Town/Village Structures

[JimF51]

While watching the show, Return To Cranford earlier, I got to wondering. Are structure kits available, to recreate a village or small town of that time period? Yes, I will be searching the kit manufacturers I know of, but I just thought I would inquire here, as well.

 

Thanks. Jim F

[burgundy]

Jim

The short answer to your question is "yes" and "no".

There are kits available that allow you to produce period buildings - but very rapidly, you get bogged down with trying to find those that are "right" for your area. Vernacular architecture tended to use local materials, so that a range of buildings designed around the "Heartbeat" theme in N Yorks will look very odd if set in Sussex - and vice versa!  

You are now on a slippery slope, trying to work out what is appropriate for the back story that you have invented for your layout! 

Sorry - not much help.

Best wishes

Eric   

[Theakerr]

I have to agree with burgundy.  When I built my layout, I just wanted to get things up and running because my focus was to watch trains go by, so for the town I just put in buildings that I had and that I could round-up "cheap".  Well x years later, and improved modelling skills that have let me create the "right" atmosphere on about 1/2 the town scene I am now completely dissatisfied with the original buildings.  End result is that i am about to rip up about 1/8 layout and try to rebuild it with a combination of scratch built buildings, modified kits and resin buildings and  modified accessories to try to get the "atmosphere".  Sounds simple but it is not; due to the constraints of track etc that is already there.   Strongly suggest you consider modelling on an actual location or something close to an actual location.

[JimF51]

Thanks for the replies. yes, I guess my question was a bit broad, but it was mainly to see if any manufacturers do make period buildings, for any area. My own interests are in the SE, the SECR and LBSCR primarily.

 

I do have one advantage over the majority of modelers over there. In the US, 99% or any folks who ever might view my efforts, would not know a difference between buildings from different areas of the UK, and and the fact that hardly anyone will ever see it means that chance is almost non existent

 

Over here, many structure modelers will build scenes, or even whole small towns, and the rail line will be just a adjunct, even a non functioning thing, just a added scenic feature. I will probably go between the 2 extremes, building my village/town area, but allowing for some small working rail section.

 

One mfr I have found, so far, is ABM Railcraft, producing railway station and platform structures for my chosen area.

 

Thanks again.

Jim F