STEP BY STEP

1

Express Models’ package consists of a circuit board with on/off switch, battery holder and the small, flat neon-style sign. This older sign requires two Aa-type batteries, but more recent products run on smaller AAA cells.

2

Having pondered what type of building to employ, I found that the sign fitted precisely into a window from a Wills station forecourt shop kit. However, the kits provide a frontage only, so some scratchbuilding will be needed.

3

Two packs of Wills shops were purchased to create a row of four individual premises. Assembly is simple, with the masonry built up over several layers and the door/window frames set behind.

4

Care is needed to get a long row of shop fronts straight and true, working on a truly flat surface and checking the lower edges with a steel rule. Allow plenty of time for the cement to cure at each stage.

5

Side walls were created with Wills embossed brick sheets, ensuring that the corners were square and perpendicular by checking with a steel set square. The walls fit nicely into the inner corners of the frontage.

6

As the rear of the shops won’t be visible, a basic wall was created from 1mm thick plastic sheet. Internal walls were also created and Wills corner fillets were employed to add strength.

7

The roof was created with sheets of Wills batten roofing. The rear wall was formed to a height that would allow the roof to sit at a realistic slope. This resulted in a very strong, resilient structure.

8

After painting the exterior, the interior walls were decorated with printed detail from a Scalescenes pub kit, affixed with doublesided tape. This contained plenty of tile detail, wall-mounted menus and framed pictures.