(Back) Down on Beaverbrook: To let…

Recent events have reinvigorated my interest in Beaverbrook and yesterday I took the opportunity to transform another ‘Paddington’ esque cardboard mock up into styrene…

These cardboard mock ups have been in place over for two years, they have almost become part of the furniture - that said to move the layout forwards, to find its own path and to come to life is an exciting journey and one that I’ve been mindful not to rush.

 

A mix of embossed styrene sheet and some Evergreen sections soon replaced the cereal packet and a waft of primer to check no glaring gaps or surface imperfections. 7mm corrugated styrene from Slaters forms the bulk of the cladding, 2mm planking the roller shutter door. Capturing the character of the prototype in a smaller space, but hopefully, if you compare with the Google Streetview photo you’ll see things look believable. Certainly, for me it feels right, it’s got the right details emphasised.

A mix of Humbrol 28 and 64 for the grey paint, neat 28 on the door looked about right. 160 and 82 worked well for the rust, streaked whilst still wet. Signage from Google imagery adjusted on the iPhone photos app and then scaled on Graphic on my Mac to an approximate size, simply printed on paper and glued with Pritstik. The results, even now (before I bed it in and add some final details) feel as if they’ve always been part of the layout, and fits well with the previous structure next door. The consistency in colour and textures a key part, but also, coming from the careful hand of this artist, keen to capture something of the emotional connection I feel to Canadian railroading, specifically switching that last mile.

A layout needn’t be a collection of cold heartless kits, or ready to plant resin. Scratch-building suitable structures is a rewarding and relatively easy to practice process working though card mock ups, styrene cores and then detailed overlays. Heart and soul in every element, the key to a successful artful model railway. Until next time, more soon…

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