Thursday 7 November 2013

The 100th Post

Having spent a considerable number of the last 99 blog posts procrastinating about building a signal box it seems fitting to use the 100th to unveil that Apa now has a signal box.


OK, there is a lot of work still to be done on it, especially the brickwork on the corners, and the roof section is still separate whilst I make my mind up about whether to fit an interior. The base it is sitting on is temporary as well.



The attempts to add relief to the flat out of the box walls have had mixed success. On reflection I think I've been too subtle about it. but I think I need to wait and see what it looks like when painted.

This isn't going well!


Overall I think it has improved the overall composition of the scene. Its final position will be over to the right rather more so as to better relate spatially to the weighbridge hut from my normal viewing position in the office chair. Looking at the picture below it bigger than it does in the flesh for some reason. Possibly that is because of the overexposed roof.


The theory of the original plan was that the signal box would draw the eye away from the ends of the box and distract you from noticing that only half the station is modeled. My first impressions is that it has worked and it is also pulling the eye back from the join between the back scene and the hedge.

3 comments:

  1. Congratulations on reaching the ton James,

    I just love the heading photo and the last one, your ideas and the scene have definitely worked.

    The signal box looks really promising and yes I agree, wait until it's painted before passing judgement. It is far too easy to add too much relief so there is nothing wrong in being subtle. Run your fingers over a real brick or stone wall then ask yourself just how the surface would scale down, colouring and highlighting is the key.

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  2. I echo Geoff's words, well done on reaching 100 posts! I started blogging as a little journal to keep my customers up to date with their jobs, not thinking anyone else was watching....and now I couldn't stop blogging, it's a wonderful way to review and record my work and keep in touch with so many excellent friends that I haven't actually met but feel I know well.

    I have a thing about too much relief, I think it can spoil a model, particularly with ground cover...but bricks, especially, have very little relief. The exaggerated profile of the Wills sheets is a case in point. While brickpaper is going too far the other way, I think the subtle relief in your signal box will be fine. The painting will make or break - no pressure there! :-) In the bottom photo, the signal box looks gorgeous, the perfect spot for it. The whole scene is redolent of the wonderful Welsh marches. Go on...detail the interior!
    Incidentally, I hold my hand up as guilty, I know my Das stonework is exaggerated...stones and glass houses come to mind, sorry!

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  3. Thanks both. My tests with painting on some spare pieces left over from the kit haven't filled me with confidence so far. I do have a plan B though, and a plan C. Most of the birckwork relief on this kit seems quite good, but disappears from more than about 4" away. The real problem is the doors and windows.Then it clearly isn't intended to be a "foreground model".

    I must admit I'm looking forward to starting work on the next layout and having a little more space, but I don't want to lose the inherent simpicity of this original scene

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