brylonscamel

Cheers Dave! .. always good to get a thumbs up. I have a bit more building to do but it shouldn't be long before painting, weathering and a bit of greenery and railway activity can start! That'll be an exciting phase!

If you look at this next batch of photos you might think I haven't been very productive with the little diorama! However, the new factory building that's going to fit into the far bank of the canal wharf has gained a roof and some chimneys. I found the roof an interesting challenge as it has a hipped gable-end and is cut off at an angle to fit as low-relief into the corner. The ridge had to be complete - it would have looked odd, partially cut off (I tried this on a mock up and it looked weird!) My basic schoolboy geometry came in handy - well, OK an online angle calculator came in handy!! I'm happy with the look and fit. The chimneys are based on those at the paint factory in Ruchill Street Galsgow, an intriguing canalside factory that largely survives today. Roof tiles are the stick-on ones from York Models. I have only just started to use them and nicked and cut a few tiles to break up the uniformity and add a bit of interest. Hopefully it looks OK

I visited a local shot-blasting / powder-coating shop to refurbish bicycle frames - I did notice the dust and filth but my chap did seem to keep it confined to one room.

PS I wonder if thy put a broom round the place when you left?

This weekend I have mostly been ... filing holes in plastic! I once gawped at a wonderful model called Ynysybwl at an exhibition. One of the exhibitors spoke happily about how he made their fine buildings. I realised from our chat that no short cuts were used in achieving his seamless models and beautiful features. Basically there was a lot of filing / offering-up / filing / checking / filing (repeat to fade) I wanted to produce a new industrial building for my diorama that is based on a real canalside example that had lots of windows with curved brick lintels. Mouldings are available for both windows and lintels from York Models but you need to fettle your own holes to fit them. Here's a few photos of my approach - and the first time I've tried to achieve flush-brickwork lintels. It needed a lot of filing and checking! I suspect the only way to achieve this more easily is laser cutting. Here's the facade popped onto the towpath Here are the cutting / filing / fettling photos

Thanks again Jim for chipping in with some feedback. That's an impressive frontage you've got in mind - there's so much in the way of brick industrial buildings that whet the appetite - lets face it we are never going to be lost for inspiration! ... On which note ...

Cheers Jim - always good to hear from someone who knows their stuff! I must admit the signal boxes would make wonderful subjects for a bit of modelling ..

Cheers Martyn - I'll have to make it work properly in the box - this backscene idea is a Photoshop mockup at the moment!!

.. and a little distraction, playing again with possible back-scenes for the canal scene

Next up - I decided the main 'canal house' was looking a bit crude at the left side of the building. In building it, I had deviated from the building that inspired this model version. The raised deck has never looked right, especially as there was no door to justify the steps and the deck area. So I sawed it off an made a more interesting walled yard, which is a bit closer to the real thing. Here's the original, before the butchery ... And here are some angles on the new 'courtyard-and-steps' version ...

After a fascinating distraction looking at the weird and wonderful world of overhead Caledonian signal boxes (what a great hobby!) - here's a "wee update" on progress with the buildings at 'Caledonian Basin' .. First off that rather imposing factory gets a coat of grey primer ...

Martyn - I see you are busy exhibiting "Crinan" - here's hoping I get to see it at some point as it's "right up my street"

Hi Ian - thanks for the positive comment! - barges are from 'Anyscale Models' - he does a whole bunch of waterside models. I'll certainly be keeping this thread alive!

Hard to categorise 'Glasgow Queen Street Low Level' as a Scottish branch line! PS I found a photo of an overhead cabin in my book on signalling - it is listed as 'Shields No.2' - I can't work out if it is the same signal box that our friend "Clydebridge" identified ..

So that's all the clay in place .. once it's dry, it will be time to get scraping and scratching!

And a little set of photos taken during my crude technique for rolling and applying DAS clay, trimmed and tidied with a palette knife etc... Rolling the dough! Laying out with a knife Cutting the edge Trimming the excess

Here's a little photographic update on the 'messing about with modelling clay' stage that I've been in recently. Extending the clay cover to the canal wharf edges, lock chamber and canal paths ..

Thanks again for getting stuck in to a discussion about this model. Your teasing may have paid off and I'm seriously thinking about adding it to the left-hand of the scene, as I might be able to explain it thus: In my imagined scene, the railway swing-bridge is to the left of the viaduct and the box that controls it and the signals is in a different position. Not only would it be a remarkable feature it would also help disguise the scenic exit from the diorama (something I hadn't solved and was leaving me scratching-my head a little) So watch this space. PS - I love the photo of the box at Salkeld Street Parcels Depot - I couldn't find another overhead signal box in my book. The other swing-bridge boxes at Grangemouth and Orchardhall are sited more conventionally although both boxes are quite striking. The one at Orchardhall disguises the hydraulic power source in a castellated brick tower! Here are some photos of this location that would make a great 'small railway project' in its own right: Photo of the Orchardhall swing bridge and signal box Photo of the elevations that are included in the book I mentioned:

Oh those are wonderful images - I haven't seen any colour photos of the scene at Bowling with the signal box intact. It's the right period too (1960s) so it shows the signal box in-situ at the endo of the railway's life! I do love a signal box project but I'm going to struggle to justify it as the original box was there to control a swing bridge, with the elevation giving a view of the railway and the canal. It was also a double-track line where my bridge is single track. Saying all that - it is a wonderful structure!! My copy of 'Signalling the Caledonian Railway' even has a drawing with both side and front elevation:

Thanks Colin - little bits of progress are starting to shape the scene. The industrial feel is creeping in, the original location that I stole the idea of the wharf, bridge, arches from is much greener and edge-of-the city being an outpost on the Clyde. I'm messing with this and making it more built-up with the back of a railway yard next to the arches. Hopefully it will all look coherent!

It's also an area I was unfamiliar with until I started searching 'Scottish Canals'!

Thanks Martyn - this is interesting as I need to look at my own 'fiddle yard' options for the diorama I'm currently building and want to learn as much as possible. This bit of the modelling is unglamorous but rather important!

I do hope people stumble on this topic as it's been really helpful to chat to other modelers! The retaining walls are based on those at 'Bowling Basin' - a canal wharf on the Forth and Clyde Canal which gave me some ideas to start this project - the large stone 'Canal House' the location of the railway bridge and the arched viaduct are all inspired by the location. I shied away from a true rendition of the scene as the original includes a swing bridge which is over 100 feet in length and would have been impossible to accomodate with any room remaining for other parts of my scene. I've attached a couple of photos of the original to show from where I drew the inspiration ... you can also see how many liberties I took with my own model! The brick arches at Bowling Basin More brick arches at Bowling Basin The general scene at Bowling Basin with Canal House, railway viaduct and bridge

Cheers John - it's always good to hear people's comments (appreciative and critical have both been helpful!)

Thanks Mikkel - I'm looking forward to painting this. I'm trying to be patient, leaving this until I have completed the model-making stage so that the colours can be matched in tone; like the cobbled paths and the stonework on the viaduct. I agree with you about finding some modern figures although there are some older mouldings that I think can be adapted. I need at least one figure that is propped against a lock gate balance beam! I'm familiar with ModelU figures [see my photo of my locomotive crews] but will look at Andrew Stadden as I don't think I've seen those!