Mining Supplies Depot

Back again!

After a long, enforced absence from model making following an operation on my right wrist that has rendered my hand virtually useless for nearly three months I've been dabbling a bit and started back by building this diorama to go, eventually, on the layout.  I am waiting on some brass tubing so I can construct a hurricane fence to go around the site.


The main structure is from some vintage MDC plastic mouldings and the storage shack at the rear was inspired by the front wall beams which came from some old plastic kit. Starting with this I built up a rear wall from Evergreen scored sheet and cut down some 50 year old Airfix station canopy girders for the roof. The side walls are worked up from styrene strip and the whole thing was assembled with much profanity and fumbling hands.  I wanted a swayback roof so glued on 10 thou plastic sheet which I cut down with a rounded top edge. added the other side which I trimmed to match then glued the whole thing together.  Masking tape and paper were used as tarpaper and a steel (thin card)  patch was added along with some aluminium corrugated iron.

The dynamite store was an old scratchbuilt model that had fallen apart so I rebuilt it to go on here.  The pipe rack was made from plastic strip and a small lattice girder.  Plenty of stock  was added and a couple of Marklin trucks finish the scene.

Here is a selection of views

The trickiest part of the build was the sagging banner on the front wall! It was a combination of adjusting and splicing WordArt text in MS Word and struggling with my hands trying to affix the "rope" made from a strand af sisal twine.

I love those Marklin trucks

The one thing that jars for me on the entire model is that stack of sacks made from balsa covered with a graphic.  It really doesn't matter as mostly it won't be viewable but I won't use paper again. I like 3D details like the plastic sacks in front of it. From now on I will only use graphics for internal decor that can barely be seen through HO scale windows and doors.  And if you can't criticise your own work - who can?

I over-weathered the Bangworth's Dynamite wall poster.  It's one of my favourite creations and doesn't read as well as I'd like.

The Gold Hill signage came from a defunct sample sheet of genuine, vintage signs that I got from the net. Sadly I can't find them anymore and didn't save the original download, which is unlike me. Perhaps I was having a bad hair day!