Have Metcalfe got it wrong? Discuss.

Looking at the Metcalfe terraced houses kit, as supplied they show the bays encroaching on the pavement

http://www.metcalfemodels.com/low-relief-terraced-house-in-red-brick

this didn't look right to me so I googled for images of terraced houses with bay windows

terraced houses with bay windows images - Recherche Google

apart from a few images of models, all bar one had front gardens and a garden wall or fence. The only exception showed a pavement much wider than normal. The other example I've seen since is Coronation street

(Click to enlarge)

Obviously both situations exist in real life and it should not be difficult to make the necessary alterations when assembling, there are plenty of walls, fences and railings on the market.

Hi Mike,

You are quite correct. The image Metcalfe used takes a little artistic licence in showing off their house fronts, rather than their appropriate environment.

Terraces with front doors opening direct onto pavements had no bay windows, as they would pose obstructions to pedestrians, but more so because they were designed to minimum cost, with bay windows reserved for more affluent tenants.

My early Liverpool childhood was in a plain terraced house, no indoor plumbing, just a pot under the bed and a tin bath and a privy in the back yard! Definitely no bay window in the front parlour, but we did have an upright piano, as a TV was way too expensive :)

We were poor, but happy,

Bill :)

You're right… Metcalfe are wrong.
Typically property boundaries are straight and the Council doesn't put paving slabs on your property and of course you can't build your bay window on theirs.

Here we are, a row of them…

I am sure I have seen the like in Bridgwater, too.


http://media.rightmove.co.uk/dir/14k/13214/32929221/13214_3602346_IMG_00_0000_max_656x437.jpg


What a plick, painting over such lovely brickwork and choosing brown PVC glazing. Bet it went down well with the neighbours….Probably done to save thecost of [probably] more expensive re-pointing.

Here's a famous one…Nurse Gladys Emmanuels house…

http://ww2.mpt.org/tea/heather/images/tidbits/091211_open2.jpg

Doug

Nice one Doug :) There are always exceptions and reasons why things are the way they are. These houses may be small, but have lovely facades and someone had a good architectural eye and good spirit for building them that way.

Bill

I notice both those examples have steps up to the front door that look about the same depth as the bays, which suggests a wider pavement. Metcalfe ain't too generous with their pavements unless you go for the sheets of paving and cobbles

http://www.metcalfemodels.com/n-gauge-paving-and-cobblestone-sheets

If you are kit bashing Metcalfe they also do brick, stone and tile card packs as well as paving.

At least adding the bay windows is an option.  I was building one only last night and decided not to include the bays for this very reason.

Don't let's forget that these are designed for 'Low Relief' models, so they have been pinched in a wee bit to minimise their depth, plenty of good full depth models on the market where the front garden is incorporated which can be halved to include the place where today we are required to store a succession of wheelie-bins…..

Poop-poop,

Doug

"Looking at the Metcalfe terraced houses kit, as supplied they show the bays encroaching on the pavement

this didn't look right to me so I googled for images of terraced houses with bay windows"

If ever you're in Nottingham take a walk round Forest Fields area as there's hundreds with bays on the pavement.

But s'pose you won't be coming now you're 'Premier League' (well done)…..

But s'pose you won't be coming now you're 'Premier League' (well done)…..

I vaguely remember when football was a game, not a media event; I once got dragged to see West Brom by a brother in law back in the 50's, complete waste of an afternoon, the high point for me was a cup of Bovril at half time.

As a kid I used to occasionally get dragged by me dad to see Bournemouth Gasworks team on a Saturday during WW2, but it was never by my choice.