The Modeler's Forum

On a couple of sorties into Europe recently I have picked up a few Austrian and German model locos and rolling stock. At a recent exhibition I came across a little station kit by Kibri on the secondhand stall for a fiver. I have always steered away from German plastic kits because that they looked so plasticky (if that is a word).

But for a fiver (£5.00) I was willing to experiment. First off I decided to repaint all the parts of the kit. I think the problem with these kits is that they are self coloured and folk just do not bother to paint them resulting in them looking toy-like.

Here is the battered box top of the kit and a couple of walls of the main building.

First off I decided to spray the walls of the main building with a Rust-Oleum spray paint featuring a textured bleached stone finish.

Mike

Continuing...........

All Kibri kits seem to come with a base. The kit has a platform with flagstones and patches of gravel. It looks OK painted but after painting/staining the flags I decided to added some proper ground cover. I used a box lid and painted PVA onto the gravel areas and added various patches of real earth and gravel to the base.

Mike

Here is the completed base which I think looks anything other than plastic. I realise for experienced modellers this exercise is pretty boring but I am intrigued how unlike a toy-like kit I can make the build...............

Mike

I love it when I have to rectify my mistakes..............

The lower walls of the station are clad in stone. The textured paint is just that textured...........So I have to clean up the lower parts of the walls using a blade to remove the texture so that the stone cladding can be glued correctly hmm................

Mike

Mike,

I'm following along on this adventure. Nice recovery on the walls.

Tom ;D

I'm following also. You hit the nail on the head about plastic kits looking toy like. Great job so far.

I'll be watching Mike.....your progress so far is impressive, the foundation and base look great.  8)

Thanks Tom, Curt and Greg - much obliged............

The kit comes with no fewer than 201 parts. There are no kit instructions as such just two views of the model with the locations indicated by part numbers.

My aim is clean up the parts so they fit snugly and build up each wall in turn before attempting to glue the whole thing  :-\ together....................

Mike

I'll be following along too Mike!  I love the idea of taking a plastic kit and eliminating the toy like appearance like you're doing.   :D

Thanks for following Bob.

I have fitted the window frames to the walls. A little fettling was needed with my knife to clean up the edges so they seated properly.

Notice why it only cost only a fiver?

Yes one window frame is missing from the kit. Not a problem though as I am sure that I can find a way around it. Meanwhile I have made sure the back wall of the station is the problem area.............

Mike

The stone cladding needed some work. I have primed it with grey and sand sprays before using chalks and finally a little dry-brushing to accent the faces of the stones.

Mike

A quick window fix..........I could not find the perfect fit, but Tichy's 8/8 Double Hung Window was close..........So..........

Once the rest of the window is placed behind the frame and shutters are added it will be hard to spot the difference.

Mike

I have started erecting the walls. The mullions are painted white in the picture on the box. I have sprayed the ones on the main building light grey and on the wooden addition sand. I think the white looks too toy-like......... on most of the parts there are small nubs due to the molding process that have to be pared off with a scapel for a good fit.........hmm

Mike

Looking good Mike , I certainly like the the Rust o leum.

Thanks Jan.

The stone cladding was added to the bottom of the walls of the main building................

Mike

Very nice Mike.

Thanks Curt.
Mike :)

Continuing...........

The shutters were added to the walls and the roof comes next............

Mike

A few more details added...................

Mike

Goes to show even plastic can be a craftsmen kit if a craftsman did it.

Excellent job on this plastic kit.

Thanks Jan and Curt for your kind words.

Mike :)

Well done Mike.....your work really adds realism to the kit.  8)

Thanks Greg.
There are a few parts missing from the kit so I am having to make my own............
Here are a few of the latest views............

Mike

Hi Mike:

I commented on the final pictures. You did an excellent job on this one.

Karl

Thanks very much Karl.Mike :)