Monks Ferry: a layout for the Grandchildren.

[sjp23480]

Hi again, Stephen @sjp23480

As you were kind enough to contribute earlier, I decided to make up for loss of time on the project today by working on it this evening.

In particular, I’ve worked on making the small sashes more formal and appropriate for the purpose I’m trying to achieve encouraged by your earlier research.

To that end I’ve produced these which achieve - I hope - a more formal appearance with the least amount of work :

View attachment 258969

I’ve also placed one over a sash to give you an idea.

Tomorrow I’ll tidy them up (when glue has dried) and hopefully give them a blast of primer. Then I’ll try rearranging them on the mock up to see if it works.

Many thanks once again for your kind interest.

Jon

Hi Jon

Adding the lintels certainly add to the effect and will look much better than the plain windows.

It's always difficult to get the balance right between the prototype and something you and your family will enjoy.

I have to tell myself that perfection is the enemy of progress - one day I might actually finish something!

I will continue to follow with interest.

Best
Stephen

 

[Phil O]

Hi Jon,

Yes the crest from Blackfriar's bridge, I think he saved it when doing the rebuild.

 

[jonte]

Hi Jon

Adding the lintels certainly add to the effect and will look much better than the plain windows.

It's always difficult to get the balance right between the prototype and something you and your family will enjoy.

I have to tell myself that perfection is the enemy of progress - one day I might actually finish something!

I will continue to follow with interest.

Best
Stephen

Most kind of you to say so, Stephen, as from my point of view I’m never really sure if something works, especially when it comes to using my imagination.

Yep, striking a balance is difficult and with something of this size it’s always going to be a compromise with a strong lean towards whichever method is quickest and easiest. It’s so easy to be drawn down a rabbit hole, as the saying goes, as in this particular case with the windows. This and procrastination as they say, are the biggest obstacles I feel to finishing anything. And like you, I’m a frequent offender when it comes to failing to complete a project. It’s time for a change

Thank you also for your expressed continued interest; I’ll try and maintain it

Jon

 

[jonte]

Hi Jon,

Yes the crest from Blackfriar's bridge, I think he saved it when doing the rebuild.

Would make a great water feature

Thanks for that, Phil. Good to know that others’ take an interest in these things too, especially the ‘celebs’.

Jon

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Yes the crest from Blackfriar's bridge, I think he saved it when doing the rebuild.

It would have been from the north pier when both the District Line and Main Line stations were rebuilt from 1971 to 1977. The bridge and deck were removed during the 1980s leaving the piers. The remaining LCDR cartouches on the south pier were removed, restored and reinstalled when the second rebuilding of Blackfriars was completed in 2012.

 

[jonte]

I didn’t get done as much as I’d planned today. Best laid plans and all that.

However, I made a final decision as to how the windows would look and how they would occupy the building on this side, so made a start on the lower windows which will frame the larger sashes which I’d previously discarded.

The final layout can be seen against the card mock up below:



As can be seen, there will only be two storeys and not three as before, and the new lower frames will be finished hopefully in the next couple of days.

Now I’ve made my mind up, I can finally get on with building the structure and get it finished.

Thanks for looking.

jonte

 

[John57sharp]

That certainly looks right Jon. We’ll done - persistence pays off.

John

 

[jonte]

That certainly looks right Jon. We’ll done - persistence pays off.

John

Thanks, John, for your kind reassurance.

I need to be hands on to see what works and doesn’t.

The balcony jobs were simply too large for the area available and Stephen was right about the arrangement of the rest.

Jon

 

[jonte]

The card mock-up proved extremely useful, so I took the plunge and transferred the measurements to the plasticard.

Marking out:



Cutting the window apertures:



Preparations for the fitting of the interior floors/supports in the form of offcuts placed at appropriate levels across the face (just visible through the front aspect) after ensuring windows were a cosy fit in the apertures:




The supporting floors fitted:



Clearer views of the front of the building:



The gap at the base of the building is to allow for the protrusion of the overall roof handle. Likewise, the lower supporting section has also been tailored to fit.

The rear section is cut but put aside until the windows have been fitted and the building painted.

Next, I’ll address the roof.

Thanks for looking.

jonte

 

[simond]

Jon,

talking to @Pencarrow - Chris’ approach is to laminate or at least substantially thicken his walls and floors to prevent warping.

your building is quite large, and I wonder if the same approach might not be a good precaution?

best
Simon

 

[jonte]

Jon,

talking to @Pencarrow - Chris’ approach is to laminate or at least substantially thicken his walls and floors to prevent warping.

your building is quite large, and I wonder if the same approach might not be a good precaution?

best
Simon

Morning, Simon, and many thanks for your interest and wisdom as usual

Can’t disagree with any of that which is why the front part weighs a metaphorical ton…….

It’s not apparent at this early stage, but I’ll be employing the same here, but adapting the approach as I go. I’ll try n explain…..

So, taking the sides for instance, I’ve already started the laminate approach as can be (hopefully) seen. ‘But that’s just two-ply!’ (Reader’s voice ). As I say, just the start. To make it three ply, I’ll be adding a final section of Ashlar stone cladding to match the front/sides of the original building which will also be extended to blend.

With the front, the plan was to make it three ply with the some thinner card forming a sandwich with the two thicker ousters all purchased in quantities for the purpose (the price of this stuff, as usual the price increase blamed by the supplier on Brexit …………).

However, when I came to cut the window apertures, it proved a battle as this stuff is so incredibly tough. Doing it with two more sheets saw me driven almost to the realms of despair. It would have been a case of away with the knife and out with the drill and piercing saw. However, as there’s an intended change in the ‘frontage’ of this one (I’m not using the same stone appearance here) I hedged my bets on keeping it to a single skin as this stuff is as tough as ol’ boots as mentioned and thicker than it looks (closer to two milli than one and a half), thus the suck it n see approach I’m using this time.

Presently, I’ve been at pains to ensure that the ends of the floors are tightly bonded to the front and sides which will also be the case with the rear.

What you haven’t seen are the umpteen bits of off cuts which I’m going to add here n there inside to shore up the floors and increase the bond with the front and rear when it’s attached. However at present, the intention is to keep access to the interior to a maximum as I’ll still require leeway for my pinkies when fitting the windows eventually plus lighting - which is why the roof will be removable - which will be fixed with uhu to further reduce the risk created by the (excessive) use of polystyrene cements. Also, additional decorations will be attached in a manner which ensures three ply approach. In the main, the only addition to the surface will be primer and mostly acrylic paint which is kinder to plastic, so they say

All in all, this new ‘approach’ should prove fruitful whilst preventing me from ‘kickin’ it to the kerb’ due to the amount of effort required just to cut it.

Sorry to waffle on but hope this goes some way to explaining my off-pat approach this time.

Jon

 

[jonte]

As mentioned in my earlier post, a start was made on the roof.

As a quick introduction, you may recall that whilst roofing the different sections of the front building, I’d become dissatisfied with the offerings by the ‘trade’ (either too thick and more akin to tiles, or awkward to use - the pearl necklace effect ), with my preferred method of home made paper slates simply too time consuming. Thus an extensive search was made (in the main) of stately homes and grander buildings to seek an alternative, and I was quite impressed with this which I stored away until the time came (this image was just found on the www):



It’s a leaded variety similar to that I created on the smaller side rooves of the front building.

Indeed, it still sits atop a slated roof, however in my little world, it will simply become the crowning glory of a sheet leaded roof, hence no slates to mess with, about which I’m much relieved, being able to move this part of the build on swiftly.

The start:



If you’re reading, Simon, you’ll be pleased to learn that the base is three-ply: a thick inner card sandwiched between two thinner outer sections

The upper sections are each built on a styrene section frame, with the pitched section formed of eight (very low seated) ribs to support the tops. There were to be ten but the centre sections of the end pieces were left off to afford the agricultural appearance of this type of roof which drooped as the lead and its supports aged (I still think it looks too ‘straight’ overall.

Once the ‘ribbons’ of lead have been attached (1.5mm half round as before), I will make a start on the chimneys which will be as per the stone versions on the front building.

Thanks for looking.

jonte

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Jonte,

The lead colouring looks very good.

regards

Mike

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Hello Jon
I’m just catching up with your threaded artistry. And your travails (for which I offer my (albeit distant) support.).

Lovely work. Artistry and talent by the bucketload. I enjoy the words, too. Definitely worth a #chefskiss.

Please keep on keeping on. If you need a rant, you know where I am.

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Hi Jonte,

The lead colouring looks very good.

regards

Mike

Hi Mike and thanks for the reassurance.

I think dry brushing to achieve the required effect is the way to go here, with suitably thinned oil paint streaks for the frame.

The roof being removable will aid ease of access, me thinks.

Cheers.

Jon

 

[jonte]

Hello Jon
I’m just catching up with your threaded artistry. And your travails (for which I offer my (albeit distant) support.).

Lovely work. Artistry and talent by the bucketload. I enjoy the words, too. Definitely worth a #chefskiss.

Please keep on keeping on. If you need a rant, you know where I am.

Cheers

Jan

Bless you, Jan.

It would be quite difficult not to keep keeping on, my friend, after your kindest, heartfelt support and encouragement.

Hoping you can find the time to pop in occasionally and view my latest bodgings.

Jon

 

[jonte]

I noted a deficit of New Posts overnight, so thought I’d ‘contribute’ by posting a couple of random shots taken earlier in the week, which show the new-build posed against the existing structure. The light shining through the top floor windows provides an unintended view of how I think LEDs will lift the gloom of what presently looks like a grey lump in the background.

Please forgive the unkempt garden to the rear. Gardening is my wife’s bag, but her current incapacity prevents an orderly and tended appearance. In my defence, I’ve since popped out briefly to do a spot of pruning and strategic shearing, but nowhere near the standard considered acceptable by the domestic authorities. My excuse is that I’m leaving it for the birds and their nests……




The gap left where it adjoins the rear of the main building to allow for those clumsy offcuts of styrene which act as brackets to join up the thick sheets of styrene used in its construction:



Btw, I’ve not been idle and here’s some progress to date on part of the leaded roof:



I dressed the half round with some of the minutest section I’ve got but it still looks rather ‘thick’. I drenched it in styrene cement and prodded it with a file and knife blade but sadly it retains its robustness. Paper would have been better but I was too lazy to cut it……. Thankfully, it won’t be seen.

Hoping and trusting nobody minds this random post.

jonte

 

[James Spooner]

I noted a deficit of New Posts overnight, so thought I’d ‘contribute’ by posting a couple of random shots taken earlier in the week, which show the new-build posed against the existing structure. The light shining through the top floor windows provides an unintended view of how I think LEDs will lift the gloom of what presently looks like a grey lump in the background.

Please forgive the unkempt garden to the rear. Gardening is my wife’s bag, but her current incapacity prevents an orderly and tended appearance. In my defence, I’ve since popped out briefly to do a spot of pruning and strategic shearing, but nowhere near the standard considered acceptable by the domestic authorities. My excuse is that I’m leaving it for the birds and their nests……


View attachment 259583View attachment 259582

The gap left where it adjoins the rear of the main building to allow for those clumsy offcuts of styrene which act as brackets to join up the thick sheets of styrene used in its construction:

View attachment 259584

Btw, I’ve not been idle and here’s some progress to date on part of the leaded roof:

View attachment 259585

I dressed the half round with some of the minutest section I’ve got but it still looks rather ‘thick’. I drenched it in styrene cement and prodded it with a file and knife blade but sadly it retains its robustness. Paper would have been better but I was too lazy to cut it……. Thankfully, it won’t be seen.

Hoping and trusting nobody minds this random post.

jonte

That’s looking really good Jonte; it’s going to be a magnificent structure on the layout.

Nigel

 

[jonte]

That’s looking really good Jonte; it’s going to be a magnificent structure on the layout.

Nigel

Kind of you to say so, James.

Many thanks,

Jon

Edit: James?……Apologies, Nigel.

Jon

 

[jonte]

I rather enjoyed building this and it will do nicely for the project to hand.

However, like the building, it’s very much a ‘based-on’ or ‘caricature’ of what could be considered the real thing, and if building a scale model I’d have used it as a learning curve for the finished article. I’d also have kept the photo handy and studied it before each visit to the modelling desk, instead of glancing at it after the glue had set………



And a reminder of how it should have looked:



I built the base flat as it won’t be seen behind the parapet which hastened proceedings somewhat.

Thanks for looking and all your ‘likes’ on previous postings.

Much appreciated.

jonte