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it's an hot summer here and I've take the occasion to enhance an already beautiful kit made by Showcase Miniatures to fulfil all main details of this depot during the late ‘47 .
I’ve done in the past several research on the story of this pearl along the SP commute line from the City to San Jose, and, as you can read here ( http://xoomer.virgilio.it/enzo_fortuna/MenloPark.html) I’ve compiled a summary of all modifications that this depot have during the life. Some far friends ( Rob Sarberenyi and Robert Morris ) have support me with pictures of details as you can see here http://www.pbase.com/espeef5/menlo_park and here http://enzo-fortuna.iitalia.com/Menlo-Park_pictures/Menlo_Pic-index.html
Given the general dimensions of the Showcase kit are more or less correct ( see the original drawings here http://enzo-fortuna.iitalia.com/Menlo-Park_drawings/index.html) what mostly the kit leaves out is the passenger shelter and some details, specially on the roof ).
I decided to spend some time on my scratchbuild bench, and here are the results.
Hope you enjoy it!
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These are the final pictures of the depot, here down the step by step pictures.
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- Flat styrene base shaped around the depot with the passengers shed extension. I’ve glued a second layer of paved styrene ( cut at 45° ) for the floor of the shelter. First spray a base light grey and then dry brush with brick dark red.
- Framed the shelter floor with walnut strips and darken with a wash of alcohol & india ink.
- brushing some single plates give different shades of wear. Then put in place the depot.
- preparing pieces for the shelter : board with styrene framed by nut sticks, columns made by 3 wood pieces ( squared base – column – 45% filed head… glued together … well, next time I will made a resin moulder! Manage these microbes is not so funny )
- the top of the shelter done!
- and a bird view of all parts before mounting
- … and after
- Now (another tedious job!) shingles on the roof. I’ve select two types of shapes (cedar squared and diamonds ) to replicate the prototype variation ( see the picture here: http://www.pbase.com/espeef5/image/77115096 ).
- To give the impression of the super-elevated roof on the shelter ( see the original here ) I glued some wood sticks on top of the cardstock roof cover, then covered everything with thin paper.
- An U squared styrene strip all around and brass wires shaped to simulate water pipes.
- Water pipes installed on rail side and shingles on the windows sun covers. Painted the shingles in dark olive green.
- A step back to admire your job ( and also note some wrong details too )
- And a step forward ( how so crude is the digital picture machine: it enlighten all little miss-alignments and ….. well I know “where”)
- OK, now playing with fleas again! The roof corners ornaments are made by …. styrene and brass.
- a short cut of U strip contain a piece of brass pipe ( flatten and then filed to have the hearth shape of the point). Then I’ve added 4 little strips of styrene also shaped with a jeweller file.
- Station name plates ( 3 different dimensions ) also filed from styrene. One on the shingled roof of the pagoda.
- One on top of the Bay window and the last one on the shelter.
- I’ve noted on the pre-1964 pictures a little brick chimney positioned on back side of the roof ( not exactly as mine, but … that's what I've found in my scrap box for now!)
Now I "only" need to search a proper character font ( http://www.pbase.com/espeef5/image/77115088 ) to fill the station name and put some additional details ( as a Timetable on the wall, baggage carriage ..... and so on)
Compare with the real pictures …. And, please, consider the scale and that on the layout you appreciate the depot from … an airplane point of view!
