Braeside Models: The Scratchbuild Commissions of Brian McCulloch

[Arrochar]

I’m the lucky client who took delivery of these beauties this week. To say I’m very happy with them is an understatement. Thanks again for your attention to detail, Brian.
 

The shelters are going to look great on the layout. Hope I can model the station area well enough to do them justice!

[brylonscamel]

7 hours ago, Arrochar said:

Hope I can model the station area well enough to do them justice!

I will be sitting in the corner with my score-cards at the ready!

 

PS Contributing to various layouts and model projects has been a real treat. I am given things to make that have surprised me and tested my skills!

[brylonscamel]

Here's a bit of fun with my small exhibition diorama board and thoughts of the Scottish Highlands.

 

 

 

[MrWolf]

The colour and texture of that mud looks excellent!

 

 

Apologies for this being a bit over fifty miles south of Hadrian's wall!

 

[brylonscamel]

4 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

The colour and texture of that mud looks excellent!

Oh that's exactly the kind of thing I was aiming for!

[brylonscamel]

5 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Apologies for this being a bit over fifty miles south of Hadrian's wall!

 

No apology needed - I am 350 miles south of Hadrian's wall!!

[curlypaws]

I love your North British Hotel and Glasgow Queen Street models - they are stunning. I'm hoping that you might add some Glasgow or Edinburgh tenements to supplement the beautiful Highland butt and ben models for those of us modelling more built-up areas.

[brylonscamel]

1 hour ago, curlypaws said:

 I'm hoping that you might add some Glasgow or Edinburgh tenements to supplement the beautiful Highland butt and ben models for those of us modelling more built-up areas.

 

Cheers for the feedback - you are in luck as I am committed to produce a tenement.

I am working through a backlog of commission work but the new castings are firmly on my list. I'll be putting any developments on here as well as Facebook and my website.

Edited May 18, 2022 by brylonscamel

[26power]

Might be worth including links to your website and Facebook page in your signature, if that isn’t considered to be to commercial?

[tycho14]

Your model buildings are of a very high standard, but can I just add a cautionary note about Scottish brickwork. Your use of commercially available embossed brick sheets for Scottish buildings is not authentic: in the 19th century, by far the most dominant brickwork to be seen in Scotland on all brick-built public and industrial buildings - including the buildings of all the Scottish railway companies - was what has been called 'Scottish Bond', which consisted of 3 (but also occasionally 4 or 5) stretcher courses for every header course.  This pattern was almost totally absent from English practice, where it was only used for garden walls. Walls where the brickwork is entirely stretcher bond indicate cavity wall construction, and are not really representative of 19th century origin.

 

Alan

[brylonscamel]

On 19/05/2022 at 00:08, tycho14 said:

This pattern was almost totally absent from English practice, where it was only used for garden walls. 

Hi Alan - these bits of feedback are always welcome.

Most of my Scottish outline buildings have been stone-built, so I am lacking in experience with Scottish brick but I was aware of the widespread use of what we call 'Garden Wall Bond' in England (PS I actually operate from Bristol, deep in the heart of sassenach country!)

For example, when I made my 'Caledonian' style engine sheds, I did use a garden-wall to represent its Scottish equivalent.

 

 

Your feedback must relate to the 2 x West Highland platform shelters at Arrochar & Tarbet. I must admit to using English bond for one shelter, because it was easier to match the various corner joints and hoped it wasn't too obvious, with there being so few courses. Note to self : Fellow model-makers are an observant lot and will spot these short-cuts!

Edited May 20, 2022 by brylonscamel
text correction

[brylonscamel]

10 hours ago, tycho14 said:

Walls where the brickwork is entirely stretcher bond indicate cavity wall construction, and are not really representative of 19th century origin.

I would challenge your observation on the use of  stretcher bond for shelter No #2 as the prototype is not Victorian. One platform shelter at Arrochar and Tarbet is a recent addition and copies the style of the other building (originally a lever-frame signal cabin) but not the brick pattern.

 

Thanks again for pitching in with your observations - I certainly feel clearer on the widespread use of a sort of  'Scottish wall bond' with multiple stretcher courses.

 

Cheers,

Brian

 

 

 

[brylonscamel]

"Doing the Lambeth walk"
I'm currently trying to reproduce a bit of London brick for a customer - with my trademark painted signs!

The model is one of JS Models low-relief factory kits

 

Edited May 21, 2022 by brylonscamel

[dunwurken]

On 19/05/2022 at 00:08, tycho14 said:

Your model buildings are of a very high standard, but can I just add a cautionary note about Scottish brickwork. Your use of commercially available embossed brick sheets for Scottish buildings is not authentic: in the 19th century, by far the most dominant brickwork to be seen in Scotland on all brick-built public and industrial buildings - including the buildings of all the Scottish railway companies - was what has been called 'Scottish Bond', which consisted of 3 (but also occasionally 4 or 5) stretcher courses for every header course.  This pattern was almost totally absent from English practice, where it was only used for garden walls. Walls where the brickwork is entirely stretcher bond indicate cavity wall construction, and are not really representative of 19th century origin.

 

Alan

As a retired surveyor who trained in the 1960's I endorse Alan's comments on the difference between Scottish and English bonds.   The lack of lintols, properly jointed corners etc. are other items which can spoil a model for me.  The fact that the loco is running forward whilst it's valve gear is set for reverse just passes me by but irritates the hell out of a friend of mine.  You can never be too careful, a visiting farmer leaning on the layout barrier was aghast at my positioning of cows and sheep in a field!  😥

Malcolm

[brylonscamel]

10 hours ago, dunwurken said:

As a retired surveyor who trained in the 1960's I endorse Alan's comments on the difference between Scottish and English bonds.   

 

It's good to know about the bond, it was something I had noted in looking at my subject buildings but this confirms it as the dominant bond. I am no bricklayer (or surveyor!) and appreciate the expertise on offer.

At the risk of sounding thin-skinned - I would like to remind everyone that these are models made for a customer and criticism should be levelled with reference to the original. The comment about my use of stretcher bond for one shelter is incorrect as it's a 20th century structure, built using stretcher bond.

 

 

[brylonscamel]

11 hours ago, dunwurken said:

 You can never be too careful, a visiting farmer leaning on the layout barrier was aghast at my positioning of cows and sheep in a field! 

 

I could resort to asking my border collie how to arrange sheep in a field, although he seems most expert with squirrels!

 

[MrWolf]

2 hours ago, brylonscamel said:

 

It's good to know about the bond, it was something I had noted in looking at my subject buildings but this confirms it as the dominant bond. I am no bricklayer (or surveyor!) and appreciate the expertise on offer.

At the risk of sounding thin-skinned - I would like to remind everyone that these are models made for a customer and criticism should be levelled with reference to the original. The comment about my use of stretcher bond for one shelter is incorrect as it's a 20th century structure, built using stretcher bond.

 

 

 

That brickwork is a dead giveaway of a modern structure, despite the bricks looking like "hard red" facing bricks, the colour is too uniform and although it's been around for years, stretcher bond is more typical of double skinned walls with an air gap.

Other than that, it looks quite a nice copy of an old lever frame box or similar. Pity that costs or regulation spoils the illusion. 😉

 

Still, if you made two identical buildings, with the (correct) brick pattern, it wouldn't be accurate would it?

[brylonscamel]

Dirty Victorians

My 'brickwork' customer and I had a chat about the finish on the London factory. We aim to represent London long before the clean air act, when stonework was blackened with soot and brickwork colours were very dark.

I gave the building further passes with the brush and brought it nearer to photos he kindly supplied.

 

 

[brylonscamel]

These little resin-cast cottages are still providing  fun. In this case a slate-roofed building for Dad's layout and a 'wriggly tin' version for a customer.

The plan is to fettle some new versions in the next couple of weeks to expand the selection.

 

 

 

 

[Dave John]

That really is an excellent example of paintwork . 

 

You were discussing Scottish brickwork earlier. You may be aware of the useful guides from Historic Scotland, but I'l put up a link for other folk who might be interested. A lot of good material about the detailing of historic buildings on their site. 

 

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationId=b819352d-a363-492e-8081-a5910101533a

[brylonscamel]

3 minutes ago, Dave John said:

You were discussing Scottish brickwork earlier. You may be aware of the useful guides from Historic Scotland, but I'l put up a link for other folk who might be interested. A lot of good material about the detailing of historic buildings on their site. 

 

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationId=b819352d-a363-492e-8081-a5910101533a

 

That's lovely thanks - I just downloaded the brick guide for some 'over a cup of coffee' reading. I also rely on a model-making friend when checking stonework. His day job is a stone mason in southern Scotland and he's been really helpful.

[brylonscamel]

Here's a loco in front of the brick factory, moving 'Caledonian Basin' a lot further south!

 

 

[Lacathedrale]

Are you looking to offer that warehouse model in your shop?

[brylonscamel]

15 minutes ago, Lacathedrale said:

Are you looking to offer that warehouse model in your shop?

Hi William - it's not one of mine (I simply did the build & paint for a client) but head across instead to JSModels on RMWeb or the JSModels website - the supplier of  the kit in laser-cut MDF

[hayfield]

Stunning bit of modelling, very much like an east end warehouse in times past, before being converted into flats