"Anything You Can do, I Can Do Better ! Robinson and Downes.

[allan downes]

Now THAT is gonna be a hard act to follow....

 

Could you let  us have the Superquick catologue number Iain, just to ease off the pressure a little ?

 

Right.....Clay Dries....whatever they are.....let me see, we've had the steelworks, the cathedral, but there's no stopping this wild man from the North....I mean, I've been stumped more than a few times in my search for realism but never before stumped by a Clay Dry....HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[allan downes]

A Coke Feed Plant  maybe......? - WHAT?!

 

 

 

 

[Iain C Robinson]

I like that a lot,  Allan. It's amazing what you can do with those old Airfix girder bridge kits! Seriously, your whole Corus Complex was a Tour de Force...I hope there was a decent interval from the cathedral for your sanity at least!

 

Oh, the Superquick number for the Clay Dries is keenly guarded by the Cornishmen on RMWeb ...you might try bribing them with copious Cornish Pasties

[allan downes]

...I hope there was a decent interval from the cathedral for your sanity at least!

Yeh, at least 30 years!

 

What happened with the steelworks is that I built it twice - the BRM version, and the MR version.

 

Here's why.

 

After the BRM version Chris Liegh got a rail pass into CORUS, called me up and asked if I would like to join him.

 

So there we all were - Chris, Ben Jones and others from the MR Team, being bucketed around in the back of an ancient old brake-van touring the CORUS Steelworks when I turned to Chris and shouted above all the noise "Do you want another steelworks?" (he had already run with the "Scunthorpe Queens" - blast furnaces - and he shouted back "Why !?"

 

"Because " I said, shouting even louder " I've haven't even scratched the surface,  I mean just look at that lot !" ( pointing to the coak works, rolling mills, etc ,etc, etc) then leaping off the back of the break-van I shouted "I'll give you a call when it's done !" and I was gone ! 

 

Cheers.

Allan.

Edited April 26, 2013 by allan downes

[Iain C Robinson]

Yeh, at least 30 years!

 

What happened with the steelworks is that I built it twice - the BRM version, and the MR version.

 

Here's why.

 

After the BRM version Chris Liegh got a rail pass into CORUS, called me up and asked if I would like to join him.

 

So there we all were - Chris, Ben Jones and others from the MR Team, being bucketed around in the back of an ancient old brake-van touring the CORUS Steelworks when I turned to Chris and shouted above all the noise "Do you want another steelworks?" (he had already run with the "Scunthorpe Queens - blast furnaces - and he shouted back "Why?"

 

"Because " I said, shouting even louder " I've haven't even scratched the surface,  I mean just look at that lot ( pointing to the coak works, rolling mills, etc ,etc, etc) then leaping off the back of the break-van I shouted "I'll give you a call when it's done, and I was gone ! 

 

Cheers.

Allan.

 

What a superb story. So you just got so fired up with enthusiasm that you built it...again? Amazing!

[allan downes]

What a superb story. So you just got so fired up with enthusiasm that you built it...again? Amazing!

 

Well the thing was Iain, is that I used to drive past Corus almost everyday and everyday I made a promise to the  "Queens" - "One day Ladies,  one day "

Then when "One day" came along I built it from memory, or as I remembered seeing it along the Brigg road.

 

Cheers. Allan.

Edited April 26, 2013 by allan downes

[Iain C Robinson]

Well the thing was Iain, is that I used to drive past Corus almost everyday and everyday I made a promise to the  "Queens" - "One day Ladies,  one day "

Then when "One day" came along I built it from memory, or as I remembered seeing it along the Brigg road.

 

Cheers. Allan.

 

I can understand that. As an artist you respond to the inspiration that you see everyday...I would have done the same. It must have been superb to see that plant in action.  I went round John Summers Steelworks as a lad and I still think about how incredible it was...but especially how the heat from a steel billet travelling twenty feet below us melted all the girl's tights in the party!

 

Great stuff Allan!

cheers,

Iain

[allan downes]

Right guys, I've got my son coming round in 30 minutes to show his dad how  it SHOULD be done, so more fun and games tomorrow.

 

G'night all.

 

Allan

[Mikkel]

Thanks Allan for the description of how you build the townscapes. I know all about moving things around for hours to get the right look - a sort of perverse joy that you miss out on if you are copying a real location directly. I agree about the Preiser figures btw, if only we had something like that in 4mm.

 

Iain your clay dries are a real comeback after Allan's nuclear bomb with the cathedral. The texture and slightly gloomy look in those photos is just brilliant. 

[Iain C Robinson]

I'm off on my other very strange hobby today -  mine exploring ...but before I go, I will leave you with these slightly more sedate models, in 4mm, made for the Princes Risborough project. The customer specified Scalescenes brickpaper for the wall finish...while I wouldn't ordinarily use this, I enjoyed the challenge and it looks very effective even though there is no relief to catch the light. Of course, Ratio have now gone and brought out a GWR signal box like this....but I guess it will be a really good starting point for a whole lot of superb models.

 

 

Risborough South Box

 

 

Risborough North Box

 

 

North Box

 

 

 

The interior with lights.

 

 

[Guest jonte]

I'm off on my other very strange hobby today -  mine exploring ...but before I go, I will leave you with these slightly more sedate models, in 4mm, made for the Princes Risborough project. The customer specified Scalescenes brickpaper for the wall finish...while I wouldn't ordinarily use this, I enjoyed the challenge and it looks very effective even though there is no relief to catch the light. Of course, Ratio have now gone and brought out a GWR signal box like this....but I guess it will be a really good starting point for a whole lot of superb models.

 

Risboro Sth box 2 (800x639).jpg

 

Risborough South Box

 

Risboro side box (800x513).jpg

 

final side view (800x369).jpg

Risborough North Box

 

Back Side (800x390).jpg

 

North Box

 

door close up (539x533).jpg

 

Interior.jpg

 

The interior with lights.

Iain.

 

I think I've died and gone to heaven........................................

 

Jonte

[Guest jonte]

Been a bit busy of late so only just brought myself up to date on this thread. My, how much magnificent modelling Messrs. Downes and Robinson conjure up when you turn your back for five minutes.

 

Incidentally, I wasn't as surprised to learn that DLT was a fellow modeller after I saw that photo many years back in the modeller.

 

Oh, btw matey, if you're reading this: you're myriad miniature village and townscapes are a sight to behold, but frankly, your bath sponge trees are convincing nobody. Put the decks away and get practising. May I suggest Gordon Gravett's excellent tome on the subject as an excellent starting point?

 

Best wishes,

 

Jonte 

[allan downes]

Typical Robinson !

 

I have an early night and he hits me with a signal box to end all signal boxes !

 

Right ! that does it!

 

Watch this space Robinson, or better still,stay down your mine where it's safe !

 

Downes.

[allan downes]

Best I can come back with signal boxes (which of course is enough anyway...) but I've sliped in a few more pics....just in case.....One never knows with Robinson....

 

[allan downes]

When Robinson emerges from his hole in the ground let me know Guys.

 

Thanks.

Allan.

[Iain C Robinson]

I've surfaced, blinking from the light and the dazzling modelling in that last post by you know who.

 

Here are some views of a 4mm/ft goods shed, Princes Risborough, that I built for a customer. I built one from Wills brick sheet, then a while afterwards, he asked me to build another one for him, but this time out of Scalescenes paper as the rest of his buildings were the same. I've built countless similar structures for people over the years, but every one has it's little idiosyncrasies, and this was no exception.

 

The main shell, as mentioned, was made from Wills brick embossed sheet... the sheets are too small, Mr. Wills! Don't be so stingy! I had to join them in several places, hopefully it's not too noticeable. The roof, similarly, was a no-go, and had to be made from individual strips. One of many interesting things about the shed were the bevelled (rubbed?) brick corners, made from engineer's brick. I tried endlessly to replicate them by carving and scribing, but had to admit defeat and used brickpaper.

 

Many years ago my old Dad and I used to drive an HGV (an old AEC Mercury, which dates me...) around various mills in Northern England, delivering very large rolls of textile and leathercloth. You know, when we actually had mills and things like that. The view through the shed door reminds me of trying to back the truck up into the entrance of the goods shed at London Road, Manchester. I put a ten foot scratch down the side of the semi-trailer and dented the door...now a site of world heritage. Sorry!

 

 

 

 

 

Now, if you are not asleep by now, for the Brick paper version.

 

The main shell was built of 2mm card and the entire structure was drawn out in Adobe Illustrator to scale, along with any rebates and/or decorative brickwork around the doors etc. This was then ported into Photoshop and the Scalescenes brickwork applied. All was then printed out, a bit like a Superquick Kit. I have to say that the whole job was a pleasure to build and a whole lot easier and sharper than using plastic sheet…and the result was infinitely finer looking. Areas where the brickwork would be in relief were cut out from separate layers of paper and stuck on with Power Pritt. I like working in card, which is probably why it went well…I have seen superb plastic sheet brickwork- Simon de Souza’s work, for instance, and admit I could never emulate his genius in plastic. But this brickpaper method makes a nice change and allows me to incorporate lots more detail.

One area on the original that I thought I could improve upon was the roof. Luckily, Petra came to my rescue by making up an artwork for scale size Bethesda Countess slates in Photoshop…although we live in sunny Ffestiniog (irony alert!) we do have the odd Bethesda slate, so the colouring could be checked. It was printed off in Hahnemulle watercolour texture paper, and the poor girl then painstakingly applied the rows of slates. Along with the shed, these were varnished with Winsor and Newton "Galeria" matt varnish.

One word of caution though- when printing off from the computer- keep an eye on the print dialog box and make sure it doesn’t default to “scale to fit”….I spent some time trying to figure out why the shed sides didn’t match up….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2013 by Iain C Robinson

[allan downes]

This is what happens when you spend all your spare time down holes - hit the opposition with good sheds to die for !

 

So, this is about the best you're gonna get guys - a bit short on goods sheds at the moment...

 

 

 

[Guest jonte]

Well, I have to admit, Iain, I was beginning to doze off until I saw your splendid examples of scratchbuilt  goods sheds. Wow!!!

 

Both have much to commend them, however, having butchered one or two pieces of card over the years, I know that plasticard is a far more forgiving medium so to produce something of this standard is quite remarkable (neat square folds, an absence of gluey fingermarks from the surface and as for those plinths..................they're what struck me the first time I saw Risborough station building - fantastic!!!). How do you do that? It's easy to forget that producing a quality finish in card is harder than one remembers. I know only too well.

 

I'm also aware that Superquick items are considered positively archaic by today's standards, and we all poke fun at them from time to time (me as much as anyone) however, it's amazing what can be achieved with them when in the hands of one so gifted. 

 

Perhaps one day, you'll share your techniques with we admirers. I shall certainly look forward to it.

 

And, Allan, what can I say apart from your getting some mileage out of that Airfix church 

 

Love,

 

Jonte

[Iain C Robinson]

This is what happens when you spend all your spare time down holes - hit the opposition with good sheds to die for !

 

So, this is about the best you're gonna get guys - a bit short on goods sheds at the moment...

 

Really nice stuff...it looks like the goods shed is based on Tetbury, but with stone rather than brick? Superb stuff, as always.

cheers,

Iain

[allan downes]

And, Allan, what can I say apart from your getting some mileage out of that Airfix church 

 

Love,

 

Jonte

 

And not to mention that Airfix cathedral !

[allan downes]

Really nice stuff...it looks like the goods shed is based on Tetbury, but with stone rather than brick? Superb stuff, as always.

cheers,

Iain

 

You got it in one - yep. Tetbury for sure, and all of those that went before it ! "Er Mr Downes, could you build me a goods shed ?" ---- " Certainly, now let me guess, Tetbury right? " --- "Amazing, you even read minds!"

 

Cheers.

Allan.

[Iain C Robinson]

Well, I have to admit, Iain, I was beginning to doze off until I saw your splendid examples of scratchbuilt  goods sheds. Wow!!!

 

Both have much to commend them, however, having butchered one or two pieces of card over the years, I know that plasticard is a far more forgiving medium so to produce something of this standard is quite remarkable (neat square folds, an absence of gluey fingermarks from the surface and as for those plinths..................they're what struck me the first time I saw Risborough station building - fantastic!!!). How do you do that? It's easy to forget that producing a quality finish in card is harder than one remembers. I know only too well.

 

I'm also aware that Superquick items are considered positively archaic by today's standards, and we all poke fun at them from time to time (me as much as anyone) however, it's amazing what can be achieved with them when in the hands of one so gifted. 

 

Perhaps one day, you'll share your techniques with we admirers. I shall certainly look forward to it.

 

And, Allan, what can I say apart from your getting some mileage out of that Airfix church 

 

Love,

 

Jonte

 

Jonte,

I really love building in card and would probably do all my work in that medium if I could. Styrene is very forgiving, but card can be too if treated carefully.

 

I remember many years ago a customer visited with a box full of musty smelling, unopened Superquick Police Station kits. Now, this was one of my favourite kits and my dear old Dad had made me one for my railway when I was about 7 years old.  My customer wanted me to combine the kits and make a massive railway station with them, along with a load of Airfix Station canopy sets. I had such fun...it wasn't really work, and I felt bad charging him, but I am supposed to be a professional. Nevertheless, it was the best week's work I have ever done in terms of having fun!  I wish I had taken some photos of it.

 

The secrets of building in card and brickpaper...well, I am writing an article for one of the mags about it just now...but I generally use double-sided tape to fix the paper to the structure, eliminating any messy places. On other occasions I use the super-sticky Pritt, for instance where I have cut out rebates etc.

 

Another trick working with card...if you have arched windows, cut them out roughly to shape, then soak them thoroughly with PVA around the cut edges of the openings. After a couple of applications and 24 hours, you will be able to file the openings to the shape you want. The only trouble with using the double-sided is that you only get one chance...it's sometimes a bit nerve-wracking!

 

The sides of the station building, and the original Adobe Illustrator cutting template behind.

 

 

Showing the laminated walls and how the window frames are in the middle of the sandwich. Obviously, I don't need to be too particular about the interior walls, as they won't be seen that much.

Edited April 28, 2013 by Iain C Robinson

[allan downes]

Your cutting mat Iain, a true modellers cutting mat if ever there was - an inspiration to us all. Unreadable, covered in paint, knobbled in glue, skin, blood, sweat stained - all there, and the way all cutting mats should be!

 

Nice station too...

 

Cheers.

Allan.

Edited April 28, 2013 by allan downes

[allan downes]

As EMailed to me - a little light hearted diversion.

 

PART OF BRITISH RAIL'S 5 YEAR PLAN.

 

 

[Guest jonte]

Jonte,

I really love building in card and would probably do all my work in that medium if I could. Styrene is very forgiving, but card can be too if treated carefully.

 

I remember many years ago a customer visited with a box full of musty smelling, unopened Superquick Police Station kits. Now, this was one of my favourite kits and my dear old Dad had made me one for my railway when I was about 7 years old.  My customer wanted me to combine the kits and make a massive railway station with them, along with a load of Airfix Station canopy sets. I had such fun...it wasn't really work, and I felt bad charging him, but I am supposed to be a professional. Nevertheless, it was the best week's work I have ever done in terms of having fun!  I wish I had taken some photos of it.

 

The secrets of building in card and brickpaper...well, I am writing an article for one of the mags about it just now...but I generally use double-sided tape to fix the paper to the structure, eliminating any messy places. On other occasions I use the super-sticky Pritt, for instance where I have cut out rebates etc.

 

Another trick working with card...if you have arched windows, cut them out roughly to shape, then soak them thoroughly with PVA around the cut edges of the openings. After a couple of applications and 24 hours, you will be able to file the openings to the shape you want. The only trouble with using the double-sided is that you only get one chance...it's sometimes a bit nerve-wracking!

 

P1030012 (640x480).jpg

The sides of the station building, and the original Adobe Illustrator cutting template behind.

 

P1030344 (640x480).jpg

 

Showing the laminated walls and how the window frames are in the middle of the sandwich. Obviously, I don't need to be too particular about the interior walls, as they won't be seen that much.

 

Hi Iain,

 

I wasn't expecting such a comprehensive reply so quickly. That's so kind; thank you.

 

So that's how it's done. How on earth did you work that out!!!! Tricks of the trade, hey?

 

I promise I'll keep them under my hat.

 

Best wishes,

 

Jonte