Model sheets
Some guidance notes
We don't intend to produce detailed instructions for making your own model as trying things out is part of the fun - remember that you can download and print our sheets as often as you like. However whilst developing these sheets and having several attempts at making them up ourselves a few lessons have been learnt. They may seem fairly obvious, but we thought they may be useful so we share them here.
- Using good quality pure white paper is important as any colour cast will affect the colour of the printed image. Don't be tempted to use glossy photographic paper as the coating can crack and sometimes break away when folded. Matt paper is not quite so prone to this, but it does depend on the coating so some experimentation might be worth while, although it is pretty expensive when compared with other papers.
- We have used a combination of woodworking PVA (slightly diluted when applying by brush to large areas) and double sided carpet tape to produce our own self adhesive card pieces. The latter is a good way to attach walls etc. to card (or foam board) as it doesn't soften the paper overlay and it is instant - just bear in mind there is no second chance with this method!.
- Using different weights of paper can be useful. A thicker (160 gsm) paper will be more durable when being handled and provide a bit more strength to details such as the valances. Thinner paper (the more normal 80 or 90 gsm) can be folded more easily but can become fragile, tearing easily and stretching when glue is applied. This can prove useful however, especially when covering the tapered canopy support beams.
- Don't get glue where it shouldn't be as it can dissolve the ink and ruin a print, also you can leave finger prints on bits - not good.
- Using different thicknesses of card can make life easier. We used two thicknesses of cereal packet when making the lead roof bits (take care as really shiny printed surfaces won't stick very well with pva), really thick card for the gables, toilet wall and canopy support beams, and medium thickness for the walls. Suitable off-cuts of mount card, they don't need to be very big, should be available from your local friendly picture framer if you ask. It may be necessary to build up several layers to get the right thickness for the gables etc.
- Gutter layers need to be pretty thick, either very thick card or laminated to make it up to the thickness of the gutter. Cut the card full size, but bevel the edge all round by at least 45 degrees to form the gutter shape.
- Flat roofs are made up of several layers. We know that there should be a slight slope on the lead roofing but it is so slight that we chose to ignore it. We found it easiest to make the flat roof first, then add the main building walls followed by the support beams and cast iron brackets. It is a whole lot easier to do this upside down, then turn the model the right way up to glue it onto the base (if you are using our base) and carry on with the gabled roof and chimneys as appropriate.
- Don't cut each printed piece out to its exact size. Allow extra for folding over where applicable. Also, some corners may need to be trimmed to fit, as with the gutter.
- When cutting the card backing for walls we cut each piece to the correct width, but allowed a bit extra top and bottom, then bevelled the ends before gluing on. This allows a bit of leeway as the card can then be cut to the walls top and bottom and be folded giving neat sharp corners in theory. It proved a bit difficult to get the mitred edges accurately cut, so maybe butt joints are easier (allowing for the thickness of the card of course). Whichever way you go it is a good idea to fold the walls up first. This enables a really crisp corner to be made and helps with the positioning of the card backing.
- When making the ticket office adding the big chimney to the gable is a bit tricky as it sticks out either side, a bit more on one side than the other. After much experimentation we decided the best way is to make up the chimney (a bit too long to make handling easier) and make the gable wall, then cut a slot in the gable (rather than the chimney) to just below the lowest roof level to accept the chimney. Trim the chimney to the correct length to fit the slot and then glue it in place so it sticks out either side. The slate roof panels can be trimmed to fit round the chimney before gluing them in place. Similarly, it is also easier to trim the roof to fit round the smaller chimney, rather than trying to trim the chimney to fit the roof.
- The slate roofs are laid out pretty close to their correct sizes, but may need a bit of trimming here and there to fit. The large central section is over-length to allow for a bit of flexibility. Start with the two end gables and work towards the middle, that way you won't find that several small errors in positioning result in a big error when you get to the last gable.
- Use acrylic or model enamels for touching up (for example the cut edges of the support brackets). Felt pens are a disaster as they soak into the paper and card making a horrible splodge.
- Finally, having made your model it may be worth giving it a coat of something to protect it and help fix any little loose bits. As with felt pens, some sealants will simpy dissolve the ink and ruin a lovely model, so experiment with a spare printed sheet first. We use matt artists spray fixative - it is expensive but it is designad to coat prints and drawings. Spray cans of matt car laquer and even hair spray can be used to good effect - but test first! A spray is by far the easiest and quickest way of doing it as you can get into all the nooks and crannies, using a brush can damage delicate details.
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Some useful links
In late 2017 a number of original drawings were specially scanned in for us by Network Rail Corporate Archive. The full set of images can be seen on their Culham Station Gallery where they may also be purchased.
Another useful source of drawings are those accompanying planning applications via South Oxford District Council.
In its May issue from 1974 Railway Modeller carried an article On the broad gauge, early GWR architecture which included photos and 2mm scale drawings of the Ticket Office at Culham. They revisited the ticket office for its 175th birthday in 2019, and their June issue carried a two page article - 175 not out - about the Old Ticket Office, 175th celebrations, and some very good drawings in 'N' scale. Following the 'Culham in model form' item under the 'IMAGES' menu tab will reveal many photographs of models based on Culham, both commercial and scratch built, and a list of magazine articles of which we are aware featuring Culham buildings. There is also a link to the full June 2019 Railway Modeller article, which is reproduced by kind permission of the Editor.
Whilst all these scale drawings are a good reference and do provide useful detail, some contain errors which can prove confusing. They certainly confused us when first planning our attempts at making a model. It would seem that old drawings might have been used for the basis of some (thus perpetuating errors), or that assumptions were made in the drawing office when trying to fill in gaps and join things up. There is nothing like being able to visit and seeing things in real life, which is where we have something of an advantage.