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Hi All,
For years, I wanted a copy of the original, plastic Scalextric Control Centre, whose box can be seen in the first photograph below. But wherever I looked, the classic model was too scarce or too expensive for a guy on a paper model budget, if you know what I mean. So, there was nothing left to do but break out the hobby knife and scratchbuild one of my own. After my mat board Control Centre was completed and installed at the Start/Finish line, it was only then that I realized that the finished model was far too big. At three stories high and occupying an oversized footprint, I resolved to move it to the back of the layout, where both it and I would be happier. But what to do with the empty space?
As there were no classic-plastic models that would fill the bill, I decided to design and scratchbuild a new structure to occupy the spot. I took design cues from the original Control Centre, such as the zig-zag railings and control tower aerie. If my plans worked out, my two story building wouldn’t obstruct the view of the layout and the footprint would be considerably smaller.
I call my finished building the Official’s Start House, as it sits comfortably on the layout’s Start/Finish line. Along with the Control Centre’s distinctive railings and angled windows, I also included some mullioned portholes and flower boxes to further connect my design to the Scalextric model. I thought some walkways and a flat roof for a camera crew would look good, but the real purpose of the building was to provide the flagman with a small, overhanging balcony from which he could wave his green and checkered flags to start and end the race.
I was happy with the final appearance of the Start House, and a lot of its look is due to the material I used in its construction…mat board.
I’ve used picture framer’s mat board for years as a backing material for thin cardstock, with a good example being one of the recently seen racecar transporters. A large, 10 inch model like the Team Lotus transporter, built without some interior stiffening, would quickly turn into a sloppy, wavy mess.
Mat board is also a perfect material to use in architectural models such as the Start House. The board comes in many colors and textures, and because it is designed to remain stable in most humidity and lighting conditions, it resists warping and fading. While it isn’t easy to cut with a hobby knife, it can be done with a bit of effort and concentration. For example, the numerous right triangles in the railings were a chore to cut out, but I think the final result was worth the struggle.
Also, mat board has a peculiar trait. It can be delaminated. In other words, the colored paper coating on the board’s surface can be stripped away from the rest of the material and can be used as regular colored cardstock. For example, the red window surrounds and the green caps on the railing posts on the Start House are all made of paper stripped from the surface of mat board. There is no paint or ink on the model.
Sometimes when the paper is stripped away, there is only a small amount of fuzz on its backside and the paper is ready for use. Other times, there is quite a bit of paper fuzz residue and this can be scrapped away using a curved #10 or #22 blade in your hobby knife. This may take some time and effort, but you can wind up with colored and textured paper unavailable from any other source, such as the black, marbled paper seen on the plinth and coaming of the Start House.
You can find mat board at the big-box craft and hobby stores, but they really only stock basic, colored board with no texture. For more exotic board, I’ll visit picture framing stores and ask if I can look through their collection of cut-outs, the waste material that is removed to accommodate the artwork being framed. Picture framing produces a lot of waste mat board.
Well, that’s it for the paper models on my 1960s themed slot car layout. If it weren’t for my scratchbuilt paper models and the freely available paper structures from Carrera4fun and other internet sources, I would have had to build a layout with a desert theme.
All for now,
Score and fold,
Thumb Dog
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