Barchester

Amongst the things you will find on this page are money saving ideas, if that's what you need. Or, if money isn't a problem, how about doing one of these projects so that you can honestly say that "yes, I made that". It's a great feeling and will improve your store of skills and who knows you might come up with something better. Then there will be projects on rolling stock, like the couplings item below. Click on the links and see if anything appeals to you.
Always remember that when trying out a technique using materials, colours or textures that may be new to you it always pays, whenever possible, to try it out on a piece of scrap card or plastic first. It is all too easy to spoil hours of work with a too quick application of something that looks good on another model but is totally unsuitable when applied to yours. You can then spend much valuable time and effort trying to rectify the situation, with a good chance of making things even worse. The same applies to altering models, think before you act, and make sure you are comfortable with what you are about to do.

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 Most of the materials used to produce the items listed below that I have made are freely available and not expensive. Some of the things you make will be successful straight off while others may take a bit more practice to get them just right. A little patience is all that is required.   There are also links to other sites on subjects that I think will be helpful to the modeller. I know I have picked up new information even while I have been trawling the net.                   

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B.
Barges For Barchester :  Making card and paper barges for Barchesters canal basins. Plenty of photographs to help you with this easy constructional project.
Bridge Design :  Model Bridge Design is a resource site for model bridge builders. Here you will find tips and advice on designing and building model bridges for the maximum efficiency from Balsa, Basswood, Popsicle sticks, and more.
Buildings In Foamcore : A complete course in making model buildings in this material. A USA site but equally applicablñe to the UK. Great information and pictures. Easy to follow for good results.
Bridge - Steel :  A very nice steel bridge for you scratchbuilders. Solid.

C.
Canal Basin Jetty : Another Barchester project with construction ideas and materials used.
Cars - Scrap : Making scrap cars for a model breakers yard or lineside scrap. USA article but applies everywhere. Novel.
Cliffs - Making Realistic Ones : Plenty of photographs here to help with the text. Easy to follow.
Coaling Platform : This is on a continental layout but the information and photographs can easily be applied to the British scene.
Corridor Connections :  Another Barchester project and a very simple but highly effective and useful one it is too.
Corridor Connections :  A different way to the Barchester method. Not better, not worse,  just different.
Couplings - Kadee : This is the web site of the manufacturer.
Couplings - Kadee : Using them on UK stock, one of two articles with links here.
Couplings - Kadee : Magnetic couplings for British 4mm stock. There is also a very good article, with photographs, on the Barchester forum.
Couplings - Kadee : Even more information.
Couplings : Sprat & Winkle : Fitting them.
Cranes : A neat little Barchester project that produces pleasing results.

D.
Decals - Applying Them : A good article from a UK site.
Diesel Refuelling Unit : A bigger project for you and one that has been shown in the Diary pages but there are more construction notes here.
Diesel Washer Unit : Another larger project but quite unique as it is one of Barchester's own designs, as is the refuelling unit above.

E.
Electric Pencil : This is the 'pencil' that is used to send power to your turnouts if you are using the stud and pencil method.

F.
Fences : Chain Link in N gauge. Not an easy one this but the article is comprehensive and the results look good.
Fencing :   Planked, another easy hands on job from Barchester.
Fencing :  Line side. A quick, simple and inexpensive method of making your line side fencing and gates.
Figures-Miniature-Sculpting Them :  A beginners guide to sculpting miniature figures. Not easy but you may have the knack.
Figures - Again : Another article to help you with making your own,  for me this seemed easier.
Figures, Making Your Own : Good photographs and text to help you achieve some great results.
Figures - Painting : Good article from Gaugemaster on painting the larger, 0 gauge, figures.
Foam - Ground :  Making your own for pennies.

G.
Grass Clumps : Handy article from Armorama.

H.
Hedges :  A very simple and quick method of making hedges that will easily follow all contours on your layout.
Hedges : Another very simple and cheap exercise in making these items.
Hedges - Horsehair : Hedges again and yet another simple technique.
Hot Wire Cutter :  Make this is very handy gadget for cutting polystyrene without the mess.

L.
Loco Photographs : Adding smoke to your loco pictures.
Logs - Making them : A bit long winded but easy enough, unless you have a simpler way.

M.
Magnets - DIY : Very handy, easy to make magnet for uncoupling and other purposes.
Model Railway Shelf Layout :  Not really a constructual project but a good article on this popular design.
Mold Making : With latex. A good article on this procedure.

O.
Open Fronted Sawing Shed : This Barchester project is quite straight forward and well within the capabilities of most modellers.
Outhouse : Free download of printed and coloured outhouse to make a nice little model.
Overbridge : A really nice, well thought out and detailed article about the scratch building of a 4mm scale overbridge.

P.
Painting Your Figures : A very good article on getting the best results from painting your figures.
People : Making Your Own : Have a good look at this technique, you just might surprise yourself and turn out a unique population for your layout.
Painting Plastic Figures : Another good article on this subject.
People-Miniature-Sculpting Them :  A beginners guide to sculpting miniature figures. Not easy but you may have the knack.
People - Again : Another article to help you with making your own,  for me this seemed easier.
Power Supply : From clapped out computers. How to do the job properly.
Preiser Figures - Painting Them :  Another good article from the Stockton Modeller web site.
Preiser Figures - Painting them : Very good article on painting the H0/00 figures, from the Gaugemaster pages

R.
Representing water :  This is a link to an article by a chap who uses exactly the same method as myself but has beautiful pictures to use as illustrations, a must visit.
Roads : A long and well illustrated American article on making good road surfaces.
Road Surface : A short article on using the Metcalfe textured road surface sheets.
Rock Faces :  Making easy rock faces from ceiling tiles. Great article from an American site.
Roof Tiling - Terracotta : This is an excellent article from a war gaming site and should produce really good results, especially in the larger scales.

S.
Signal Project : Electrical circuit and explanation for this neat project using reed switches. PDF format download.
Signals :  Actuating them with Seep motors.
Signals :  Actuating them with Memory Wire.
Signals - Dwarf : Lineside signals from styrene and LED's.
Signals - Dwarf : Download a PDF file to show you how to make these.
Smoke : For your model loco photographs.
Stables : A straight forward Barchester construction job here which would make a good start for anyone new to card modelling.
Stone Walls : Making modular stone walls from Sculpy. This technique can be used for other formations of walling.
Stripwood Cutter :  A very handy, well made tool for this task.
Styrene : Making it look like ageing wood. Great article for the styrene user.
Styrene : Making it look like realistic weathered wood. Another great article by the same chap as above.

T.
Telegraph Poles : These are a for sale item but good photographs if you fancy making some.
Tool Organizer :  Here's a simple idea and many of you may already have the material to hand.
Track Holder : A simple jig for holding track steady while you saw it.
Trees :   Not a quicky because of drying and waiting times but another worthwhile project.
Trees - Again : Another mans ideas of how to produce trees.
Trees - Easily Made Pines : This links to a forum which has an excellent way of producing this typical type tree.
Trees - Make A Forest : This is an American site using American materials but I'm pretty sure that the Poly material used is available in the UK. Possibly for stuffing pillows.
Trees - With Wire Again : Another article from a war gaming site.
Trees - With Scouring Pads :  Not the best in the world but quite effective if used with a bit of imagination.
Tree Stumps : Another good article from a war gamers site.
Tunnel Mouth : A Brunel style tunnel mouth for your layout. Very nice and a good article.
Turntables :  Want to adapt a bridge or turntable you already have, Dapol for example? Here's a good article on doing just that.
Turntables : A very good thread from The Gauge forum on making your own turntable from styrene. Plenty of pictures and comments. A good one.
Turntables :  Want to motorize your Peco turntable? Here's the kit for both N gauge and 00, also a kit for hand operation from the baseboard edge for both gauges.

U.
Urban Structures : This is a PDF download, courtesy of Model Railroader, for casting urban structures and while pertaining to American urban buildings the idea is sound for UK structures. If you look at Picture 2 you will see that most of the bits and pieces to make the mould can be made from wooden strip mouldings available at any of the DIY stores.

V.
Various Scatters :   Make your own scatter material for so many different jobs.
Viaduct : This is quite a famous viaduct on the modelling scene and you may have already seen it. Here is an article on how it was built. A lovely model for you scratchbuilders to have a go at.

W.
Walls : Here's a different way of making walls for your country side, farms, gardesns etc. Cheap too.
Walls : Modular stone walls from Sculpey.
Walls : Random stone walling. Can be adapted for any scale. Great article.
Water : Good online article on modelling water.
Water Crane : This article is about a plastic construction kit but has been included here for the valuable information about weathering the finished article and could apply to any similar kit.. Well worth a read. Great photographs too.
Weathering : This is an American site and when you get to the web page click on the Weathering Tips & Tricks link on the left hand side. Some impressive weathering of water streaks, rust, dirt and grime.
Weathering :  Easy chalk weathering is the title of this article, worth reading.
Weathering :  Chalk it up. Another article on chalk weathering.
Weathering Track : Online article.
Weathering Wagons : Online article.
Weathering Passenger Coaches : Online article.
Weathering Locomotives : Online article.
Weathering :  Pastel weathering. Another good article to go with the last two. Should just about cover everything.
Weathering Without Risk : A long article from the USA. Well worth reading.
Windows - Flush Glazed : Change your coach windows for these flush glazed ones.
Woodland : Not a forest but a nice article on how to create, in this instance, trackside woodland which is quite simple, but very effective.

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