Model Railway Forum

I have some Metcalfe card kits and was thinking about converting them into low relief buildings along a backdrop.

Is it as simple as cutting the building in half or is something more subtle required for maintaining visual integrity?

I may need more chimneys!

Thanks

Low relief buildings can look a bit awkward particularly if viewed side on. Some people try to disguise this with carefully placed trees for example. I cut down a Metcalfe cottage by slicing it where the roof ridge was and it looks okay once placed at the back of my layout against the back scene ( beware a gap however).

Hi
I needed a corner shop for my layout and Metcalfe do not produce a low relief one, but do produce several other low relief buildings. So to try and match the corner shop - item PO263 see here https://www.metcalfemodels.com/product/ ... red-brick/ I had to cut the building into roughly half in two directions! Managed it and it looks ok and reasonably matches their low relief terrace houses.

Sorry Chuff chuff my mistake. I went out to check my layout and I cut the cottage the far side of the ridge line - about 10mm lower. It was still low relief but gave a bit more depth because the ridge wasn’t up against the back scene. Hope this helps.

That was a very clever idea to wrap the shop around the corner in low relief by cutting it both ways Brian, it works fine and looks very good with the matching colour brickwork of the the house next door.

Puddles

Thanks for your replies

I admire the shop corner chop, I might have a go myself.

However, I think Metcalfe has thwarted my plans ! the price of getting a couple of cottages and halving them to make four seperate fronts and backs, is nearly the same as buying the Low relief version of the same ! Although the frontages and backs have difference appearence and would enhance the character of the areea.

I have another area where low relief farm buildings could be useful, I ll think about that as I already have the kits.

One tip I have picked up, is to try to leave a little space at the back of the building and disguise it with a wall, trees, sloping roof, to hide the impression that the building is hard up against the back scene. Easier said rthan done.

Rgds

One way to avoid the obvious low relief look is to carefully cut the buildings in a line from one corner to the opposite corner so the buildings sit side on like a triangle to the backscene.