Test Building

For regular readers with a good memory it's no secret that I plan to fit a small relief building in a corner of my 16 mm scale layout. The building is planned to serve several purposes. First it represents part (a very small part, I know) of the Nystrup Gravel sorting and gravel handling facilities. Second it helps hide the corner and provide an illusion of the track continuing beyond the layout's edge. Third it adds an important vertical aspect to the layout, something a future backscene will also contribute to. 

Cardboard mock up of the building set up for evaluating size, roof slope and the dimensions of the opening for trains. The current opening will accept my Lister and future Pedershaab locomotives, but will have to be signficantly enlarged to accomodate the Fowler and Baguley-Drewry.  

The prototype Nystrup Gravel company had a number of buildings in the usual cheap industrial designs of the early to mid 20. century. When the times were good and the future looked prosperous, the company dared to invest in brick buildings. Consequently most buildings were wooden constructions on low concrete foundations.

Buildings housing crushing and sorting equipment at the Smedeby gravel industry in the early 20. century. In my eyes a very charming little facility with great modelling appeal even in the larger scales. Photo: Bov Lokalarkiv B6585

Through the years I have visited many industrial facilities and picked up inspiration for modelling. In fact exploration of old industrial facilities have long been a favourite hobby of mine in addition to railways, construction equipment, tractors and military technology etc. 

I explored the old and disused Holbæk shipyard in 2010 and was glad to see a wide range of wooden buildings. Some of the buildings have now been restored and put to new use, but have of course lost the derelict charm.

For the moment I'm going to play around with my piece of cardboard, adapting it to locos and track to decide on a final design for the building. A finished relief building isn't a first priority, but once I decide how it's going to look I'm sure I'll get it started quite quick.