STEP BY STEP

MAIN SHED

1

After searching around, I chose the Scale Model Scenery LX230-OO Three Track Engine Shed kit, which has a passing resemblance to Greenock Princes Pier Shed. With a little work, it could capture the essence of the real thing.

2

The real shed was huge. To true scale, it would be well over a foot wide by around three to four feet long. I wanted to portray the feel of the real thing, so I modified the side windows with arched embossed plastic card overlays.

3

With the side walls completed, the main structure could be assembled. The four walls slot together at the corners and they were clamped with masking tape while the glue set. Roof trusses are provided.

4

Greenock Shed had distinctive tall roof ventilation shafts. After a little thought I made some out of 1mm plastic card. My approach was more trial and error, and I trimmed a bit off at a time until I’d achieved the desired effect.

5

The real building, as already mentioned, was a long structure, so only two out of the three roof vents were modelled.

6

After studying photographs, I decided to try to get closer to the look of the real shed and have a flat front rather than the more ornate brickwork of the model, as lovely as it is. This was achieved by adding an overlay of embossed plastic card. The porthole window was drawn up around a 1p coin, and a thin strip of brick-effect plastic card was curved around the hole. Cutting little slits along one side allowed it to be curved into a circular shape. It was held in place with liquid poly cement – it’s actually a lot easier than you’d think.

7

The whole shed was spray-painted with Halfords matt black, and the brickwork dry-brushed with a selection of red, brown and cream interior matt emulsion paints, blending randomly on a palette as I went along.

8

Parts of the brickwork appears to have been whitewashed, so masking was applied before dry-brushing with pale grey matt emulsion.