)

 

[Izzy]

I prefer Scalescenes for the better design but I guess it would be quite difficult for Metcalfe with their pre-cut kits to make the basic structure in any other way and it's an awful lot of work to re-do them to hide the exposed edges, which I have tried a couple of times just to see. They are certainly strong enough when finished, then same of which can't be said of the few Superquick I've tried in recent times. I can also remember making quite a few in the now very distant past, 1960's etc, but couldn't recommend them unless you were to treat them as the proverbial scratchbuilding aid.

[Roy Langridge]

41 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I prefer Scalescenes for the better design but I guess it would be quite difficult for Metcalfe with their pre-cut kits to make the basic structure in any other way and it's an awful lot of work to re-do them to hide the exposed edges, which I have tried a couple of times just to see. They are certainly strong enough when finished, then same of which can't be said of the few Superquick I've tried in recent times. I can also remember making quite a few in the now very distant past, 1960's etc, but couldn't recommend them unless you were to treat them as the proverbial scratchbuilding aid.

I always found Superquick quite sturdy. Not built one in years, but I do have three sitting in the office waiting to be built as lunchtime projects. 
 

Roy

[Butler]

Thanks all, but that is exactly what I thought, that Superquick were more flimsy. I didn’t like them much in the 60’s and still not so keen! Even Metcalfe , which are pretty strong, need a bit of beefing up to last. I used them for all my platforms, but doubled and trebled the strengtheners underneath, and they haven’t distorted one bit, this despite being relocated twice. Obviously damp is the problem with card kits. Anyway a couple of pics of my slightly modified Metcalfe kits. It’s just that they don’t have quite what I need to finish!

[2750Papyrus]

I use both and will shortly build the castle I received for Christmas.  I think Metcalfe probably have the better design models but the lack of variation in the colour of brickwork, particularly of the industrial buildings, lets them down.  They also tend to be of modern appearance - shopfronts and, particularly, the white of the windows.   I also use Scalescenes though find these more time-consuming.

 

To be honest, my favourite is the old Builder Plus range, which featured a good range of buildings and excellent printed brickwork.

[Butler]

A comparison of terraced houses, left Metcalfe 00 card kit, right Bachmann resin RTR model. Quite a difference in size, tho of course depends on the prototype! As I said before, being smaller prob adds to depth.

 

[brossard]

I've always felt it to be a good idea when choosing buildings for your layout, to use the same manufacturer.  You get consistent style (and size) that way.

 

John

[locomad2]

Always found Superquick to look more realistic for a pre 70's layout, ie grubby, grim, dank. Look at any film from the 50's 60's etc and the street scenes were grim. Can just remember such scenes before clean air act, end of steam, and great clean up in the 1980's

[Ragtag]

I'd give scalescenes a look, they offer quite a bit in low relief and the finish is far superior to Metcalfe in my opinion 

[grahame]

10 hours ago, Butler said:

A comparison of terraced houses, left Metcalfe 00 card kit, right Bachmann resin RTR model. Quite a difference in size, tho of course depends on the prototype! As I said before, being smaller prob adds to depth.

 

 

That's probably an unfair comparison because the resin one obviously has less low relief depth (smaller flank walls) and you've pushed it further away. If they were both the same level along the frontage the difference is less marked. I've simply pulled the resin one forward (photographically without changing size) so they are on the same line and the difference in size is now very small (despite the photo of it being further way will have affected size by distance perspective compression). The building heights, windows and door are very similar:

 

 

The roof doesn't extend so high because the overall relief depth is less but it's a simple issue to rectify. Otherwise, although a tad smaller (and not all terraced houses are the same size) I'd say that they are probably both acceptable in scale next to each other.

 

 

 

 

[PatB]

Of course, buildings vary in size, even in the same general location. I remember noticing, when I was living in Newcastle, that, on some of the long streets of terraces sloping down towards the river, the houses (Tyneside flats really) became smaller the further down you went. You didn't really notice unless actually looking for it, as the architecture didn't change, but the facades were considerably narrower at the less desirable end than they were at the top. It's also harder to see nowadays, as so many of the streets have been partially or wholly redeveloped. I've just had a look on Street View and I can't actually pinpoint exactly where I noticed it, 35 years later, unfortunately.

[phil_sutters]

I think it is the colouring and textures that make the appearance believable . The Metcalfe and resin buildings just don't look good together. The colours jar and the roofing materials contrast. The sizes really don't matter. In some areas there are whole streets that were built by one developer to one size and one style. In other areas plots were sold off to multiple small builders and developed in small terraces, some abutting others, some with spaces between. Even in posh Georgian terraces you can find different sized properties. There's one otherwise pretty uniform terrace in Southwark where there is a bigger house at the end, because the developer wanted one for himself, but you wouldn't instantly notice it as the scale and appearance match.

[DGO]

17 hours ago, Butler said:

A comparison of terraced houses, left Metcalfe 00 card kit, right Bachmann resin RTR model. Quite a difference in size, tho of course depends on the prototype! As I said before, being smaller prob adds to depth.

 

Would be interesting to know the widths of the front doors on each, whilst doors do vary in width small terrace houses tend to be fairly similar in door width averaging 38 inches or between 12 and 13mm at 00 scale the doors on the right look to me somewhat smaller 

 

[Butler]

Hi

The Bachmann Doors are 10mm, the Metcalfe are 13mm. So a little narrow on the Bachmann, but as a backdrop I’m not too worried, I shan’t put them side by side.

B

[latestarter]

On 15/03/2021 at 13:17, Michael Hodgson said:

If they did Coronation Street in a standard modelling scale and low relief, it would probably sell well to railway modeller's wives

 

I have been a huge Corry fan since the mid 1960's. Last time I looked, I wasn't anybody's wife.

Edited October 21, 2021 by latestarter

[latestarter]

On 14/03/2021 at 14:33, Butler said:

I have not used Superquick since I was a young lad, and that’s over 50 years ago, but I never really thought they were up to it. Have they improved in quality and more so in strength?

 

Very interesting thread for me, as I've now built 2 Metcalfe kits and bought 3 more, for my first layout. I've just downloaded the Superquick catalogue PDF, to see what they offer. Overall, I think I prefer the look of the Metcalfe models, but would like to see some smaller trackside and industrial scene items.

Edited October 21, 2021 by latestarter

[brossard]

My first buildings were Superquik and Metcalfe, a very long time ago.  They produce "nice" results when done properly.  The main issue for many I think is bare corners.  This can be mitigated by the application of coloured felt marker or water colour.

 

I have also tried the Wills Craftsman kits, very close to scratch building.  These have much better relief and detail and no bare corners.  They do require painting though in that they are plastic.  The results are excellent IMO.

 

Wills Craftsman terraced house.

 

My go to card kits for quite a lot of years has been Scalescenes.  Close to scratch building in that the base layers must be cut out.  The cover layer is applied to the base using Pritt.  I have built these in 4mm and 7mm.  For 4mm, windows and doors can be obtained from Brassmasters in etched brass.  In 7mm, you're on your own.

 

 

A scene from the club layout showing Scalescenes terraced houses and retaining wall.

 

You can scratch build structures as well.

 

 

This has to be my favourite.  I built the Superquik Station masters house and then, some time later I did the same building using Wills Craftsman techniques and Wills sheets and parts.

 

John

Edited October 21, 2021 by brossard

[DGO]

Nice house with very nice lean to greenhouse , I always prefer the relief one gets on plastic brick vs paper/card, the trick is getting a nice finish on outside corners, the wills plastic sheets tend to be somewhat thicker than other manufacturers which can be blessing or curse, that extra thickness typically results in an obvious line just behind the corner of a wall where the seam occurs, but that extra thickness compared to other makers can be used to your benefit, instead of cutting the walls as butt joints you can use that stiffer thicker plastic to your benefit and mitre the joints instead, this can be a pain in the backside but when done well completely hides the joint, the alternative is to run a downpipe from any gutter down the butt joint and hide it that way