Kingsway Models

 

 Building a Kingsway kit

 

 

So what is involved in building a kit?

A few basic tools are required. Most of the parts are printed on mounting card, and require cutting out using a knife and steel rule on a cutting mat. This is the most important skill required. Always use a sharp knife and replace the blade when it becomes worn. Cut using a series of light strokes rather than one heavy one.

I suggest the use of Bostick All Purpose adhesive, UHU is an option but I find it more likely to 'string'. Clear adhesive tape is useful for 'glazing' window parts, and a pair of scissors can be helpful, as can some tweezers.

As with any craft activity, a good result will require some care and time, but the basic principles used are straightforward, and are described  on this page.

The series of photos and notes below describe the construction of a large bus garage kit that has nine sheets of parts; most kits will have considerably fewer - perhaps three or four sheets. However this large kits uses a variety of different techniques which are also used in the smaller kits, showing how fairly simple processes can be used to build an impressive model.

For a description of building a set of TERA terraced houses click HERE.

Building the two office buildings included in this model is very similar to constructing many of the HIgh Street range of buildings, with several windows and doors to cut out.

 
Staines kit of parts

This is the set of parts for the ST Staines bus garage kit. Eight sheets are printed on mounting card, and a single sheet on thinner card, for the curved parts. An instruction sheet with diagrams is also included.

 cuting out the parts

Parts will need to be cut out from the sheets using the knife and steel rule.

 cut out parts

colouring the edges Colouring the cut edges drastically improves the appearance of the finished kit. It is not necessary to match the colour completely - a soft 3B or  4B pencil generally does the job very well. coloured edge

 

Where the bottom part of the wall is white, leave an equivalent uncoloured white area to take the decoration onto the edge of the card.

 
 
layers of card

 An important part of capturing the character of any building is using layers of card to feature the 3D quality of the design. Here a stepped design is used with three different layers of card glued together. Again colouring the exposed edges is important to acheive a good result.    

using a corner bracketWalls are butt joined, usually gluing the side wall behind the front wall, and colouring the exposed edge. A corner bracket of card is glued inside the building which considerably adds to the strength.

 

 

 

 

 label parts for identification

 All parts are labelled on the sheet, but it can be useful to label the rear of similar looking parts as they are cut out.

 

 

 

 

 underside of roofSome large parts are joined together using joiner pieces of card underneath. Use glued strips of paper to join roof sections together.

 

These are folded to create the shape of the roof structure.

 

 tiled roof section completeroof tile capping strips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Triangular truss pieces glue inside the roof to give the shape and more strength. Roof tile capping strips are used to neatly cover the joins.

 

 roof rests on ledges

The roof rests on small ledges of card glued inside near the top of the walls.

roof structure complete

 

 

 

 

 

Another roof section made up from similar structures fits between the tiled roof and the wall.

 

 windows and doors glued behindcutting out windows

 

  The two office buildings have windows and doors to cut out. The window openings can be left uncoloured to match the white window frames. The door openings are coloured as before. Many of the High Street range of kits are constructed in this manner.
Windows and doors printed on thin card are glued behind the openings.

 Clear adhesive tape can be used to give a shine effect to the windows.

Somecurling card buildings require curved parts, for which a thinner card is used. It is helpful to gently pull the card upwards from under the ruler. This imparts a curve to the part.


 cylinder made from thin card with top and bottom discs

 

 

 

 

 The curved piece makes a tower used with a disc of card at top and bottom.

 
 office building componentsHere are most of the components of one of the office buildings. A rear wall will also be added and then a curved wall joining the rear to the tower.

office building curved wall

This is the same building completed, seen from the rear.

 office buildings raedy to be joined to garage

The two office buildings have had paving and canopies added and are now ready to be glued to the main building.

 bullseye construction

The Staines building has a number of LT bullseye signs. These are constructed from thick and thin card around a centre pole. The grey paper strip will be used around the edge of the bullseye sign. A completed sign is seen on the left.

 completed Staines bus garage building

  detail of Staines bus garage model

The model is now substantially complete. Small cones of paper have been rolled and topped to create bollards either side of each doorway. A chimney has been folded from thin card.

The building should now be fixed to a base and other scenic detail can be added.

The Staines bus garage model shown on this page is one of the largest in the range of kits. Many of the smaller Kingsway Models kits are considerably smaller - similar perhaps to one of the office buildings seen on the left.

I managed to assemble the entire building as shown here on lazy Bank Holiday Monday allowing plenty of time for tea breaks!

 Staines bus garage model diorama by Kingsway Models

The model has since been assembled into a diorama which is described on the Kingsway Inspirations site.

 

 

 


 
 
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