BUILD A SMALL FACTORY/ WORKSHOP Grahame Hedges
Inspired by a few recent Metcalfe Models kits, decided to scratchbuild a small industrial structure that could lend itself to all manner of uses.
HOW TO
Iquite like the two new card kit buildings that were recently introduced to Metcalfe Models’ ‘N’ gauge range, depicting a ramshackle workshop and a municipal building. Indeed, the ‘OO’ versions of these kits featured in the November 2022 issue of Model Rail. They both have a distinctly urban, less uniform feel, and are much more useful than other twee, vernacular rural designs. However, they both exude the distinctive drawbacks of many mass-produced card kits, with flat, slightly shiny surfaces, exposed corners and an overall lack of relief.
Although these issues can be dealt with, as explained in articles previously published in Model Rail, I wondered whether it would be possible to knock up a complete and more convincing model based on one of the Metcalfe kits. I decided on the ramshackle workshop and took my cue from that, although I didn’t simply want to create an exact copy.
The overall footprint for my version is larger than the Metcalfe kit and, although the chimney is also taller, the building height to the roof ridge is the same. The overall larger size makes the structure more redolent of a small factory, rather than a workshop.
All that’s required now is to add smaller finishing touches, such as business signage, weeds growing around the base, a few used pallets leaning against a wall and maybe a broken window or two, just to add signs of life and character. However, being a ‘just for fun’ construction project, and as I currently don’t have a suitable layout on which to locate it, I will probably look to sell this model as it is.
And that explains why I ended up being fairly restrained in my weathering and distressing efforts, as a future owner might want to use it as a ‘going concern’. Excessive deterioration of the structure might reduce potential interest and a new owner could always further distress the finish if required. Whether or not I’ve been successful in making something convincing is not really for me to say, but hopefully the model passes muster.
Step 1 I drew up some rough sketches and a full-sized plan for my building, inspired by the Metcalfe kit and various prototypes I discovered online. I included a chimney as it seemed to be a ubiquitous addition to all of the real-life structures I came across.
Step 2 I was fortunate in finding an old Ratio Builder Series Industrial Chimney and Fittings kit within my junk box, which would be perfect for this project. I made up the water cistern, without its support legs, and the chimney, mounting it on a raised plinth, formed from brick embossed plastic card, glued around the supplied base and leaving off the top chimney section.
Step 3 The carcass for the main block was cut from mounting card and glued together with cyanoacrylate glue. The outer walls would be clad with brick embossed plastic sheet. The apertures in the mounting card are where the windows and doors will be located and are larger than the apertures that will be cut in the plastic card outer cladding. This will allow a margin to allow the glazing to be fixed directly behind the outer cladding.
Step 4 The cladding was cut from South Eastern Finecast embossed Flemish bond brick styrene sheet and glued in place. Sections were cut out and Slaters brick embossed Plastikard inserted where original windows and entrances had been bricked up. These would be painted different colours, as on the real examples. Details, such as lintels, sills, string courses and fascia boards, were added from thin styrene strip.
Step 5 The boiler room and flat-roofed extension was made as a separate sub-assembly. The covered entrance with sloping roof was made from Slaters brick-embossed Plastikard and Dorspring Models ‘I’ styrene beams, while the rear flat roof storage section has walls from Evergreen styrene siding sheet. In the photograph it is unfinished, details need adding, and it is not yet attached to the main structure.
Step 6 Each of the sub-assemblies, as well as the main structure and the boiler house assembly (the water tank and chimney were made removable for painting), were given a dusting of Halfords grey primer. The yellow brick colour was applied from a Humbrol Desert Yellow acrylic aerosol, while the red brickwork was brush-painted with Railmatch acrylics. Acrylics were also employed for the various basic blocks of colour to the woodwork, water tank and other details.
Step 7 The stairway and landing was created from bits and pieces I had lying about (Plastruct stairs, Evergreen styrene strip, Scale Link Fretcetera etched mesh, Dorspring Models plastic ‘I’ beam and some wire fencing), painted, varnished and glued in place. It looked a little incongruous, but it would suffice.
Step 8 Details like window sills and lintels were carefully picked out with contrasting paint colours. Self-adhesive Redutex corrugated sheeting was added to the sloping roof after painting the boiler room sub-assembly. The entire model was given a coat of Humbrol matt varnish from an aerosol before the windows were fitted in place and the main roof added.
Matt varnish helps tone down any glossy sheens, making the model look more realistic and harmonising the overall look. The windows are Scenesetters glazing grids with the frames thickened up with a white Posca paint pen. The main roof was made from plain Slaters Plastikard sheet covered with Redutex tiling sheets and the skylights from clear plastic with thin styrene strip forming the glazing bars. A couple of Victorian-style terracotta saltglazed ridge vents were knocked up from plastic sheet and added to the ridge tile strip.
Finally, the building was weathered with a variety of washes, powders and a 6B pencil rubbed on to highlight raised details. Then the more fragile, pre-painted details like guttering (half-round plastic strip) and downpipes (0.7mm brass wire) were added.