Lynton Engine Shed

Lynton Engine Shed

This was my first "major" building and it would have new challenges to be resolved. The first and very important one was how to create the stone sides. I bought various manufacturer's embossed plastic as I felt it needed to provide a 3D effect. Having looked at other people's models I wasn't comfortable having to paint every stone and I didn't think I could create a realistic enough "look". Also the plastic embossed sheets tended to be somewhat "over embossed", exaggerating the look. My researches continued and for a short few months my local book and magazine seller was carrying UK magazines, Model Rail and Railway Modeller (sadly now stopped). I came a cross an advert for Scalescenes and looked them up on the web. For a VERY modest price I could download a file that I could print as many times as I liked. So I downloaded (didn't have to wait 10 days for mail delivery - instantaneous!) a couple that looked possible and printed them on matte photo card. Wow, one of them was exactly what I was looking for. Bob Barnard had told me about a year ago that for his model of Lynton, he had taken photos of the actual Lynton building stonework and created photo files which he printed and stuck on his models. To me they looked very convincing. I gave each "print" a very light spray of Dullcote matte varnish to seal it (Bob B. recommended this) and it was ready for cutting.

Now I could start on the structure. Again as in the previous buildings I scanned Steve Phillips' drawing so that I didn't mark his beautiful book. I also scanned all the other drawings at this time of the rest of the Lynton structures ready for when I needed them. I use these scanned drawings to measure accurately all the dimensions and mark them on the drawing - it's easy to forget a dimension!

I started with one side and marked and cut out the window openings, in 1mm Evergreen styrene .I then cut a second one identical to the first for the inside wall as the thickness of the wall totalled 5mm. The 2 sides were separated by Plastruct styrene strip 2.4mm x 6.4mm ensuring the window openings and the ends had this strip flush with the sides as well as spaced out ones along the side. I subsequently had to add more as the side was warping slightly.

I then cut the Scalescenes' stone paper accurately. I also cut the window sills and lintels and painted those concrete.
Next I made the windows out of the correct size strip styrene glazed them the same as the signal cabin, but also sprayed  them on the inside with ModelMaster Transparent Black Window Tint to simulate dirty smoked windows. Also added the wood strip under the roof edge and the vertical wood strips to support the enamel adverts. These adverts were made by finding pictures on Google images and creating high quality correct size prints and cutting those out. The west wall was then made and "wallpapered"  and insides of each wall both "wallpapered" and given a very thin white paint wash.

Now it was time to think about the roof. One of my local hobby shops had 3.5mm scale corrugated metal and it looked about right. When I got it home I found it was exactly the roof depth, so I didn't have to cut it along the corrugations, which would have been extremely difficult without distorting it. Now, how could I support it. No drawings or photos showed this so I had to improvise..This is the result:

Also showing one of the doors, which took a long time to scribe, cut and frame, only to have them all warp. Also I found out the diagonal supports ran the wrong way - Duh! Check the drawings and photos Mike before gluing! So I still have to remake the doors. The long wire attached to the door is an experiment, as I want to be able to remotely open and close them using servos, which I researched before PECO came out with their complete kit.

Now you might be wondering what is that plinth on the bottom of the sides for Mike? Well I decided to place the shed in this condition over a piece of track and check stock went through. Guess what? No it didn't! On Steve's drawing I hadn't taken into account the height of the model rail. Check and re-check measurements, Mike! It will be hidden by ballast/ash/weeds etc when "planted" so it won't notice.

So this is what it looks like in its current state. I haven't decided on the method of finally fixing the roof and sides together. I might just wait until the layout is ready for it to "plant" it and glue it down when I'm exactly happy with its positioning. Also I can't put the roof on until the pivot extensions on the doors are fitted through the baseboard for connection to the servos. I also still have to work out how to create and put the roof ridge on. I've tried aluminium sheet strip but I just cannot hold it accurately enough to provide the final shape. More thought needed here. I also need to create the 2 smoke outlets.

Well that's the Engine Shed so far and it will have to wait a long time before it gets more attention, while I build the other buildings and then the baseboards.

Although I started on the station master's bungalow, work stopped on it for more research, so I started the Station building. The next post will be this Station building progress as it is so far.