Christmas 2017

Thanks for all the followers on the blog during the year and happy modelling for 2018. I hope to be able to finish off the work on my 1970s section of my layout in 2018

Since 1939

Its been a while since I last posted my update. Life and family has taken time out from modelling. Behind the scenes I have working on a number of projects on my layout however only one was able to be completed to a stage to be presented on this blog.

First Building on Trafalgar St

To give more realism to the main road on Wardell was to add some buildings. It is notable that almost all of the buildings along Trafalgar St are still standing there today from the 1950s.  This provides me with the advantage that the field trips provide a useful resource to be able to model the buildings. The first building that was decided to be modeled was the McCallum  and Sintered office building. 

The McCallum building has been its offices in Petersham since 19391. A photo by Noel Reed shown in a previous blog http://innerwesthoscale.blogspot.in/2015/06/  was used as a basis for building the prototype. 

Above: Completed model of McCallum and Sintered Alloy Offices, excuse the poor photoshopping of the backdrop. 

1. Refer to https://www.mccallumhinges.com.au

Modelling Steps

I Kitbashed  two street level overhead door and two shop front shop facades for the ground floor and four 1st storey rectangular window facades to make the front of the building.. These were painted in appropriate period colours and weathered. 

Signs

I believe that advertising and signs really provide the look for the period of the buildings. As there is no commercially avaliable decals for the signs were made using clear decal paper and my HP inkjet printer. I used the period photo as previously mentioned as the basis for the knowing what words were written on the building. However due to the fact that the photo was not clear I had to use some modelling licence.

Above: Printed decal signs for McCallum building with other signs also printed on the same A4 sheet.

Above: Decals applied using decal solution and then clear coated

Completed model

For added detail I decided to include an interior of the 1st floor offices which is not shown. As you can see from the photo I took back in 2012 although the colour of the building has changed the structure is still intact.