This model is very roughly based on the bothy at Minnivey, on the old NCB Waterside system. I had a few photos which showed some vague detail of the structure, but nothing that gave any really definitive information, so I simply tried to capture the feel of the thing and hope that it would fit in with my Kilgrammie shed. Since building the model, (isn't it always the way?) a few more photos have come my way, but it's too late- I'm not altering it now!
The structure was very simple to build, a card shell made from 2mm mounting card to which Redutex weathered brick sheet was applied. I know this stuff is slightly too small, but it does have a wonderful relief texture and is a nice halfway house between brickpaper and embossed brick sheet, with all the faffing about that the plastic sheet brings with it. With the Redutex, you simply remove from the backing sheet, position and you're away.
The windows were made the old fashioned way, simply by cutting a fret from postcard.I placed some clear plastic behind once the frames were painted. The middle window represents a bricked up aperture as on the prototype, although I stopped short at the blast screens that were attached to the right hand window on the real bothy.
Before thinking about the roof, I made the supports for the water tank, which were four laminations of 2mm mounting card, covered again with Redutex brick sheet.These were cut to accept the water tank. I didn't get it right on my first attempt, and had to soak the card with Resin W glue, then after a day or so, I could file it to the correct profile.
The tank is made from a length of dowel with domes at each end made from Milliput, shaped and sanded. The rivetted straps are from one of the companies that produce laser cut materials, I can't remember which, I'm afraid. I do know that Railtech transfers do some waterslide rivets which I would have preferred. The link is in the blog header.
The roof was a bit of a fiddle with all the things like tank supports and chimneys sticking out through it. I made a mock-up and then cut lengths of Wills corrugated iron sheets to the roof. The tall chimney, by the way, is a length of balsa, something I find very useful- it's also satisfying, as it is such an old-fashioned material in these days of 3D printing etc! Gutterts and downspouts were the excellent Modelu items.
I added a timber support for the water pipe... I don't think this is very prototypical, but the real thing had an incredibly ramshackle and dangerous arrangement that would have embarrassed Heath Robinson. I didn't think it would translate well in model form, but apologies if the watering arrangement is reminiscent of US practice!
Painting was with Army Painter and Vallejo acrylics, something I standardise on now. Finally, I added a couple of guys from Modelu- these figures are absolutely wonderful and really bring the scene to life.
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