Scale Model Scenery Kit Build Guides: LX141-OO & LX141-O Laser Cut Drainage Catchpits Bar Type

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Scale Model Scenery Kit Build Guides

LX141-OO & LX141-O Laser Cut Drainage Catchpits Bar Type

For this Scale Model Scenery Kits Build Guide we take a look at the LX141 Laser Cut Drainage Catchpits (Bar Type) kit. Catchpits are large concrete tanks used as a filter and collector of silt to keep trackside drainage systems running efficiently. They can be found in a wide variety of locations along the sides of the railway network and between the tracks. It’s one of those railway infrastructure items that is seen all over the UK railway network. The LX141-OO & LX141-O (Available in OO & O gauge Scales) Catchpits kit is of the older bar type catch pit seen still on today’s railways in various locations. We also do the more modern version of the catch pit kit, the LX106-N, LX106-OO & LX106-O which is available in N, OO & O gauge scales.

The kit comes in two sheets of laser-cut parts, the lids & the concrete collars. A quick & easy kit to paint & assemble, making it an ideal kit for an evening modelling session.

Tools needed:

Cutting Mat
Craft knife with sharp blade,
Deluxe Materials Roket Card Clue or similar
Sanding stick
Paintbrush
Suitable acrylic paint of your choice of colour

Kit Contents

The kit comes in a clear packet complete with instructions, one thin sheet of laser cut & laser engraved bar lids, one thicker parts sheet containing the concrete collars.

Let us get started…

The catch pit lids need to be painted first. This is best done leaving them attached on the parts sheet. Here we’ll be using Humbrol Rail Colours Acrylic paint BR Blue part number RC404. Give the paint a good stirring up before using, following Humbrol’s instructions.

Brush paint or spray paint a couple of thin even coats of paint on to the catchpits & allow time for the paint to dry between the two coats.

Turn the catchpit lids sheet over & place face down on to a cutting mat. Carefully cut through the four pips that hold the lids on to the parts sheet. We’ve highlighted the pips in the orange circles. Lightly sand flush the pips on the part sides.

Touch up paint the lid side edges & allow time for the paint to dry.

Next, we’ll now cut & remove the concrete collars from the greyboard sheet. Any black soot marks can be removed with an old cloth or kitchen paper towel.

Turn the parts sheet over so the laser engraved details are facing downwards. Carefully cut through the four retaining pips as shown in the photo opposite right. Light sand back any pips from the parts side. The collar parts can be left in their natural grey colour state, or you can paint & weather in suitable acrylic colours of your choice.

Apply a thin bead of glue around the inside recesses of the collar, with the likes of Deluxe Materials Rocket Card Glue.

Next, carefully insert the painted catchpit lids into the collars so that they are sitting flush with the collar top. Allow time for the glue to dry.

Repeat the process with the rest of the other catch pits in the kit.

To install, clear away space in your ballast to take the catchpit. Paint the space black, then simply apply Rocket Card glue or similar on the bottom of the catchpit & stick into the space cleared in the ballast for the catchpit. Re ballast around the catchpit as needed.

The three photos opposite show the similar modern catchpit kit installed on the trackbed/ballast to give you how it should look.

Happy modelling.