That is a really nice model of a very interesting building, I have enjoyed seeing your progress on this model. Excellent work.

Robyn

nice modelling Ilike the interior makes it
:thumbs :thumbs ;-) :cool:
Owen

Thanks for the kind comments guys. They provide additional encouragement to get more modelling done.

Z.

Doors done now:



Z.

spot on. :doublethumb
:thumbs ;-) :cool:
Owen

Modelling has been side tracked with some household chores and Christmas preparations, so there is little news to report on of recent developments. But, here's an update on the London Bridge power box that I started a while back. It's an imposing and brutal building, and a signature structure;
 

 
And it's big - around the length of a four car unit. Having scaled it out I realised that I'd have to significantly compress it (just like all the other buildings). The model is basically made from card and clad with appropriate plasticard sheets (siding for the lower level and scored for the upper cabin). Obviously it needs to be finished with much detail to add :
 

 

 



Z.

Even if it is shortened by a bit, it still looks the part, some impressive work and progress.

I've decided on making this building next, but in an earlier condition than is pictured here (which is post Shard). If anyone has any pics of it from 20 to 30 years ago I'd be grateful to see them.
 

 
I've given some thought about how to tackle it. It's not a straightforward box. The plan of it is not a problem (can be seen on Bing Maps aerial view) but it straddles different street levels. The rear of the building (which will be the front on the layout) goes down a further level to a lower street making it five storeys tall and it is located on a sloping site on the upper level. London Bridge Street slopes down to the old tube station entrance (the triangular building I made earlier) and Borough High Street.
 
I've started by working out the overall size (height, width and length) I'll make it (with the compression necessary) and sketching some plans. Then I have cut two identical floors. These will be the first floor and the third floor (which is the roof of the open extension with railings) from the upper street level.
 

 
Z.

The two main floors were kept apart by internal card walls glued in place to form the main structural core of the model. Then the roof was cut to size and added as the top floor. The pic below shows progress with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. The first (ground floor) will be added below but needs to incorporate sloped bottom edge.



Z.

A few more constructional steps. Firstly a start in hanging the plain walls and adding the lower floor longitudinal view block which incorporates the road slope (hence it needing to be propped up at one end in the pic below): 



Then the end girder work was fabricated and added from styrene strip. The corner uprights were formed of two strips glued in an L cross section profile. The brick insert sections I will cut from embossed plasticard ad the main glazed window sections (on both sides) will be build up separately and added after the main structure is painted.
 

 
Z.
 

The brick wall inserts are now cut and temporarily put in place for the end extension section. They're not glued and need to be detailed, painted and glazed before fixing in place. But it's starting to look like a building now.

The little shop is a coffee bar now but I seem to recall it being a key cutting service or tobacconists back in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Can anyone remember? Or, better, has any pics from then? Also I remember that the opening/entrance to the left of the shop/bar door had stairs down to St Thomas Street, or have I got confused?
 

 
Z. 

Task of the evening was to make three air-con units to go on the extension roof. These a quite small in 1:148 scale (the longest dimension is 11mm) and are each made from eight separate parts:



Z.

Very well done sir  :pathead

[user=606]Sol[/user] wrote:

Very well done sir :pathead

Thank you.

There's been a little progress today. Firstly, this morning I cobbled together some of the roof structures/details. I'd noticed that in recent years the chimney stack (an open flue for a boiler?) had been removed and replaced by a long cylindrical tank (but this only appears in more recent photos) so I've gone with the stack. 


 
Then, having got to the stage where I feel compelled to give everything a dusting of grey primer I did so. This helps identify where there are issues with the model that need tweaking:




Finally, a bit of therapy with styrene strip in making up the window girder grid in the afternoon. This is just placed in position and not yet glued (in the pic below) as painting, and the window frames and lower panelling/doorways have to be added first:
 

 
Z.

Slow progress today, mainly getting some colour on the building. The concrete sections seem to be a very pale grey, which I've tried to replicate, and the brickwork is a rather dark maroon colour. I've got the base colour on but there is more to do with regards to the brickwork (including the windows) and weathering. The front gridded window wall isn't yet complete and is only resting in place. And the rear walls (that will be facing the front of the layout) are yet to be started as I'm not yet sure of their total height - they're at least a storey taller as the ground is lower that side. But it's taking shape.
 



Z.
 

I'm still watching, Zed.

It's going to be another cracker.

Me too.

Easy to forget how small a scale your working in  :thumbs




Ed

Many thanks for the kind comments.
   
My styrene and card city is starting to take shape (although none of the buildings can claim to be finished):
 

 
Z.

As well as the power box (featured earlier in this thread) but not included in the 'city' picture (above), I've also had a bash at scratch-building the old 'modern' box at the Borough Market end of the through platforms and which, I understand, became the staion announcers office. I doubt it has survived the recent 'redevelopment'. Again it's not complete:
 



Z.

Christmas preparations are eating in to precious modelling time so progress has slowed right down. However I managed to snatch a little time in which I spent fiddling with bits of styrene and starting to make some more of the wide range and large number of air-con units and associated equipment that is seen on the roofs of commercial buildings these days.