crayment

Hi Mikkel. Thanks very much. I'll get round to the night shoot but just too lazy to wrench myself away from the sofa at the moment!

.... and Volumes 1 and 2 of Mackay's are now on order!

Hi Job. Yes, you're right. Now I've had a bit of time to think I really should get on, build the graveyard and put the church in a proper setting.

Thanks very much Portchulin Tatty. Now I know what to do this afternoon - search for copies of Mackays! I'm always stumped for names of architectural features.

Over the past 3 months I've had the most enjoyable and satisfying time building this model of one of the local parish churches. In the process I have learnt an awful lot and next time, if there is a next time, there are things I would do differently.. In particular, I experimented with using DAS for the some of the stonework and hadn't realised what a versatile medium it is. Similarly with styrene sheet. I thought I'd really struggle with the spire but with styrene sheet it was relatively straightforward (once I'd googled how to draw an octagon - I didn't listen at school). I have installed lights. I'll take a photo one night. I haven't seen what they look like in the dark. For the stonework I experimented with a mixture of styrene sheet and DAS - styrene for the window surrounds and buttresses with DAS in between. I didn't have the confidence to use DAS alone (and certainly not for the tower). I also had a go at resin casting the ornamental stonework at the top of the walls (which will have an architectural name I'm sure). And now the model is finished I am feeling quite bereft and at a loose end. I don't know what to do next.

Thanks Gary. Perhaps I should find somewhere else for it. I suppose that's an advantage of not planning ahead!

Well, that was the most fun I've had making a model and I'm a little disappointed to have finished it. I still have to bed it into the layout so that'll be a bit more fun but it'll be a while until I can get round to that. And this is where it's going.... I can do no more until that white space at the back has been filled for which I have had several very helpful suggestions. (This blogging lark is great - free advice!!) But what will go there? It's a case of breaking free from the paralysis of indecision and getting on with it.

Thanks chaps for the ideas - I want to do them all. I wonder....a medieval visitor centre, cottage with garden and part of an old industrial building......

I have had a thoroughly good time on and off over the past few days making progress on the Old Tyre Depot, particularly playing with the roof structure. Who'd have thought a few pence worth of plastic could provide so much fun? However, I'm afraid work will be getting in the way of more important things over the next few days so the roof is going to have to be neglected.for a while. I'm looking forward to painting it though. In the meantime, I have a bad case of what can only be described as modeller's block. There is a space on the layout, behind the chapel (on the other side of the tracks) and to the left of the castle, which is crying out for something. But I don't know what. It's sort of triangular - 300mm across the base (adjacent to the castle) and 500mm to the apex (adjacent to the tracks). What should fill it? Here are three photos to put the space in context. I thought about a park with a bandstand (improbably near the noise of trains but that wouldn't matter - it's only pretend and no one would actually have to play there) or perhaps a row of low relief cottages with their back gardens but neither idea is really compelling at the moment. If anyone has an inspiration or suggestion, I should be delighted to hear!

Amazing what you stumble across on this site. What a treat this is. Great observation and detail and you've brought out the character of the real thing. Reckon I'm hooked on dilapidated now.

Oh, thanks very much, Stu. The walls are just layers of plain and embossed styrene topped with a bit of Squadron putty to hide the joins. Chas.

Near to where I live is an old and very dilapidated tyre depot. The recent heavy snow has collapsed even more of the roof. It was constructed of brick, steel joists and corrugated iron and is full of character. I wanted to have a go at modelling dilapidated and have made a start on a version which is much smaller so as to fit the available space on the layout. The interior walls have been weathered and the roof structure begun. I fear though that impatience means I am going to struggle to finish off the interior. I really ought to have waited before starting the roof.

Hi Lee and thank you. Yes, I like to keep an eye out here to pinch ideas from some of the very clever model makers!

The Chapel is finished. Or rather, I've finished with it for the time being. Ii's been an interesting project from which I have learned a lot. I look at it now and think what I'd do differently next time. I suppose that's what modelmaking is all about and it's part of the fun - learning from mistakes and doing better next time round. Anyhow, the Chapel has found a location on the layout adjacent to the implausible retaining wall and will need a wall, gate and signboard eventually. Those will have to wait - there's much more infrastructure work to be done yet on the surrounds (which is the bit I enjoy least). The backscene behind the Chapel is, I have decided, going to be an approaching storm. There is a reason for that - I had grey paint left over from the roof which has formed the base coat. Next project is to build a dilapidated factory unit behind the garage. Never done dilapidated before - I'm looking forward to trying something new.

Goodness me, am I pleased to have discovered this blog. The cobbling is absolutely superb.

Lovely paint job and thanks for the mortar tip.

Well thank you. I appreciate the encouragement.

An unexpected day off due to rather a lot of snow and a good opportunity to tinker with the layout and complete a few projects I'd temporarily lost interest in. The garage, modelled on the Foundry Garage in Denbigh, has been patiently waiting for the "Foundry Garage" and "Flame" petrol signs. At last, it's finished and ready to go somewhere on the layout - not sure where though just yet. Talk about lack of planning. The trouble is I see something i'd like to have a go at modelling and then work out where to put it.

Thanks Ian. Just had a look and there's a load of good stuff there. Could be an expensive find! Chas.

I have several motives for writing blogs (I have another one on Google). First is to leave a record for my grandchildren - I would love at least one of them to be motivated to take up this absorbing hobby at a much earlier age than I. Second, I have discovered a whole community of fascinating and friendly bloggers. Third, because it's a very good way for me, a relative newcomer, to pick up lots of helpful tips directed specifically at what I am doing. For example, Scanman (Ian), took the time on my Thatched Cottage recommended to me a book I'd never heard of, Cottage Modelling for Pendon, which is now on order. And Halfwit (Paul) suggested on The Olde Shoppes post that the town square need busying with people. A good and helpful observation. Thank you Ian and Paul. Anyway, this model started out as a model based on (that cop out phrase again) The Old Rectory where Sir John Betjeman once lived - voted the finest parsonage in 2008 apparently. My small grandson said it was a hotel. I have no idea where that came from, but hotel it is. The iron work of the sign is made from tubular styrene. It looks overscale so if anyone has any other ideas for wrought ironwork then please let me know. Preferably not metal - I'm too cack handed to work metal. Round the back is a fountain made of DAS. Well, it's supposed to be a fountain but the fish looks odd, I'm going to have another go.....eventually. There are lots of other unfinished jobs I will get round to.....one day. I see that the wretched low backscene makes an appearance again in both photos. It won't happen again. A second, better, layout is already beginning to take shape in my head. I'll finish this one first of course ..............

Thanks for that Ian. Really useful. I've just ordered a copy through Amazon. l look forward to reading it (and copying the ideas!) Cheers, Chas.

There was an excellent article in BRM a few months back on modelling a thatched roof. Dove Cottage, I think it was called. The technique involved glueing clumps of plumbers hemp with evostick onto the roof and trimming once dry. A very clever idea. I must try and dig out the article again. This effort is pretty much a direct copy of the cottage featured in the article. Great fun but very messy. At least it was when I tried it.

Hi Iain. Working away this week and lots of time in the evenings with nothing to do so whiling away the hours blogging here. As to professional modelmaking, my models are fine provided you don't look too closely!

Yes! It looks dead doesn't it? I need to busy it up. Thank you!

Next up was a parade of shops. I made a start on this whilst holidaying on the Isle of Barra, staying in the same house as the producers of the BBC's "An Island Parish". Very relaxing - cutting out styrene and looking out over the sound. The shop fronts are stock windows from Langley Models. I found it hard to print the shop signs - the detail isn't fine enough which I assume is down to the quality of my printer. Oh, and look to closely at the bakery and you see there's nothing in it! Bit of an elementary mistake really which I have tried not to repeat subsequently. I added a market square and memorial (made from styrene and DAS) and a timbered building loosely based (my excuse for not being able to accurately reproduce the real thing) on the Old Court House in Ruthin. Ruthin is a town of many characterful buildings and ideas for modelling. The market square doesn't look quite right. I experimented with a few market stalls but there's something missing. I don't know what it is. Anyway, I got bored and moved on.