The 39 Steps

Okay, so there are actually 39 parts not 39 steps but, ignoring a rushed bit of ballast experimentation, this represents the sum total of the weekends modelling progress; the outside facing of the simplest of the two smallest walls of, what will become, a dark satanic mill (actually the factory model from scalescenes.com). One simple wall might not seem like a lot to show for a weekend of modelling but I'm fairly happy with it.

This wall will have the chimney attached to it, hence the lack of windows, which is why it was the simplest wall to build and hence the one I started with. Even so each panel is made up of at least 3 layers and the window obviously includes the etched brass window frame from Brassmasters and frosted filthy glass (the glass is actually tracing film which isn't completely transparent). The number of pieces explains why it took a full weekend to finish (modelling wasn't non-stop but there was a fair amount of it).

The time spent constructing the wall is well worth it though, as the multiple layers really add depth to the model. In N gauge adding relief to the brickwork is probably overkill (unless the wall is made out of very large blocks), so the depth imparted by the layers is really important if you don't want to end up with a simple cardboard cube.

Hopefully I'll be able to get on with constructing the other four walls soon, although possibly not this week as I travel to Edinburgh for a project meeting on Wednesday and won't get back until the end of the week. Given the amount of work I have to do to prepare for the meeting I doubt there will be much more modelling before the weekend. Fortunately I have the basis for a number of posts so hopefully I'll blog about something or other railway related later this week.