Cardboard Modelling On Barchester

For guttering I always use one of two different methods depending on what I am doing. The first and easiest is the use of umbrella ribs. Can't get much simpler than that. If you haven't got an old one then pop into a charity shop and lash out. Make sure you get one with the correct section ribs. You will know as soon as you look at them.
The second method, giving you more choice of size, is to use a thin card. Filing cards are great, easily purchased from Smiths or the Office shop and they are of decent quality card and also useful for much exterior detailing on buildings and other projects, things like window and door lintels and sills for example, or, as in this case, guttering. Using a sharp knife and score a 2mm in from one edge of your card and then cut though the card 2mm from that. When creased along the score this will give you a 'V' shaped section. If this isn't what you want then the same piece of card and score the first line as before then score another 2mm from that and finally cut through the card 2mm from the last score. This will give you a very nice 'U' section gutter in 4mm when creased along the score lines. All you have to do is then cut to length. If your card isn't long enough then make two sections and join together with a small length, about 4-5mm of the same section. When coloured this will look just like the real thing.
Takes time to explain but about two minutes to make for each length, if that.
When you have your guttering then it depends on the roof overhang as to how to fasten it to the building. If the overhang is very small then one side of the gutter can go directly on the side of the wall but if the overhang is larger then you will need two or three spacers glued on the wall first to bring the guttering into the correct position.
Collector boxes for the guttering are just as easily made from the same card. Mark out the front and ends of the box on your card in one length and cut out. Then score vertically where the ends meet the front of the box. When folded you now have a three sided box which is glued to the wall in the appropriate place.

Hi Brian. The roofing comes from a pack of corrugated packing 'paper' that I bought when I was in the UK a couple of years ago. It comes in about A4 size and I bought it from one of these cheapo book shops that sells cheap books, games, writing materials etc. They sell it for using as packing for your parcels and envelopes that you don't want bending. I think it must be fairly common so Smiths might sell it or the large Office depots.
With regard to this roof I was hoping that no one would notice. I have cut it from what I had left and there wasn't enough width to cover the model the correct way round with the neccessary overlaps so it is just resting on there for the photograph. I am waiting on a fresh supply that a friend is bringing out here for me when he visits.
So you got me there eagle eyes, nice one.
If you can't locate any and you aren't in too much of a hurry you could e-mail me your address and I will send you a sheet from my fresh supply.
I have just done a quick Google for corrugated card and there are plenty of online suppliers and shops in the UK, perhaps one of them is near you or you could deal on line.

Well it's been a fair time since I reported on happenings at Barchester as most of my time has been taken up with web pages and refining operations on the layout but now I have a little time to spare. To fill this gap I have just started a much needed set of mechanical horses. They have been in the pipeline for ages but at last I have been able to make a start. As usual they will be of all card construction and at the lowest possible cost, in this case nothing, as they will be small enough to enable me to use old offcuts of card. It's been many years since I attempted anything this small, over 50 in fact, so bare with me as I get my aged fingers and eyes into gear. I have accurate dimensions of the prototype and have scaled them down for 4mm to get a general feel of the thing. Also as usual I make no claim that the finished models will bare any resemblance to their prototype as they are being made as a unique contribution to Barchester, like everything else on the layout that has gone before in this thread.
Anyway I started off this morning using 1mm card for a rough representation of the chassis I am going to use, as shown in this picture.

Fortunately I have been able to aquire good diagrams of the mechanical horse from another kind modeller so I have the general dimensions to work from. I have now started on the modelling and straight away have realised that it has been a long time since I attempted anything this small and that with my aged hands and eyes things are not going to be so easy. Anyway, enough of the excuses.
I have converted the main measurements for 4mm and will keep things as simple as possible using scrap pieces of card and any other bits I could find. I am going to make all five models at once and don't intend buying anything so this will be another real cheapo.
Had a spare hour this morning so made a start on the chassis of the prime movers using 1mm card. You can see the very simple component pieces and then four of the chassis glued together. My favourite white PVA is the adhesive used throughout..



Here's the next stage in the construction. The chassis now has it's front card support for cab and wheel while the cab parts are laid out after being cut from a thinner card than the chassis. We don't need such heavy material anymore. The chassis sides are now running parallel to each other.