Metcalfe Low Relief Half Timbered Shop Front

Mrs PVilly and I have been holidaying in Cornwall for a number of years and previously the idea of taking a modelling project with me was not something that had ever entered my mind. However this year was different for a number of reasons – I was recovering from an operation so the plan was for a bit more ‘rest and recuperation’ than usual, we’d extended our stay to 2 weeks and the initial weather forecast for the fortnight included a few rainy and overcast days. So the idea of constructing a kit of some sort on a lap tray whilst enjoying the view of St Mawes harbour from our apartment had its attractions!

I’ve accumulated a few Ratio kits to build and include on my model railway – engine shed, signal box etc – but these all needed painting prior to assembly and as I was thinking of something relatively simple and straightforward they were probably a bit too complex and time-consuming. In the end, packing, taking the cat to the cattery and other priorities meant that I arrived in Cornwall empty handed as far as any modelling plans were concerned!

However, a day of Cornish rain soon found me googling ‘model railway shops in Cornwall’ and the next day found me and Mrs PVilly at the excellent Kernow Model Rail Centre in Camborne (in return I’d agreed to follow my wife round the fabric shops and department stores of Truro!). Prior to the trip, I’d had a think about possible kits to build and I decided to purchase the Low Relief medieval shop by Metcalfe Models. I hadn’t brought any glue or cutting implements with me but as luck would have it, opposite the model shop is ‘Jim's Cash and Carry’ where I was able to buy two pairs of scissors and a pack of 4 individual PVA glue tubes, all for a mere £2!!!

I must say the kit proved to be an ideal holiday project. I’ve used Metcalfe products before and I must say this is a very straightforward kit to build and would be particularly appropriate for a ‘beginner’. As you can see it is very compact, being both low relief and designed, in their words, to ‘fit between modern shops’. The instructions are very well set out and easy to follow – following a list of tools needed and a ‘getting started’ section, there are basically seven stages, starting with the windows, then the base and finishing with the roof and barge boards etc, each including ‘like so’ illustrations. Not having my modelling tools with me, some improvisation was inevitable - in addition to using the cheap scissors and glue, I found a small pair of ‘nail scissors’ to be a suitable replacement for a craft knife though to be honest I found the cheap scissors from ‘Jim’s Cash and Carry’ perfectly adequate for most of the cutting bits. Mrs PVilly had conveniently brought some water colour paints and fine brushes and I used ‘burnt umber’ to paint the edges and corners. Finally, the instructions tell you to keep the individual components ‘in a tray away from your working area to create your builders yard’ – I used a large Rodda’s clotted cream container (having consumed the cream of course!)!



I built the kit in stages over a few days, with everything finished by the end of our holiday apart from the shop sign which I chose to put on once we’d got back from our holiday. In recognition of my wife’s contribution and patience, I decided to make the shop a jewellers – which she naturally approved of! I’m very pleased with the end product and also delighted that it survived the journey back to Southampton being transported in that same Rodda’s container. It will fit in very well with the other low relief buildings in the street opposite the terminus station on my layout.
All in all a pleasant distraction and I may well be visiting Kernow Model Rail Centre next year when we return to Cornwall!

Nice job, Phil.  And nice to know that your trip wasn't wasted.   

Looking forward to seeing pics of your layout.

Thanks Terry,I must have a look at the Scalescene range, the low relief shop fronts and backs do look impressive - next year's holiday project? 😉
Phil

Good idea. Having not long come back from holiday myself, I wish I'd taken such a project too!
Model looks good too – nicely made.

Gordon :-)

Very nice indeed.  I really must have a proper go at card modelling, I feel like I am being left out of a members' club!  I did make a few but they were not great - probably my impatience (or is that enthusiasm?) to finish the model.  They always ended up looking like….. well cardboard models.  Yours, on the other hand, is very convincing.

Regards

Michael