Boxfile Building

The buildings for the box file are surprisingly challenging. They need to give the feel of typical farm buildings, and add visual interest to what is a tiny layout, but also fit inside the box file. However the height inside the box file with the lid shut works out around 10 feet in 7mm scale, which means even a single-storey building with a pitched roof won't fit. That means the buildings will either have to be fully removable, or have removable roofs and upper storeys where present.

Here's the first one under construction. I've used Slater's brick embossed plasticard, this is laminated to a 20 thou sheet of plasticard (white) for the door and window frames, then 40 thou plasticard (black) for strength. Further plasticard floors and walls inside reinforce the walls and will hold the building together, this building is "low relief", about an inch deep, but to complicate matters is is not parallel to the back-scene so includes some difficult shapes!. The gable and the roof will lift off - I just need to figure out how to make it do so, while remaining strong!

This photo of Tatton Park Farm buildings gives an idea of the type and style of buildings I am trying to portray, although I have designed the buildings to suit their location on the layout. Note the arched windows, the simple window and door frames almost flush to the brick, slate roofs with no barge boards, and the colouring of the local brick. If I can get those details right the buildings should be reminiscent of farms around Cheshire.