Devil's Drop Mine and Al Judy's Lightning Builders all scratchbuilt

Mine shack and hoist

Mine location

Although the mine was initially going to be insane but simple I felt a little expansion might be fun so I started constructing a little cabin to go on the top of the mountain overlooking the gallery, with maybe a derrick to lower supplies.  I flattened out the area on top of the mountain and a dded a couple of towering rock formations to add interest and because I wanted the mine cabins to be built right into the rock.  I then set about making the cabins.

As this model will be around four feet from the viewer and high up, it wouldn’t require contest quality construction and it didn’t get it. I started with a base of thin ply from a box of Turkish Delight and built walls from balsa, a product I dislike and rarely use.  I then marked out for a double door and a window, then clad the walls with scale lumber. The scale 2”x1” battens were a bit fiddly but worth the effort as was the shiplap made from scale 2”x10” lumber.

I cut a hole in the deck for the supplies to drop through, added a lifting beam and pulley and put in a rudimentary safety fence.

At this point I thought it would be nice to have some lighting, but how to get power there?  I had just picked up 3 electric tea lights for 99p at the pound shop. These use a yellow flashing LED so I thought I could hollow out the rock to the right of the cabin, drop in the battery and a small push switch.  I then drilled through as lantern casting, fitted a light fibre optic guide and pushed it through the wall. I glued in one LED on top of a chunk of balsa to line up with the light guide and painted the inner walls black to stop leakage. I then decided if one light is good, two will be better so glued one near the window and wired the two in parallel.  Lit up they are orangey/yellow and flicker well giving the appearance of oil lamps.

I then backed the cabin with balsa, added a card roof with tissue tarpaper and sealed them with plastic wood to stop light leakage and put in a chimney.

I sprayed the walls and deck with grey primer, then with home mixed acrylic tuscan red, weathered with “Weather All” and powdered Fuller’s Earth.  After distressing the doors I glued them in place together with the window, shutter and glazing.

Overall I was pleased with the building but the more I looked at it the more it seemed illogical to just have the little deck (I know it’s a whimsical building to start with but it’s my railroad OK?) so I extended the deck and railings

Next job was to wrap the cabin in clingfilm and plaster the rocks right up to it. I can now just slide it in and out although it’s a snug fit. This will enable replacement of LEDs if I ever need to.  

Al Judy's

Mine, Al Judy's Builders and Desy's Diner