Stephenwolsten

Interior of typical transit shed.

The steam tug Kerne was regularly berthed at Princes Half Tide Dock. A kit is available in 1:32 scale only, and this model has been scratch built in 1:86.

Barges moored at Princes Half Tide dock. MDHB engine shed on the extreme right of picture.

Those brick bonds around the chimney look very good.

Never fear! My local Liverpool station (Fazakerley) often had a little group of old men on the platform in the evening with only a few baskets. So you really don't need to work 24 hours a day on modelling a trainload. As an ex-rail civil servant I was interested to read this obscure Parliamentary debate on the matter! https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1976/jul/28/rail-transport-of-pigeons

Your crates would also look good on a Scammel Scareb or other road vehicle.

Every dock layout needs packing cases!

I have been temporarily diverted from railway to marine modelling by the issue of including boats at the front of dockside layouts, especially in 7mm. Suitably small models in the right scale are rare. Many small vessels such as tugs come in 1:32 scale and smaller scale ones are in 1:48 not 1:43 scale. Anything bigger than a tug starts to turn out quite large in 0 scale. For example, my 1930s built tanker (scrapped in the late 1950s) is 44 inches long in 1:48 scale. There is a potential danger that a large vessel could distract too much from the rest of a diorama/layout. A dry dock scene might help. The Caldercraft coaster SS Talacre (built 1917) is a popular kit for 0 gauge layouts, as are Clyde Puffers. But Clyde Puffers only operated in a restricted area of relatively calm waters and they did not travel far. They can easily look out of place. Small naval vessels such as minesweepers did visit Liverpool docks and a navy reserve base, but military vessels might look out of place in commercial docks in peacetime. Which brings us back to tug kits (not the the American type with a rounded bridge). As noted elsewhere in RMweb, a small docks steam tug is ideal, rather than a large, modern salvage type, and fortunately these vessels are also popular with R/c boat builders. The Assurance class navy tug is the only one kit known to me that is available in 1:43 scale. Fortunately it also comes in a civilian version without guns. The steam tug Kerne (pictured below ,and in my 26 May 2019 post) is my favourite choice. It regularly moored at Princes Dock, Liverpool and was used for lighterage work. The image below is Wellington Dock but includes a good view of a lighter too. Kerne is available as a kit but sadly only in 1:32 scale. But Kerne would make an ideal scratch built waterline model for Atlantic Dock, with or without a lighter. The trick is to suggest a corner of a dock with the larger vessels and expanse of water out of view. As shown in the photo, such corners frequently provided moorings for small service vessels such as tugs, pilot boats and lighters - sometimes alongside each other. There is also plenty of scope for modelling small dock details in such a corner, for example, steps, ropes, capstans and a rowing boat.

3D printing is opening up great opportunities for all modellers. Here is a capstan photographed in Liverpool docks and a similar one being being printed by CADhris for Atlantic Dock. Model capstan design and photo copyrigh CADhris. https://www.cadhris.com/

I hope the new owners improve the quality of the reproduction of photos. They are often very grainy and washed out.

The bible on this subject: http://www.crecy.co.uk/creating-a-backscene

I enjoyed travelling on the unique EMUs using a Holiday Runabout Ticket from Liverpool in the Sixties.

I know this is the old fashioned way, but I hope this work will eventually provide a basis for computer aided design of buildings for Atlantic Dock. It's already useful to see the rough scale dimensions of the MDHB workshop in relation to, for example, the height of the Overhead Railway.

I am currently counting brick courses, studying windows/doors/lintels, estimating building dimensions in feet and inches, converting this to 7mm scale size and wondering if my maths is correct! So this fine example of laser cut brickwork by Richard Ellis of www.monksgate.co.uk caught my eye.

Looking at this model using brick sheets, you can see what Richard means about the benefit of the approach he is trying. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/415386765633068549/

Amazing observation and modelling!

Another testimonial for David Neat's work: "As one of the commenters exclaims on David Neat’s blog of modelling tips: “I feel like I’ve just discovered the Holy Grail of modelling sites!” David’s simple, plain WordPress blog betrays the amount and quality of the content found there. David writes about and teaches model-making and this site gathers the materials from his books, courses, and lectures. There is a ton of material here, on everything from technical drawing to materials and supplies for modelling, modelling techniques (from the most general to the very specific), and lots more. David even has a Lexicon section with terms used in model-making. Most of what’s covered concerns architectural models and models used in set decorating, but the techniques can be applied to any type of building and terrain modelling. I look at a lot of hobby modelling sites and rarely have I seen one with this much depth, rigor, and high-value content. I will definitely be spending a lot of time here in the future. One of the more useful series on the site is found under the Methods -> Making Realistic Models menu. There you will find five lengthy modelling tutorials.'

I have just discovered a really useful resource published by a lecturer/model maker named David Neat. His Wordpress blog contains a wealth of advice and information on subjects including modelling buildings and surfaces, techniques, materials, tools, and suppliers. If you delve into his blog using the menu bar you will get the most out of his site. He also runs small tutorial workshops in London. https://davidneat.wordpress.com/ David Neat's blog appears to be based on, and updates, his book (below) on the same subject: Model Making: Material and Methods. By David Neat Hardbacked 176 pages (with many colour photographs). Models can be used in a wide variety of situations, including theatre production, architecture design, animation, and set design. For each different situation a specific material is often preferable, and this handy guide addresses the best model-making materials, from the standard and traditional to the new and innovative. Tips are provided on how each of the materials behaves and how best to use them, and illustrated instructions demonstrate methods of building, shaping, surfacing, and painting each material. A number of examples are also included along with step-by-step accounts of what materials were used and how they were manipulated without the need for expensive tools or workshop facilities. A directory covering the full range of materials involved in model-making together with an extensive list of suppliers complete this essential resource.

This is an example of a railway photograph without a train that yields so much modelling information - gate mechanisms, torn posters, the police hut with a bobby on duty plus telephone bells and a little porch roof, the way the pavement dips down at the gates to avoid a curb, the unusual signal with wiring kept above traffic level etc. Photograph by the late Alec Swain and one of a series he took on a walk along the length of the Liverpool dock road.

Dock gate and the distinctive masonry of the quayside wall.

USA O scale, two dimensional photographic 'flat' of the back of an Ohio building. These items work best behind a three dimensional model building.

The website is a good read and nicely presented. Well done!