Warehouse Wednesday: Wingfield Station

On the way back from Crich, I dropped in to Wingfield station. Knowing nothing about it, other than having spotted a sign on the way up to the tramway museum, it was one of those wonderful discoveries that happen occasionally. 

The station isn't served by the real railway any more, but trains still pass by what was once the platform, and it's a lovely spot to sit eating a tub of delicious ice cream, and watching multiple units thrashing by. 

Rather than take you through the extensive history of this Grade II listed building, allow me to point you at the excellent website.  

As a modelling prospect, this building has a lot going for it. Modest in size, and not overly ornate, to my eyes, very attractive. If you're not sure, there is a 4mm scale model of it in the goods shed. 

With an eye for the unusual, I was very taken by the train planters around the site. 

 

 

I want some of these in the garden!

More photos of Wingfield station, and its planters, over in my Flickr album.  

Warehouse Wednesday: Manx shelter and post box

 

I'm nearly through the Manx photos, but had to use this one taken in the little museum (I think) beside Laxey station. 

Information is a bit sparse, but I assume this is a tiny shelter from the Manx Electric Railway. The post box is a fairly typical Manx feature - there is one at Groudle Station, which I always try to remember to send a postcard from. 

Both are very modelable, although that shelter looks a bit small for anything other than three people! 

Warehouse Wednesday: Gansey Mill

Each morning, before everyone else got up, I'd take a walk around the bay to enjoy the sounds and smells of the sea. This took me past a tall stone building. 

Back home, I've done a little research, using this excellent guide (PDF download).  In here, I find that "The present Mill was erected in 1844 by Holmes the Banker, and the building was used as a "Town Corn Mill." The building was originally used as a thrashing mill and later used as a Woollen Mill. It has now been converted into apartments."

If you fancy one of those apartments buy the way, it will cost you £167k for a two-bed with excellent views. 

At some point, the mill housed Gansey Pottery, with a wooden extension on the front. There was a waterwheel, but this disappeared in the 1930s. 

You can see this building on Google Streetview. 

Warehouse Wednesday: Dental laboratory

Spotted on the side of a terraced house in Skipton. I know no more, other than it's full of atmosphere. 

You can see more on Streetview.  

Warehouse Wednesday: Skipton derricks

While up in Skipton, and strolling around the canals, I took the opportunity to snap photos of a pair of derricks, on either side of an old warehouse. 

It looks like these are original features - you can see one in this photo from 1959, and another from 1974.

Colourful graffiti

 

 

Spotted in York earlier this year, a nice piece of colourful graffiti at the top of a building. 

Graffiti is a fact of life, and has been for many years. Replicating it on a model is challenging, as some of it is distasteful, and we like our models to be suitable for a family audience, at least at an exhibition. This could be copied though, and would be safe for young eyes, as well as adding a splash of colour to a model.  

Warehouse Wednesday: A view from the USA

A friend is on a trip to New York, and among the pictures of the view, and Statue of Liberty, there was this cracking shot. 

At first glance, there is nothing special about it, but that's what makes it so interesting, to me at least. Everything in this photo is American. The building with exposed fire escape on the front. The USPS van - I tried to identify the make, but can't work it out. 

My point is that you can't take an American building kit and plonk it on the UK layout. You'll need to do a fair bit of work first, but then that's all part of the fun isn't it? 

Warehouse Wednesday: Mill House, York

Opposite my hotel in York, are a couple of attractive buildings.According to Wikipedia, Mill House is a former grain mill which is now the headquarters for the police in York. There's no obvious signs of it's current use, other than a couple of Police vans parked outside at all hours. 

Next door is The Whippet Inn, which is Grade II listed and dates back to 1896. It used to be called The Yorkshire Tavern, The Other Tap and Spile and the Yorkshire Huzzars. The entrance to the back yard (and possibly stables?) is shown on the first large-scale map of the city in 1852.

Visit these buildings on Streetview.  

 

Warehouse Wednesday: Tall finials

Have you ever wondered how tall the finials on top of a gasholder are? 

No, me neither. But on an early Sunday morning stroll at Ally Pally, I found out anyway. Around 7ft since you are asking. 

 

Warehouse Wednesday: Cadbury buildings

 

A mop-up of interesting views around the Cadbury factory. All should be clickable if you'd like a closer look. 

Spot the Creame Egg car.

 

Warehouse Wednesday: City of Birmingham Electric Supply 1920

 

Head up to road level from Bournville station, and this is what you find. A 1920s substation, from the days when "The Corporation" handled electricity. 

What a beauty it is too. OK, the various extensions don't add anything to the look, but at least the building is still doing the same job it was built for - even being upgraded a few years ago.  

Younger readers may not understand just how widely the tentacles of the local authority once spread. Nowadays, everything is chopped up, and sold off, but once, the council was seen as a benevolent body that looked after the local area. People actually cared who their local representatives were. When this place was built, people were proud of their construction, and intended it to last a very long while. I wonder if they expected it to be doing the job a century later, though. 

From a modelling perspective, putting the name of your fictional council on the end of a building like this would help the viewer form an idea of where the layout is set. This isn't a complicated building either, as the view on Streetview shows. 

Warehouse Wednesday: Bourn Brook

I was in Bournville, so of course I took the route from show to station, through the Cadbury factory. And yes, I did go in the shop, and no, I didn't buy anything. 

What I did collect, was a lot of photos of the buildings. We start with this one, The Bourn Brook. 

If you click on the top image, it will be blown up so you can take a proper look. The picture shows the scene in the days of the railway, and the sign is at the real spot. I'll be honest, I can't relate the two images - possibly, I am standing on the bridge shown in the drawing. The buildings shown, now replaced with a car park.

I don't think that anyone is going to build the whole of the factory, but Bourn Brook could be turned into a 3D picture, with the trains running over the bridge between hidden fiddleyards. Maybe not the most exciting operation, but maybe it could be automated. I bet at shows, you'd enjoy a good-sized audience watching the trains go by. 

Warehouse Wednesday: Irish flour mill

Hat tip to Duncan Young for this: 

This was lifted with permission of the administrator from the Disused Stations site. It’s a rail-served flour mill in Ireland (5’ 3” gauge). It oozes modelling potential-short wheelbase wagons, delicious pointwork and a good starter for a micro layout with simple electrics? 

Some nice simple buildings to scratchbuild by the look of it. All a bit grey and (I suspect) 1950s industrial. Just my sort of thing. Thanks for the find! 

Warehouse Wednesday: Birstall Social Club

Out on a photo shoot last week, the parking was in front of Birstall Social Club. 

What a fantastic frontage. Very modelable, although I think I'd reinstate the old flagpole, between the numbers, in a miniature version. 

Handily, for those who want to take a closer look at this building, which I'm assured is massive when you get inside, there is a model railway show in January.   

Warehouse Wednesday: Oxford roofs

I found myself the other day, looking out over Oxford, from the top of the Sheldonian Theatre. As I admired the dreaming spires, I pondered how I'd model them if called to. 

And it occurred to me that there were two options. Carefully make one, with a great deal of skill and fiddling, and cast it in resin, or more likely, 3D print the thing as many times as required.  

As a fan of traditional modelling, I'll have to admit that this is one area where printing will score well above carving things out of plastic. That pains me a bit, as I'd like my modelling to take place somewhere other than on a screen - I spend more than enough time staring into one as it is! 

However, this fits my idea that this is another technology that is a useful tool, an addition to the modellers toolbox as it were. Fortunately, I'm not likely to modelling central Oxford in the near future, so I don't have to worry too much right now...

Incidentally, while in the Theatre, I tried on a mortarboard.

All the ones on offer were too small. So, it turns out it was a good job I was too thick to go to university - I'd not be able to graduate, because I couldn't fit in the hat!
 

Warehouse Wednesday: Staines Mustard Mill

Hat tip to Duncan Young for this photo, which he had to get wet to take!

He says, "It’s been boarded up for some time and is adjacent to a path to the railway station. The central part must be for roasting or grinding the seed? It might make a nice low relief model?"

I can't disagree. This is a pretty typical structure, but being modular, it would be perfect as a backdrop to a layout. You could even stick a few sidings in front; they wouldn't look out of place.  

 

 

Warehouse Wednesday: Shunting bollard and wagon turntable

 

Spotted, on the way to Germany, in the Coal Drops Yard, behind Kings Cross - an ornamental shunting bollard and wagon turntable. 

Now, I'm assuming the track has been relaid as there isn't a flangeway alongside it, but these "ornaments" actually look pretty convincing. OK, the turntable is now glass, not wood, but it's in the right place, and pays homage to the history of the yard. 

The shunting capstan is on an access cover - possibly because it was a powered version, so you'd need access underneath? I'm not sure why it's there otherwise. 

I bet most people haven't a clue about either, but readers of this blog are so much better educated... 

Warehouse Wednesday: Elend goods shed

Yes, another picture from Germany. I've had so little modelling time recently, I need to milk my holiday for content. 

That said, this is a lovely little building. I'm not sure we used this metal frame with brick infill method in the UK much, but it's all over Europe. 

Shooting from the train, I couldn't get a look at the back, but fortunately, Google Streetview can.  

Warehouse Wednesday: Das Lagerhaus

I left Aachen for Wernigerode, so experience the HSB. Of course, when wandering around the town, I couldn't help but snap a few of the many interesting buildings to be found, especially in the back streets.

While the town is a bit chocolate-boxy for my taste, it is well-preserved and real people actually live there, so we get to see some real workplaces, even just off the centre. 

This one fascinated me. Surely there isn't enough space to properly back a cart up under the doors to load? The railway would get in the way, but it's not close enough to load onto a railway wagon. I'm sure neither building or track have moved for a very long time. 

The final shot is of a boarded-up shop I passed as I walked from the hotel to station and back again. All I could think is, "That would make a lovely model shop..."

Warehouse Wednesday: Albert Dock, Liverpool

A few shots of the Albert Dock in Liverpool, which I took a couple of weeks ago.I'd dropped my parents off at the Isle of Man ferry terminal, and enjoyed an early morning stroll to the station, and my train home. 

Years ago, my Dad and I exhibited Melbridge Dock here. An enjoyable weekend.  

It's an interesting place. In my mind, I'm imagining what those who worked here would thinking of the gentrification that has taken place. The people who built it would probably be pleased that not only are the buildings still standing, but that they are appreciated, and have been found new uses. 

The docks museum is being redeveloped, so I couldn't visit, and the "Titanic Experience" doesn't appeal. Surely, that's mostly drowning in a cold sea?