METCALFE JUNCTION UNDER CONSTRUCTION

[father and son]

No tracks laid permanently yet, as I wait for an order from Hattons, and can't start before I get a load of 3rd curves.

However, the builders and bricklayers are busy at the moment, trying to create an environment for the railway when it finally arrives in this small town set somewhere in Lancashire.

The name Metcalfe Junction sprung to mind as I purchased a few kits from Metcalfes, but is due to change as I have really got going with scratchbuilding this week end. Unfortunately I ran out of glue so I thought instead I would start my own thread on our personal layout.

Three houses have been scratchbuilt since friday afternoon, one almost finished bar a couple of doors and the pub sign. Based loosely on The Black Horse in Skipton it will be set in our main street beside small shops, one of which is standing beside it, roofless.

Dad is busy capturing all the cerial boxes, and encourage his kids eating even more of the stuff.

A few pics as a start, with more to follow. Note the pink curtains in the terraced house. My 5 year old daugther insisted on painting the curtains in her favourite colours, and I think that is something essential in model railwaying: To encourage your kids to take part wherever they can.

[Raider]

That'll be a nice scene on the layout when it's in place.

I keep meaning to have a crack at scratchbuilding in card, but always end up going for kits instead.

[80064]

Great stuff, like the houses. What make is the brickpaper?

[Chuffer Chuff]

Superb buildings there! They do look excellent!

Looking forward to more progress! Nice to see stuffs being recycled!

[father and son]

I make my buildings on computer, using adobe indesign software. As for the brickpaper, I have found some textures on the internet, and has manipulated them towards the colours I want.

However, this isn't easy, as they tend to become too brown/orange, or too pale. I am working on textures similar to the red of Metcalfe, but has not quite suceeded yet. A real town will probably have a great variety in colour, so I might opt for different textures as I progress.

It is always a question how realistic you would want your layout to look. I think I will be happy if my scratchbuilt houses can look similar in presence to the kits from Metcalfes and SuperQuick. I haven't experimented with plasticard yet, and need to keep the cost down a bit, so I think it will be card for me for the time being at least.

Think I would invite a few mates for a building session one night, to get it really going. Just have to avoid them getting entry to the Black Horse too early...

[Raider]

There is some brick paper available from this site in a Word document if that helps.

The link is from this page

[deltatango]

Looking great. having Fun. and cheap, wish I could scratchbuild.

BTW what glue are you using............

[father and son]

A day off from work combined with dreadful weather made an ideal day for some serious modelling.

After quite substantial plans for a big layout, reality has dawn, realising that I can't build a model of the entire British Railway in my living room. At least so says the fat controller (wife)

After all our layout is supposed to be something me and the kids can enjoy together, so instead I have opted for a basic twin track loop at first, on a 6x4 board, but with a possible branch line to dad's station later.

Today has seen our first platform being scratchbuilt from cards, with the first Metro Train Service arriving on time, just after Jenny had finished off painting the platform.

[father and son]

Another day of scratchbuilding has uncovered the first of many houses supposed to line a hill from the station to the town centre at the back of the layout.

Based loosely on a half timbered house adjacent to Jews Court in Lincoln, I haven't decided yet what kind of shop it should be, but my daughter suggested a jeweller, and was very keen on playing with the small 00 people, shunting a few of them from the station in an open goods wagon to go shopping! How fast they learn from their mums!

As has become my established pattern this building was printed on a computer, and backed with cards from a cerial box. The timber was cut out in strips from cards, painted green and glued on top of the paper. Need to fix a pub sign on the whitepainted building to the left...The Black Horse.

Has also started tryouts with road surface. Printed on a bit too gloss paper today, and need to adjust a bit.

[deltatango]

Great Job, I am jealous of your skills with buildings, must be very satisfying.

[Infrontcat]

Excellent work all round so far fella. And tell Jenny that she did a great job too

Cheers fella, look forward to seeing the finer details develop now the basic model is almost there. Superb!

Tim

[headshot119]

Some great scratch building work, i'm envious of your skills.

[father and son]

Just a couple of pics, testing out the hill effect after building another house from scratch today. Cut building from a stone sheet from Metcalfe's instead of printing my own computer worked stuff, and it proved to be a much simpler operation. Even though the card is without any relief at all, it looks like it is on the photos. Window ornament is from cut pieces of card, painted cream with acrylic paint.

Not the best of pictures, but using flash makes the front to bright. Will try to take a few in natural daylight later on.

[Chuffer Chuff]

It amazes me at how great this scene looks! You have done a superb job on it.

I must also say that I think the hill looks great. It looks like you have got it just right in relation to the shops, especially the green fronted one!

Super work and I like that X5/X3 BMW!

[waz]

A work of art !!!!

Best Regards

BILL.