neo train model

"Practice makes perfect... Really?"

Allen McClelland popularized the 'good enough' philosophy on his legendary V&O layout. I don't know how he felt about the adage that 'practice makes perfect,' but I find it flawed. Aside from the debate whether anything can actually be perfect, (insert joke here), how about we agree in the interest of time that 'practice makes improvement' is a more realistic statement?

As mentioned early in this blog, I had  been away from active involvement in the hobby for about 35 years, so I was anxious to assess my skills and familiarity with new tools and materials. Structure building was always my favorite part of the hobby so I wanted to practice on some inexpensive kits that I had on hand... and if I could ultimately end up using them, even for just awhile, so much the better. 

The depot at Ilchester has always intrigued me for its distinctive roofline, intricate windows and multi-style siding. Prior to being demolished in 1964, the roof was simply tar paper laid in non-conventional vertical strips.

A chip board mock-up was put together based on some rough 'guesstimates' from historic photos. It showed that the depot needed to be longer on one side. The window/door configuration as detailed below confirmed that. But the roof pitches seemed about right.

The four sides of each kit had tabs that needed to be snipped off, while the projection of  the window mantels needed to be sanded down dramatically. The bay window wasn't used, but will be a nice addition to another model when the time comes to rescue it  from the scrap box. Each window grille will be filed down a bit to minimize its mass.

The two kits were altered considerably to match the door and window configuration of the Ilchester depot. The board and batten siding was the perfect candidate to be sliced into multiple wall sections that could be butted together and glued with little evidence of joints. Windows in the front and rear of the structure were ganged together where necessary, while one end had its windows carefully reduced to single sashes.

The model was squared with the .060 styrene base that I fabricated and also reinforced with some ceiling joists. The new gable ends are a gentler pitch than on the original kit and the clapboard contrasts with the board and batten. The boxed-out front matches the prototype nicely.

The new roof is still being test fitted and the structure will be mounted on a stone foundation for interest. The top sash of the double hung windows are being replaced with some N-scale windows I found in the scrap box. I  cut out the middle of each to replicate the B&O style decorative upper sash.

The kit's original gable ends have been used in the upper cross gable for a distinctive look in lieu of the ugly prototypical slatted vents. I'll withhold judgment on the two types of siding until the model is painted and weathered. The final roof treatment is still being considered.

When this is complete, I'll post photos of all four sides of both the prototype and the model. My goal for this project is to represent, not replicate, the depot while practicing on my techniques. We'll see how it goes and whether it's 'good enough.'

Tuesday we'll look at the first of several 'final' track plans.