Most realistic station platform?

[ianlei]

Sorry for such a basic question! But I was hoping for some advice of what people feel are the best station platform kits/RTR .I am just getting back into the hobby and currently have old Hornby platforms that need lots of improvement or replacing. Some of my platforms will need to be different widths so adjustable size platforms would be a bonus! I realise many of you will scratchbuild this type of thing but due to lack of time and not having a lot of modelling skills (yet!) I was hoping a RTR product/kit would look realistic enough (it's hard to tell from photos online how realistic they are especially card kits)

Any help/info would be appreciated!

Ian

[ITG]

As a relative beginner a few years ago, I found the Metcalfe card platforms useful. You can size to tailor made widths and lengths.

[KeithMacdonald]

Like @ITG said, Metcalfe is good, and so is ScaleScenes.

 

https://scalescenes.com/

and their platforms e.g.

https://scalescenes.com/product/r008a-station-platform-with-shelter-and-lamp-hut/

 

 

[Lee-H]

I agree, Metcalfe is easy to make to any shape and size and it looks good when complete.

[DCB]

If you want realism get the height right.  Detail and finish don't make up for incorrect proportions.

Passenger platforms are basically 3ft maximum.  12mm in 00 and that is height of the top of the platform above rails     Buffers are 3ft 5" typically so platforms are lower than buffer center lines.   Goods docks can be higher but carriage doors wont open in goods docks.   Some platforms on old stations can be significantly lower than 3ft.    Mine are all over height and it really really really annoys me.  I like  to build platform walls and top them with thin wood, card curls up at the edges, so MDF is ideal.  Curved platforms look great, straight flat platforms are mainly 2000 era, nice lumpy curved platforms with a river bridge half way along look good  (See Pickering NYMR)

[Chris M]

Building your own platforms is easy and cheap and as DCB says, can be curved.

 

My usual construction method uses plasticard. Simply cut some plasticard strips of the right height and build the supporting walls with regular cross bracing using the same strip. Glue these to your baseboard. Cover what will be the platform side with brick paper and then fit a plasticard top. If you prefer use brick embossed plasticard for the platform edging. I tend to use a double sheet laminate of fairly thin plasticard for the platform top. Care has to be taken to ensure it is nice a flat. Then paint it a nice tarmac colour or use paving slab brick paper or a maybe a combination of the two. Its easy, quick, very flexible to your exact needs and cheap!

 

I've used this method since the early 1980s and it has served me well. Here is a photo of my second attempt at platform making taken circa 1986. As I recall the whole thing, buildings, footbridge etc was scratchbuilt from plasticard. The chimney pots and signal box vents, finials and windows were from a kit. Wonderful stuff this plasticard!

Edited June 1, 2022 by Chris M
spelling

[Robin Brasher]

Metcalf platforms are good but are not very robust for my portable layout.

 

My Hornby platforms are robust, have stood the test of time and it is easy to attach them to fencing.

 

I have also made wooden platforms and covered them with a card surface which is just as easy to make as a Metcalf kit and does not have so many joints as the card sheets are bigger. The disadvantage is that they add weight to a portable layout.

[Kris]

Whilst Hornby platforms look poor as is, they are not difficult to convert. A quick coat of filler over the top followed by repainting sorts out the surface. The sides can be sorted with brick paper such as that downloaded from Scalescenes. If you only want a straight platform the Hornby platforms can be a good option. 

[Robin Brasher]

I enclose a picture of my model of Corfe Castle station. I used a combination of Metcalf platforms and a Metcalf road surface with the road surface extending to the platform edge on the station building side. You can see that the main problem is the joints between the cardboard sheets.

 

[DCB]

@Robin Brasher  You hit the nail on the head there mate. Joints. On brickpaper I have cut round individual blocks so as to avoid joins being in a straight line and cutting through blocks or bricks.  Bit of a saving grace is many platforms vary in surface from nice large "York Stone" flagstones by the shelters to tarmac or in earlier days, ash surface towards the ends. Many were extended over the years up to WW1 mainly.   The nice uniform flagstone platforms in the steam era,  1830 -1962 were mainly the main termini and city stations after rebuilding 

[ianLMS]

Although not my preferred platform type, there is a laser cut mdf option, easily detailed with additional scoring, painting or adding texture/ slab papers. Gaps can be filled and sanded down.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253989846659?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=bTXMS-6pQuW&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=h-I8RE2kQg-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Other retailers such a scale model scenery or Lcut creative may do something similar.

 

On a different note;

My preference is for 18mm ply topped with chinchilla sand, painted grey and weathered (15mm is fine if you arent using cork underlay under the sleepers). Overhang is evergreen styrene strip scored with a compass. Side walls use Slaters plasticard. The ply is easy to cut to shape with a jigsaw. Just thought i would add it even though i note the OP is not after a scratchbuild option. 

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by ianLMS

[Bill Radford]

5 hours ago, Robin Brasher said:

I enclose a picture of my model of Corfe Castle station. I used a combination of Metcalf platforms and a Metcalf road surface with the road surface extending to the platform edge on the station building side. You can see that the main problem is the joints between the cardboard sheets.

Tutbury & Hatton platform...

 

 

...and not too straight either!!

[AndrueC]

8 hours ago, Chris M said:

Wonderful stuff this plasticard!

Yes, I discovered it when I needed to build some inclines. It's firm enough to bridge a reasonable distance and as it's a known thickness it's easy to stack it to make supports of a required height.

 

[Chris M]

Although the OP wasn’t after a scratchbuilt option the point is that scratchbuilding platforms is quite easy and quite quick. Most folk will get good results first time, save money, and get an introduction to the joy of scratchbuilding.  I really recommend giving it a try. Or putting it another way, while I have a lot of respect for Metcalfe kits , I can’t see why any would want to use the platform kits on preference to building their own.

[letterspider]

For a straight platform I have used a long piece of wood, I wanted something that would be dead straight, robust, that I could screw and unscrew - drill holes into for lighting and cut out subways. I used 10mm thick wood and and for the platform supports I used Peco platform edging - this attaches well with super glue but you have to cut and sand the backs flush (they come with peg joints).

This Brings the platform edges 2mm higher up than the wood and I filled this in with plaster which I would paint to represent concrete.

This is where the problems began because the wood was not well keyed for the plaster - I would recommend un planed timber which is rougher and use a ready mixed filler such as you get at Wilkos - which is easy to work with - or instead use sandpaper (less messy but then you will have joints)

 

For the white line I used an Edding white pen and cut a v notch into the tip - and I was able to produce a consistent edge very easily.

 

Some of the photos I have uploaded show the results - the others were lost in the server crash

 

 

 

[Right Away]

For bespoke platforms, you could try .80” Plastikard (very tough) for the surface and cross bracing with Peco platform edging - please see pic.

 

 

[ianlei]

Thank you all for your advice and opinions. It's given me lots to look into and much inspiration hearing about and seeing your projects! Thanks again!

[simonmcp]

If your platforms are not too wide and straight and you want a gravel surface - sandpaper/emery cloth is available in rolls of various grit sizes (the higher the number the finer the grit size) thus avoiding any joins.