Line Side Model Kits

[Artisan]

As a beginner I am not familiar with what are good track side model kits like goods sheds, signal boxes etc. I have seen the various manufacturers like Metcalfe, Ratio, Kestrel and more but I would like to ask members what they prefer and why.

[port perran]

That's an interesting question.
I can only speak from experience. I've used a mix of various types of kits and scratchbuilding on my layouts. My only comment re Metcalfe is that they are lovely kits and relatively simple to build (if you take your time). The only downside for me is that too many can make your layout a bit "samey".
The others, largely being plastic kits, willusually require assembly and painting of course.

[Newportnobby]

Although I have no experience of them, these always looks very good to me..............

http://www.ancortonmodels.com/buildings/4578501653

[Dorsetmike]

I note Ancorton do not show the prices until you click on purchase, that always puts me off, reminds me of the saying "if you have to ask how much then you probably won't be able to afford it"

Loking at layouts in exhibitions a lot of them will have the same model buildings; if I use kits I usually modify them, where possible I usually scratch build  as much as I can.

Windows and doors are sometimes a bit crude so I use etched brass ones, or replace plain windows with bay windows - available as castings from various suppliers. In the pic below there is a mix of scratch and kit built
the low relief terrace is mostly scratch built excpt for a pair of Peedie cast resin shops and the darker ones further away are Metrcalfe some with bay windows and/or dormers, bottom right a Metcalfe pub built as a straight not corner building and the corner shop kit ; the ones in the middle are all scratch built, same basic layout but with different brick or stone paper stuck on the card before cutting out, you could do similar with kits, download the brick or stone from Scalescenes and print onto A4 size self adhesive labels

[MalcolmInN]

I note Ancorton do not show the prices until you click on purchase, reminds me of the saying "if you have to ask how much then you probably won't be able to afford it"

They show in my browser
It is a very odd site, having clicked on the first 'purchase' tab  I am then taken to the catalogue pages where there are several pages showing all their offerings with prices against each.
You then have to hunt down the model you first thought of amongst all those pages ! and click again on it before you can go to it's individual page to add it to basket and only then proceed to begin purchasing !!

[Jerry Howlett]

It may be because I live "off shore" but my vice and preference are download kits.  Scalescenes are my favourite but I also have bought from Smart models and Model Railway scenery.  In fact I have spent more time building this stuff over the last 4 years than I have spent in the actual railway room.

[Newportnobby]

@Jerry Howlett
and more time in Casualty than both the others

[Jerry Howlett]

 

[dannyboy]

I am a fan of Metcalfe kits, (although I do have some wooden and plastic ones). They can be modified by using different materials for roofs, painting the window frames with a fine nib paint pen, a bit of weathering and things like that.  Like Dorsetmike, I have downloaded various brick and roof papers and printed onto A4 sticky labels - it does help when modifying a kit to get rid of the 'sameness'.

[Bealman]

Yes, an interesting question. Like port perran, I have a mixture of kits, kit bashed and scratch built on my layout. I've always had a fondness for the Ratio kits. Pretty intricate to build, but nicely detailed.

[Railwaygun]

its worth browsing the chinese made buildings on Ebay (there is a thread on NGF) - some good bargains

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=34176.msg396209#msg396209

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=40000.0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=n+gauge+buildings&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l2632.R2.TR3.TRC1.A0.H0.Xn+scale+buildings.TRS0&_nkw=n+scale+buildings&_sacat=180250

[Dorsetmike]

My scratch building is made much easier by using a plotter cutter and associated software to do most of the drudgery of cutting card. Once the cutter has done its job, assembly is more or less the same as any card kit; main advantage for me is I can make it look different from retail kits, you can design to fit the space you have; if you use A4 card the maximum size you can get on a sheet is about 140x95 feet which could be one wall of a block of flats 6 or 7 stories high with about 4 or 5 flats per floor, or double that if you made it wider at the sides or joined 2 or more. (just imagine cutting all those windows by hand!)



My work bench in house building mode, top right sides cut out, at left sides with lintels and cills added, bends started, the two darker card pieces on the lower one are where the rear extensions will fit; 3 frets of Peedie models windows and doors in primer; lower right chimneys  some cast white metal some plastic rod pushed into a scrap of foam board for painting; I set the plotter cutter to cut just deep enough for windows and doors to push out maybe needing a slight touch with a craft knife , if I set it much deeper they fall out but the cuts will have scored the cutting mat which is slef heling  - up to a point. I can get 2 x four or six house terraces from a sheet of A4 card, these can also be used for low relief by cutting the gable end in half vertically and sticking it on the other end. Note the pair of grey sides top right of centre, the lower one has doors equally spaced, the upper one has them "paired", I also sometimes on the 6 house terraces add a ginnel in the middle of the block

After painting doors and windows I tack them in place with PVA then cut a piece of clear acetate to cover the whole wall and more PVA to fix it which also serves to further hold the doors and windows.

I reinforce corners with plastic angle strip, a piece of  3mm or 5mm foam board for floors and ceilings  keep it squared. some triangular pieces of foam board or heavy card are glued to the "ceiling" to support the roof which can be either Metcalfe  tile sheet, downloaded tile sheets or more recently York Models self adhesive tile strips, scroll down for details:

https://www.yorkmodelrail.com/n-scale/tiles

Chimney stacks, plastic rectangular tube covered in brick paper or  cast ones, pots plastic tube, cast or 3D printed from various suppliers.

Results as seen in my post earlier in this thread.

I have tended to do mainly terrace houses but have tried a few other items from a cricket pavilion up to small industrial buildings and a station loosely based on Swanage.

More details in a post from last year
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=38379.msg458260#msg458260

[guest311]

dog's whatsits 

do / can / would you supply 'kits' of parts ?

still planning v.5 of Inverknockie, but something like this would be a god send.