STEP BY STEP

1

The buildings are supplied in a double pack but they do not have to be used side by side as they are in the picture. Both buildings are discrete models, so you can place them anywhere on your layout.

2

For this build I am only going to be documenting the construction of the building under renovation as the exposed roof trusses make for a slightly more complex build. Here are the main pieces for that building, the shoe shop will follow the same principles.

3

Paper inserts are provided for both buildings which incorporate curtains, signs and black areas where the windows have been covered up by the builders. There are plenty of options from which to choose.

4

It is a similar situation with the doors. A large range of doors are supplied for both buildings so that you can decide which ones you like best, or which fit your era and location most accurately.

5

For the building under renovation there are two sheets of plain see-through glazing plus a sheet with white crosses on that line up perfectly for the front of the building. The glass has white crosses on it as a safety feature so that workers could see the glass was there while working.

6

The instructions are relatively easy-to-follow diagrammatic step-by-step illustrations that remind me somewhat of IKEA furniture. There is another sheet that marks all of the parts that are supplied but not required on these two kits, you can use them elsewhere.

7

To add some visual interest I painted the lower part of the building dark grey and used Vallejo UK bronze green for the door, just to avoid the building looking the same all the way down. This also suits the UK scene where the ground floor shop would often be painted differently.

8

Once it was dry I added the black backing sheet and the clear glazing sheet. You can see here how effectively the black backing sheet is with white crosses to show that the glass is still in the windows.

9

As I assembled the four walls around the base piece I used Tamiya low-tack masking tape to hold the structure together as the Deluxe Materials Plastic Magic cement set. You can use a different glue but make sure to follow the drying instructions.

10

Since the top level would be exposed it needed painting, I picked out the inside brick walls at the top of the building where the new roof was being assembled. You could also add a mortar wash.

11

Once the low‑tack masking tape had been removed I spotted that a couple of the joins had tiny cracks in them, which I filled in using Deluxe Materials Perfect Plastic Putty before touching up the affected areas.

14

After the timberwork was installed I added a few figures to create the impression that some work was actually taking place. There are a number of suitable figures on the market so choose whichever ones suit you.

15

The shoe shop kit comes complete with tiny shoes and boots to be fixed on display shelves and a paper insert representing the rest of the shop. These do wonders for giving the illusion of a complete shop and not just a blank wall.

16

Where plastic cement had left a shiny mark on the completed building I used a little matt varnish to treat the area with a small paintbrush and then proceeded to add the small details I enjoy so much. It really brings the scene to life!

12

To add a bit of colour variation to the new top storey floor I painted some of the planks with MIG Dust acrylic paint. You don’t need to go overboard as less is more with this, and picking out a few planks gives you the desired effect.

13

A couple of plastic sprues are supplied with the new timber work for the roof supports which I added one by one. Take your time with these as they can be quite fiddly, and if you want to add spots of weathering it’s best to do this first.