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Let's Make a Scene - A Railway Workshop

By Stu, 27th September 2024 | Scene Modelling Guides

Railways have always needed workshops and repair facilities to maintain the loco and rolling stock. From Boston Lodge, to Wolverton, to the great sheds of Old Oak Common, there are countless examples of all sorts of shapes and sizes of buildings.

Inside of the buildings has always been a source of great interest to both spotters and modellers, from the tools and equipment in the machine shops to the cranes and inspection pits in the main hall.

We've created a simple, modern image diorama, as an example of how you can create a photo stage for newly purchased locos or rolling stock.

Baseboard

We've used a BB019 Single Track Photo Plank as a base. Using spare prices of MDF (we have a few scattered about) a rear wall was added, and an end wall was also added to provide some support for the roof.

A false floor of card was laid, with a gap for two rails. In between the rails, we added some LX240-OO Industrial Treadplate Walkways strips.

Lower Rear Wall and End Wall

The lower part of the back of the ‘shed’ was made from a piece of MDF, covered in TX100-OO Victorian Weathered Red Brick paper.

We added one of the LX235-OO Lift Doors, putting some yellow paper behind the glass panels to simulate the lift arriving. We also added two LX280-OO Roller Doors, one of which was left slightly open. A pair of Grills from the LX286-OO Assorted Grills pack filled a spare gap at the open end of the wall.

To finish the walls, we added various sockets, switches and conduit pieces from the LX430-OO Electrical Equipment pack.

The inside of the end wall was also covered in the Victorian brick paper.

Upper Rear Wall

For the upper part, we kit-bashed an LX390-OO Modular Temporary Site Offices kit, to be one longer floor.

We added a second lift door, this time leaving the glass panels black, and a couple more grills.

We created a suspended walkway, using parts from the LX241-OO Industrial Walkways kit.

At the end of the walkway, we added an LX453-OO Industrial Staircase.

Roof and Roof Supports

Along the front of the diorama, we added vertical pieces of I beam. Each of these was strengthened by adding a small pin in the baseboard, glued behind the foot of the column. LX269-OO Girders were then fixed along the top of the beams, and LX029 Roof Trusses were fixed across from the top of each column to the rear wall. A length of plastic rod was glued under the apex of each truss, again to provide extra strength.

The rear slope of the roof was covered in a large piece of thin MDF, with a central roof light made using the LX395-OO Engine Shed Roof-light.

Painting

The floor was covered in a splodgy grey, with darker patches to indicate more use. The upper floor offices were painted in a matt white, with a dark rust colour for the raised woodwork framing and around the doors and windows. The lift doors and grills were painted with a metallic silver, and the roller doors and front column used the same dark rust. The stairs and walkway were painted in a medium grey, then dry-brushed with more of the silver metallic. The sockets and switches were painted grey, with the switch handles picked out in red. The conduit was painted white.

Finishing touches

We've deliberately not fixed any of the intended 'furniture' or equipment into the diorama, as it allows us to then use this as photo base for many of the accessories we produce.

Small Items that could be included: