4mm Llanfair ....

[Geoff]

I was modelling in 3mm scale in the sixties and was a frequent visitor to the factory / showroom at Rhos, once we had sat our exams at Tech. I used to bunk off and would leg it down to Warrington BQ to catch a train for Llandudno. Which was usually a six car DMU made up of Met. Cams, Cravens and BRCW units, I would get off at Colwyn Bay and walk along the prom to Rhos, spend my hard earned cash and walk back to catch my train home. Which was usually the Holyhead- Manchester with an EE Type 4 or a pair of Sulzer Type 2's in charge, we didn't call them Class 40, 24 or 25 in those days. The noise they made as they climbed out of Colwyn would awaken the dead! I remember admiring the new Royal Scot in the showcase and once came home with a set of those LNWR card coach sides, still got those tucked away somewhere!

Happy Days

Geoff

 

[LarryG]

They were happy and unusual times in the hobby back then. At the Rhos-on-Sea GEM factory, Tony Colbeck (Anbrico) would turn up driving a borrowed brandnew Leeds Corporation Atlantean on his holiday! Imagine being able to do that today.

 

[Geoff]

They were happy and unusual times in the hobby back then. At the Rhos-on-Sea GEM factory, Tony Colbeck (Anbrico) would turn up driving a borrowed brandnew Leeds Corporation Atlantean on his holiday! Imagine being able to do that today.

We could get away with anything in those days Larry, no elf and safety to clamp down on us yet I don't recall any workmates suffering serious injuries. As a young senior engineering apprentice the Atlanteans used to keep us busy, unlike the Daimler Fleetlines and Bristol VR's that were more reliable. As a former Leyland man I shouldn't say that but it was true!

Geoff

 

[LarryG]

Intentio GWR weighbridge hut on the go now. Assembled around the floor to ensure squareness, but not glued to it....


Roof truss pegs carefully pressed into holes in roof then Loctite glue run round them....


Roof glued to hut with UHU Wood glue...


Interior walls attached to block of wood ready for spraying with primer....


Sprayed Ivoy and GWR dark Stone with brown lining at waist.... RH wall cut to clear door frame....


Finished except for roof slates. Removable floor to facilitate fitting of interior & glazing.....

 

[LarryG]

The window frame was rebuilt so that the middle sliding window is proud of the outer ones and a piece of glazing cut to slip behind it...



New window frame will fit in the window aperture with glazing glued to the back of the wall...


Window in place just for photo.....

 

[LarryG]

A bit higgledy-piggledy but that's slates for you. Spray shop now...

 

[LarryG]

Painted and weathered. Any slight sheen will disappear tomorrow under Dulcote. Then all the component parts can be put together.....

It's a GWR weighbridge. The story at Llanfair road is the GWR replaced the outdoor weighbridge with this building using sandstone colour bricks in place of blue engineering bricks for trim to copy the station building.....

 

[Gismorail]

Morning Larry these laser cut building really do make up into some very attractive building.

 

[BrushType4]

Morning Larry these laser cut building really do make up into some very attractive building.

This is my favourite little building.

 

[LarryG]

Morning Larry these laser cut building really do make up into some very attractive building.

I agree.....They make for an interesting hobby in itself.

 

[LarryG]

A piece of glazing was stuck onto the backwall. The fit of the interior walls allows for this...



The interior walls fit like a jigsaw but I miss-matched the fireplace...

A sneaky view through the doorway... Further daylight photos are impossible. No sun in garden and the light is all wrong inside my room....

 

[LarryG]

Weighbridge done except for the actual grid. Xmas to attend to now.....




The window surround should have been dark stone, so that's something to attend to. Floor is removable so that an interior can be fitted at some time...

 

[LarryG]

It's a cycle shed based on the one at Tetbury. However, it was just the type of building I was looking for to form a gents & ladies toilet block....



The four outer walls were assembled first. I glued the end walls inside the side wall....Big mistake! Things got a bit messy while sorting out my mistake...


I prefer to glue 20 thou glazing across thee window apertures and so rectangles were cut out of the inner walls to clear future glazing...


Interior walls glued in place with Evostick Impact...


Usual roof trussing glued in place with UHU Wood glue...


State of assemble so far tonight....


Window sills are 80 thou plastikard shamfered on top...

 

[LarryG]

A bit more done today but not much. Guttering was again formed by gluing 30 though Plastikard to Plastruct channel and rounding off the leading edge...


Drainpipes were formed from Plastruct 90859 2mm rod attached with glue and a split pin...


Gents and ladies each have two toilet cubicles but the partition between the two is offset in favour of the ladies who have a sink and mirror plus waste bin. The men only have a small corner sink and an endless towel...

 

[simond]

The men only have a small corner sink and an endless towel.

Luxury!

 

[Brian Wainwright]

Forgive me for saying this, Larry, but I think you were born to work in 7mm scale. Your painting skills really do show up to advantage in the larger scale and I suspect you will end up with something quite magnificent.

 

[Gismorail]

The toilet facilities back then might well have been basic and functional but I bet they were of a much higher hygiene standard then today with a strong smell of disinfectant

 

[Brian Wainwright]

The toilet facilities back then might well have been basic and functional but I bet they were of a much higher hygiene standard then today with a strong smell of disinfectant

And they actually existed!
I remember my Dad saying, if you need a toilet you can always go to a railway station.
Good luck with that today!

 

[LarryG]

Some people can't be left alone for two minutes....

The prospect of adding slates to a four sided roof and all the lead flashing was enough to stir me into action today. The roof was rebuilt to a simple form probably more appropriate for a simple toilet block building....



Slates will hide any blemishes...

 

[Geoff]

I think your latest 'kit bashing' exercise has produced a more convincing, WC for a backwater like Llanfair Road. Once those slates go on and you have done your usual painting and weathering job it will blend in with your other buildings nicely.

Geoff