A small yard for a micro-layout

Simon H

Active Member
Whilst the PVA is setting hard, attention turns to the snack bar just outside the gates. It allegedly began at the same time as Herr Bensohn opened his yard and he has an interest in the lucrative business. The first iteration was an ex-NAAFI trailer that was bought cheaply and refurbished.

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A Matchbox toy was lurking and at 1:85, it is close enough, it was playworn and needed to be reduced to its major (two) components, thoroughly washed, rubbed down and washed again before a dusting of primer. The interior casting is simply superb.


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Not sure of the final coat, white/blue is locally appropriate but lettering is going to fun. Any suggestions for a source of customer decals would be helpful, btw, I no longer own a printer.

Tim
I've got the interior of one of these, which I bought for building into a snack bar (probably on rails, Talyllyn/Fairbourne style) for my 009 layout; it's interesting to see what the body looks like, though I'll be making something out of styrene sheet and spare 009 carriage parts.
I take it the canopy (or is it a counter) folds up (or down)?
For my effort to be "rail transportable", I will need to make the folding bits functional, but that will have to wait...
Simon.
 

David Hall

Western Thunderer
Finally managed to find the Grassmaster static grass applicator, for some strange reason it was lurking amongst the box of fishing tackle....however now the long unkempt grass can be 'planted' along the boundary fence and on the front edge.
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This is coming on nicely Tim. Do you have anymore photos of the original shorter/narrower layout aside from these two? I'd like to see more of that too
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
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Hi,

Currently waiting for another pack of Wills SS41 fencing, although all the fencing from the abandoned scrapyard was recycled, it still was not enough. Today’s update will be the rail/road crossing using picture mounting card and stir sticks (both recovered waste). Once the PVA has gone off, the entire yard will be ‘sploged’ with AK Interactive texture with some DAS around the sidings.

Tim
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Following comments about 'grounded bodies' on this thread, the building is an exUS Army Quonset Hut. The model is a Rix Product, it was bought because it is much smaller than the Roco Minitanks version and was readily available.

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Building the model is needlessly tedious, unlike the Roco version, it requires three different types of prefabricated section, unfortunately Rix supply just one type and it requires a great deal of cutting, sanding and gluing. The design ensures that it will not sit square and needs to be fixed in place.


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The assembly line, all waiting for the Taniya cement to set, below, the strips are carefully stacked to create the curved roof. There are different types of curved section which build into a 4-piece, 3-piece, 3-piece modified for the ends.

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As soon as you see this, you know that it will not end well.

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The kit has no redeeming features, it simply is awful but it will not defeat me. Here it is, twisted despite careful construction and sitting awkwardly as they always do.

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However, having built a previous version of the Rix Products kit, I knew what to expect. The latest version differs but is no easier to build, I believe St.Merryn made a reasonable attempt but they know what they are doing. A hoist is built, it just needs some pre-blackened fine chain.

Tim
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Currently the semi-complete shell of the Quonset hut is drying after a coat of flat black, the motive was this image of a hut in agricultural use (see below).

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The hut had received a coat of ex-WD bitumen paint as rust and water proofing, no doubt Herr Bensohn did the same, when it was first erected almost twenty years ago but hasn’t touched it since. Consequently it is an opportunity to go bonkers with weathering, especially green mould, lichens and rust.


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Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Can’t change the track or fence but the rest has received a little bit of a shuffle…..a scrapyard should be industrial but some of them seem to a neglected mass of vegetation and decay.

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And a bit of the road has been laid - freebee mounting board

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The Quonset has changed ends and the Wills garage is being retired. A set of 'bottle lights' will illuminate the Quonset and I need to find an arc welding module that runs off a PP9v
 
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Neil

Western Thunderer
I like the repositioned Quonset, it seems to balance the spread of the sidings at the other end better. The Frank Berry photos are fascinating, I have a scrapyard pencilled in for Northern Town so a good starting point though ideally I'd like to find photos from the late fifties.
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Hi,

Just began weathering the Quonset with green mould wash and decided to paint the front bulkhead RAF interior green, then had a cuppa/browse the internet only to find a Roco Minitank Quonset……….which I bought.

Having built the Roco version (below), I am aware of its shortcomings but it is a doddle to build and the possibility of two similar (small/large) Quonsets is as logical as it is aesthetically appealing. The presumption is that building materials were at a premium in the early ‘50s when the yard was established and Warner Barracks in Bamberg (another family connection) was upgrading all facilities, Herr Bensohn, simply never got around to replacing his ex US ARMY acquisitions .

Tim

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Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
At the moment, when not tottering around the garden, time is spent either collecting images of scrapyards or bits of 1/87 scrap, bizarre but not mutually exclusive activities. The b&w picture image is notable as the yard is both linear in nature and rather tiny but perfect. No piles of scrap cars but there are a few skips maybe the basis of an idea?

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On the other hand, I never saw Herr Bensohn’s yard in its heyday, by the time I did see his empire it was overgrown, it was cleared sometime later and there is an anonymous building on the site. Maybe a combination of the neat n’tidy yard with some rampant scrub at the edges, a car or two with bushes growing inside? Not as overgrown as the american junkyard below, just a bit unkempt.

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Joe's Garage

Western Thunderer
Totally agree Tim, the curved track gives a much better perspective and maybe a bit more length on the sidings as an added bonus.
Good to see you modelling.
All the best
Julian
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Just started to prepare the resin castings for the yard, both the cars and wheels received a coat of grey primer but the wheels had an additional dusting of red primer. When dry, both castings were given a coat of acrylic burnt sienna consequently, there is a remarkable difference.

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There is a considerable amount of detailing to be done.

Tim
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Hi,

Having been impressed by and commented the rear of Bank Top Yard, it is an intention to ‘soften’ the edges by the addition of some neglected greenery especially where access is difficult. The occasional older vehicle being absorbed by nature is rarely modelled and a balance between industrial detritus and mother earth is generally rather pleasant.

This yard near Dusseldorf is unusual today as German environmental laws are rigorously enforced but Herr Bensohn’s yard in the ‘70s was simply tatty at the edges, a metaphor for life?


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John57sharp

Western Thunderer
The environment, or nature, certainly ivy, always wins eventually, regardless of regulations!

Unkempt is very appealing.

Cheers
John
 

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
Whoops,

The mighty box from Cornerstone has revealed a plan which I had not noticed…..the flour mill is a tad* too big for the available space…..a mad panic to find something less imposing in the photo albums resulted in the discovery of a greasy spoon that began life as mobile catering van but by the ‘70s was replaced by a larger wooden cafe serving the local workforce and truck drivers.


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* Tad, in this case it is enormous but it is still sealed and will be welcomed by someone.

Tim
This link will take you to Peter D Verheyen's excellent site which describes lovely BergBau Grill in Bochum

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This is his description:-

" Tomorrow is tagdertrinkhallen in the Ruhr. The small bodega-like kiosks are omnipresent fixtures in the region and serve as places to pick up beer, sweets, newspapers, and other essentials. They are also THE place to catch up on local comings and goings. You know, gossip."

Peter

For my part of the saga, the shell of the Pola snack bar has been started, it is still very wobbly.

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These kiosks were an iconic part of everyday life in Germany, they are beginning to fade into memory

Tim
 
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