pidge456 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Hi everyone, I am just about to extend my layout with new track etc. Up to now i've always used skaledale buildings which are very realistic but also very expensive. Ive been looking at card kits but have no experience. Can anyone recommend them or recommend the best quality manufacturers (if you are allowed to!!)Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teedoubleudee Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Hi Pidge. There are lots of choices available depending on your budget and skill level. Some can be downloaded from the net and you print them out and glue them to card. Ready card kits are availbale from Superquick and Metcalfe. Personally, I like the Metcalfe kits, they are laser cut for ease of removing and they often come with build options. Completed they are very strong. You will need a sharp knife, a steel rule, a self healing cutting mat and some suitable glue. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VESPA Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Pidge, have a look at the DAPOL plastic kits such as the cottage (ex Airfix). Also have a look through the Airfix range as sometimes they are suitable. There are many maker of plastic model building kits such as Piko, Vollmer, Heljan, Faller and Guagemaster to name but a few. The card kits are excellent and can be made better with detailing such as gardens or exensions from other kits to make a complete new building. I still have two Dapol cottage kits to do that I am going to make one large cottage, similar to that at the start of BBC's Place in the Country programme. Don't forget that card kits can have bits added from card and Superquick building papers of free from here. http://paperbrick.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 You may like to look at Wordsworth free stuff...town and country and railway and backscenes as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Metcalfe building kits are fine.The company is Yorkshire based, and a lot of the buildings are of stone construction (as well as some brick buildings). Superquick kits have a longer history, and some models have been in production since the 1960s (The City type Terminal/ Through Station, Loco Shed, etc.) (so they are of earlier periods mainly). Some have been re-done over the years (Country Station, Signal Box, Goods Shed, etc.)Superquick are mainly Brick built buildings. I think that both companies sell matching building papers to help with modifications, etc. Both companies have a mix of Railway and non-railway (town & country) buildings. A lot of plastic building kits are available. Railway and non-railway. Most need painting. They go together just like an Airfix Spitfire (You must have built at least one of these? 😉 ) with liquid polystyrene glues. Download "kits" need printing onto paper, glueing onto card, cutting out, assembling (more glue), and the home prints need coating with a varnish or similar to protect the inks....Good, but some experience of "pre-cut" card kits would help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Some examples of Kit-built models from our model railway...Metcalfe Railway Workers Cottages.Pre-cut Card Kit with modifications.Based on buildings on the Settle & Carlisle line, Midland Railway, but don't let that stop you using them!Mine are meant to be in North Wales! /media/tinymce_upload/4534699bdb70f4db66fb4156c535ef4a.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/f580189951da92fedb85a08d387a21c8.JPGWills Goods Yard Store.Plastic Kit. Very much modified using card, plastic card, plastic brick sheet, etc./media/tinymce_upload/2f2f0089d38a55cbefbc96022eaf9c8d.JPGRatio Goods Yard Office.Assembled and painted plastic kit.One of the simpler plastic kit buildings, but make sure that the chimney, and therefore fireplace, is not just inside the door!/media/tinymce_upload/9605abc7874920716ca7fe4292f51c8a.JPGRatio GWR Signalbox Kit Modified and painted plastic kit.Based on "Highley Signal Box", Severn Valley Raiway.(Also made as a ready to plant building by others.)(Scratch-built Aqueduct behind. Mainly Cereal Packet Card, with plastic fencing!)/media/tinymce_upload/2c51bedcec3a92ee807c6ae8018e3b87.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37lover Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 I am a fan of Scalescenes; you pay your money, download the kit, print and stick onto card then assemble. A bit of experience with the pre-printed kits helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamDavid Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 You may like to look at Wordsworth free stuff...town and country and railway and backscenes as well.I can't seem to open these downloads. Downloaded as .rar/media/tinymce_upload/9d3bc2d92fde48b9ac0a69c8e4dafb8e.PNG I have acrobat reader installed.Any advice please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrumDave Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 I agree with RAF96 the Wordsworth kits are great, they are free to download and ideal for modification with items like plastic window frames, drain pipes and doors, most of all they are easy and fun to build and nowhere near as fiddly as some of the other card kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul60 Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I am looking at some of these 'printed' buildings.My thoughts are sticking them to thin balsa sheets rather than card stock to create a more substantial building.Then applying a dull coat to both protect the paper & ink and also giving a matt finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrumDave Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I am looking at some of these 'printed' buildings.My thoughts are sticking them to thin balsa sheets rather than card stock to create a more substantial building.Then applying a dull coat to both protect the paper & ink and also giving a matt finish.I usually fit triangular shaped gussets into the inside corners of these buildings some of which I have had on my layout for many years with no problems at all, be careful of balsa especially thin balsa as it can warp with age, also be careful of what you use to dulcote printed structures as the colours can fade as soon as they dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Fan Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I really think that you will find that ordinary cardboard is quite strong enough, cheaper and easier to work.It might be helpful to use wood for chimneys and chimney pots but if you build a Superquick or Metcalfe kit by following the instructions you will learn a great deal about making strong shapes by laminating sheet card. The lessons learned tranfer easily to Scalescenes and similar downloadable kits.It must be over 50 years since I built my first Superquick kit (Elizabathen cottages, but not the ones in the present range) and I still recall being impressed at their structural strength.But have ago anyway with balsa. Nothing would improve if everyone listened to old buffers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I can't seem to open these downloads. Downloaded as .rar/media/tinymce_upload/9d3bc2d92fde48b9ac0a69c8e4dafb8e.PNGA .rar file is much the same as a .zip file and needs to be extracted before you can use it.See instructions here:http://www.winzip.com/lanrar.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buz Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi allWills kits are also worth a look.When it comes to card kits for goodness sake use a close matching felt tip pen or colour pencil in the score and fold lines nothing spoils a card building like the stark white lines on the corners and raw edges.I would also sugest a little re-enforcing with bass wood in the corners for a really robust modelDon't be afraid to try and add a bit of 3D by making extra layers where apropriate for a little extra detailLike all Kits the finished card model is only as good as the effort put in to doing a proper job of it.regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Try - http://www.wordsworthmodelrailway.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twintop Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I started with Superquick card kits 50 years ago and some are still the same. I still have most of them, but in pieces - never throw any bits away - they can come in handy. I do have one issue with card - in the loft, the varying moisture/temperature causes them to shrink and expand - althought its the platforms that are the main issue - gaps between in summer and bulging surfaces in winter. Love the kits though and you get a lot of enjoyment out of building them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrumDave Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I think a lot depends on what type of glue is used to put card kits together, I have tried many types but find model aircraft glue does the best job, it is quick drying when parts are held together with a few clothes pegs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyGee Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I'm a big fan of Superquick and Metcalfe, they are easy and fast to build (rather fun too),look fine when finished and with a bit of extra bits like drainpipes etc added are even better. Great value too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidge456 Posted April 28, 2016 Author Share Posted April 28, 2016 Thanks guys for all the input. I have started buying Metcalfe kits and I think they are excellent and so much cheaper than ready built models. I really enjoy building them and have saved some money to spend on more locos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted April 28, 2016 Share Posted April 28, 2016 I always used Superquick but have recently changed all my buildings (except one) to Metcalfe. Very very sturdy. I think they are excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buz Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Hi allWell only slightly OTThe penultimate in card building's would have to be the ones scratch built for Pendon.I read some where to get the level of exelence they achieve takes one year's worth of working time to doSo card is not dead as a scratch build matieral corn flakes box and post cards are handy for that acording to a 1950's book I have.Handy for those odd one of things you might want on the layout perhapsregards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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