Sweven

Superb work Allan, I can smell the wood, hear the clock tick and the windvane creak in the breeze (and then the old washer woman who lives on the top floor screeching something about her curlers). Quite brilliant.

Those magazines and newspapers look fantastic!

I think your idea of butting the annex up to the main building will be the easiest approach (exactly what I have done with the two parts of my current station building) - you could just fill any gaps where the stone work doesn't join smoothly with model filler or with wall filler (plaster) and paint.

Allan, those photographs are simply stunning! I couldn't pick one favourite - perhaps the 4th (006) or 5th (008).

It turns out that Allan has been building a Klingon base

Allan I think the slatted door is brilliant (and the weathering of it) (and the track for it and the valance and ...). An hour must be the longest it has ever taken you to make anything! My wife likes the wallpaper on the wall behind the first photograph. Cheers John

I'l love to be able to produce 'nothing' like that in a day! Great detail on the lamp hut.

Brilliant work and a great set of photographs to explain how it was achieved! The result looks fantastic. Cheers John (I am sure there must be a joke around Mute Swans also losing their 'earing)

Having said I wanted to replace the nameplate, here is my signalbox again with a second attempt at the nameplate...

Love your plan Allan - but loving the model more! Speaking of plans and Hogwarts in the same page we went to the studios when last in the UK and saw the models - but what fascinated me most was the preliminary card models and paintings that they made of all the sets and buildings. Here is an example from the many photos we took.

Thank you to everyone for your appreciation. Hi Highlandman, thanks for that. The dray is from the excellent Dart Castings range - I have built about 3 of these vehicles for the (eventual) layout. They come as a kit of parts with good instructions - a little fiddly to put together (I used superglue) and then a dusting of primer and some hand-painted Humbrol. The people are from the really good Monty's Model range. A little expensive but I can't praise them enough, they have almost no flash and superb detail - some great figures. Again I gave them a dusting of primer and then hand painted with Humbrol (a job that always reminds me I need to go and get new glasses). Here's another model for the same site that I am just finishing with my favourite figure. Cheers John

A Midland weighbridge office in 4mm scale...

Allan, Love those windows and doors! Very elegant.

Hi Ken, welcome - republication of 'Buildings in Miniature' would get my vote. I particularly liked the stone wall in one of the award winning cakes!

Hi Allan, the "excited" water looks like the real deal - I was trying to spot the trout leaping out. Did you add any colour in the process (between PVA layers) or is that the light refracting? Cheers John

Wow Allan, that is incredible work for a build you are not enjoying! Did you see this image in your searches? Small http://frustratedgardener.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/img_7914.jpg?w=848&h=500&crop=1 Large http://frustratedgardener.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/img_7914.jpg

Hi Allan, how annoying, sorry that didn't work out - although living down-under I get used to the pains of remote ordering all the time. But having followed this thread for a while I know you are incredibly resourceful and can fabricate some tools from an old toothpick and a bit of clay! Looking forward to the next model, Cheers John

Here are some links to 7mm tools: There are some good handtools and even nuts and bolts on this site: http://www.vectorcut.com/accessoriesO.htm Plenty of workshop tools an detail available here: http://modeltechstudios.com/oscaleindustrialandtracksidedetails.aspx A few resin cast workshop tools hereat reasonable prices: http://modeltechstudios.com/sscaledetailworkbenchestoolsandhardwarebenchesfinished-2-2-1.aspx http://www.scalemodelingbychris.com/143-48_auto_resin2.htm Modern garage tools: http://www.tsm-models.com/tsm/store/product/379 Hope that helps someone, John

Thanks Peter, I have to say that I was/am inspired and helped by your original signal box thread on the old rmweb and in particular the tutorial based around the 7mm Spratton box. I really admire your paint finishesand the crisp lines you always achieve! Keep the models coming. Cheers John

Having followed this topic for a long time (as well as other threads started by gravytrain) and admired the many superb models I thought I should contribute. Here is a 4mm model of the Midland Type 2a box at Studley and Astwood Bank, built in plasticard about a year ago with Churchward Models' etched windows, parts from a Springside Models' interior detailing kit and Smiths' levers. Finials filed from toothpicks using the Dremel as a lathe. I am not happy with the current nameplate - will have another go at that. Inspired by Captain Kernow I built the Midland lever frame base from plasticard. Weathering and the stove pipe are still required. This was my second plasticard building, the first being the weighbridge office for the same site (starting small seemed a really good idea). Bob Essery's excellent illustrated history of the "Ashchurch to Barnt Green Line" (ISBN 0 86093 562 0), the plans from Midlland Record Number 2 and a variety of other photographs were very helpful.The photograph of the token exchange was inspired by the .