Build Guide; Laser Cut OO Scale Platforms

Morning everyone! Today I’ll be showing you how I’ve built one of our latest ranges of kits, Station Platforms. This range of kits is very easy to build and very extensive. We’ve tried to cater for everyone’s possible needs, so you’ll be able to easily recreate the exact type of platform you’d like for your layout!

We currently offer (and may expand) over 20 platform surface textures, 7 platform wall textures, and 12 different platforms. We currently have both Curved Platforms, Pre-Cast Concrete Platforms and Open Frame Platforms in development, which should be ready from next week.

To spruce the kit up a bit, I’ve opted to use our LX352 Blue Diamond Platform Coping and our LX232 3×2 Paving. Texture sheets are available for the surface, but I chose to use these two products to get a more unique, 3D look that gives me more opportunity to detail and weather it later on. 

Building the Platforms is a super easy job. All platform variations use the same design principle of two sides, a number of spacers, and a top piece. A Greyboard card top piece is provided for those who choose to use a texture sheet for the top surface, but since I’m using separate products, I’ve omitted this.

Tools you’ll need;

• Craft Knife
• File
• Glue of Choice (I recommend Deluxe Materials Laser Cut Kit Glue)
• SX002 Jig (highly recommended)
• Pritt Stick 
• Clamps

So let’s jump into it! Start off by releasing all parts from the Sprue and tidy them up with a flat file to ensure a good fit. Then glue the spacers into one side, making sure the tabs for the platform all face the top. I found the best way to do this, is to glue in the centre spaces first, then the opposite side. Once the glue has gone off, then glue in the end spacers. I found this to be the best way, because since the Slots are open on the end, they’re more delicate, so in doing the middle ones first you give the kit extra strength when you glue it together.

Next I moved onto the ramps. The construction method is very much the same, and as long as you get the tabs pointing upwards, you can’t go wrong!

Now, the Wraps. These wraps have been designed specifically for this kit, and is already the perfect height needed. Simply use a sharp knife and a metal rule(r) to release them from the sheet. Then use a Pritt Stick to smooth a thin layer of glue over the surface of the platform side, making sure there’s no lumps, and apply the texture sheet. I recommend you start with the ramps and work inwards to ensure everything aligns properly.

Top tip! If you colour in the white edges of your texture sheet with a black sharpie, they’ll be pretty much invisible and make the build look a lot better!

Now we’ve got something resembling a platform, it’s time to put it in place and see what it looks like! And if I don’t say so myself, it looks great!

Time for the top pieces. Wraps are also provided for these, and you’ll notice they have a grey boarder. When you cut these out, you need to include this, as it makes it a doddle to wrap as you have more surface area to work with. I found that if you align the top of the grey board to the bottom of the slot holes, that leaves a good amount of wrap to fold over and cover all visible areas.

Once you’ve wrapped both edges, you can glue them in place. This is where the construction method differs, depending what finish you’d like for your build. Since I’m going for a rural Norther Eastern Design, set in the 60s, I opted for Blue Diamond Coping and 3×2 Paving. We offer a huge variety of platform surfaces, from laser cut tactile paving, to a variety of different brick and asphalt textures. I recommend you study prototype photos of what’s correct for your area to get the most prototypical (if you’re into that sort of thing!)

Before we can move onto the platform texture, we need to connect the two half’s of the platform (since I opted to use the half width expansion modules to make a wider platform). This is a dead easy job, simply glue one half, align and clamp together until the glue goes off, making sure it’s all straight and level.

Now for the messy bit! The first job with the 3×2 paving is to trim it to size. Simply lay it over your platform with the coping of choice (the coping should slightly overhang) and make a note of where to cut. I was very lucky, the perfect size I needed was an exact number of slabs, so I wasn’t left with any odd sizes. Take your cutting these, as they can take multiple passes with a craft knife.

Once all trimmed to size, I broke out the paint. I opted to use Lifecolor’s Stone Paint set for this, as the colour pallet looked to be a perfect match. I started by painting random slabs in the colours provided, apart from Blue Stone. This has made it looks rather funky! But don’t worry, we’ll be toning it down in the next step

Now, once you’re happy with the variety of highlights colours, paint over the whole piece in the Stone Blue colour. This’ll give the paving a good colour, and also tone down the highlights, to a point where they’re visible when you closely inspect it, but only just. This helps break up the monotony of the Blue stone and adds some variety and texture to the finish. I haven’d done so here, but some weathering with powders, washes and adding some weeds into the cracks will really bring this model alive!

To finish it off, I painted the platform coping in the same Blue stone paint, then glued them in place!

And just like that, we’re done! Our platform kit is unbelievably easy, and gives a superb finish that can be altered to suit any layout of any region and era, and can be customised to give a truly unique finish very easily.

Couple this kit with your choice of platform fencing, benches and buildings and you have a recipe for perfection!