R e n o v a t i o n J o u r n a l 9
Quarter 1/ 2 0 2 1
2018: Prelude (Part 1) - Prelude (Part 2)
2020: Part 3 ~ Part 4 ~ Part 5 ~ Part 6 ~ Part 7
2021: Part 8a ~ Part 8b ~ Part 8c ~ Part 9 ~ Part 10 ~ Part 11 ~ Part 12 ~ Part 13 ~ Part 14 ~ Part 15
2022: Part 16 ~ Part 17 ~ Part 18 ~ Part 19 ~ Part 20 ~ Part 21 ~ Part 22 ~ Part 23 ~ Part 24 ~ Part 25 ~ Part 26 ~ Part 27 ~ Part 28
2023:
Chapter 30 ~ Vineyard Watchtower
~~~
Now, a whole New Chapter will be added to the Cochemer Bahn
Chapter 42 ~ Town Expansion
(30.1.2021)
As I set up the Klingentorturm on the outskirts of Cochemer Town, I saw how it stood exactly on the edge of the layout. No mirror behind it this time to create some depth.
In addition, I have about 53 centimetres of space between layout and background.
So, the thought arose: 'Why not an extension? Something you can see under the gate?' A field road or something...?
This idea quickly grew into urban
expansion beyond the wall.
The first option was the Monastery
Bebenhausen (Faller 130816). A fantastic subject, which fits well
with the theme of the layout.
Unfortunately, this model appears to be sold out for years and my dealer also had none.
So, I choose for the Cathedral which in fact is part of the Bebenhausen Monastery.
In addition, I ordered the Vollmer Monastery (43860) as well.
First, I had to make the basis. It took me one day planning, fixing and adjusting,
but it seemed a lot easier than the expansion of the middle section I did last year.
Two poles to carry the whole. I suppose that this part of the city will not have too much weight.
29.1.2021
The urban expansion also means that the backdrop can be raised about 15 centimetres,
because the 'two villas' (which I do not want to see) disappear behind the buildings and/or vineyard.
~~~
Chapter 43 ~ A canopy for the station
(6-7.2.2021)
While looking at the castings of the Monastery (Vollmer 43860), I discovered that some parts would not be used at all.
Apparently, they belonged to another kit. To me, it looked like a platform canopy.
Let this now have exactly the right size for my end station.
One thing led to another.
This is how the station looked like for many years...
... and after the 2019 expansion with an extra platform between the tracks.
On Saturday February 6th I removed the station for a thorough upgrading. Besides, Sander hinted to fill the empty benches with waiting travellers.
Ouch... I can do better than that!
Both the waiting room (left) and the office got a new interior painting. I choose for Ivory.
Vallejo ivory for the walls, whereas the castings of the monastery in Vallejo gloss black.
Tidying up the whole lot, vacuuming and giving it a new coat of paint (Cork and Lasur).
Although there are 6 'cast iron' racks, I will only use three of them.
Because the wall of the goods shed stands out slightly from the waiting area, I had to cut away the necessary material.
Since the platform had been in the dark for all these years, I immediately decided to put up two extra outdoor lanterns.
They are wonderfully hidden under the canopy.
Since tickets are sold directly at the platform, a supervisor is needed at the counter.
(Preiser 12134, Royal Bavarian railway personnel around 1900)
Besides train tickets, this morning's newspaper is ready for sale
In the meantime, some famous and less famous royalties were glued here and there ...
Okay, now let's go from the interior right through to the outside!
After installing the wiring under the table, a grand evening atmosphere is created!
~~~
Chapter 44 ~ T h e M o n a s t e r y
(26.1.2021)
The Vollmer Monastery was ordered online, and delivered at my homestead on January 26.
After the Klingentorturm, this will be Project Nr. 2, after which the Wall (Faller 130401), the Cathedral (Faller 130598)
and finally, the Fairy-tale Tower (Vollmer 43900) - which started it all - will be tackled as the next projects.
Because I do not yet have an idea of the dimensions of both the cathedral and the monastery as well as the position in relation to the city in front,
I will wait a while with the layout until both buildings are ready.
The wonderful, almost virgin feeling when opening the box and everything is waiting to be painted and put together...
After studying the manual, I first apply the basic colour, this time mixed with a more reddish brown.
To me, this wall section is strongly reminiscent of the Spookslot in De Efteling (Kaatsheuvel, the Netherlands).
For the rooftiles I choose again a mix of amaranth red (Vallejo), Heki Dur Lasur (wet application) and dry white topping (Sandtone nr. 83).
The flat roofs got a mix of black and gunship green, weathered with Lasur and dry white.
Due to the wet use of the lasur, some parts got a curious print.
Comparing front and back clearly shows the distinction. Notice the tympanum above the door.
The refinement is partly due to the sparing addition of orange brown.
~~~
And then: starting constructing.
In between, just check how voluminous the whole thing is...
It looks like the entire Bebenhausen monastery complex would never have had enough space.
12.2.2021
Windows and hallway are installed.
It's a cliché... but what a little painting alone can give such a completely different perspective.
I still had to do some painting as some parts of the back remain visible.
Although not provided for this location by Vollmer, I still want lighting here in the hallway corridor.
While I'm at it, the winter sun shines on my tabletop and provides the whole with a beautiful shadow work of art.
And then it's time for stained-glass...
Not exactly beautiful, if you ask me.
When only I think of the cathedral that Vollmer made years ago, with that transparent adhesive plastic windows with a stained-glass printing on it.
These colours - most red and green - are way too harsh for me. By the way, the paint came off the paper while I only used thinned wood glue...
Why all the trouble...?!
The more I looked at it, the more it irritated me that this paper insert disturbed the whole character of the building and turned it into a toy building kit.
That's why I took it out for good, but had to replace a number of glass windows as well (in the way Faller does) because of glue marks.
As with the making of the Klingentorturm, I have decided to make an interior, as far as necessary and desirable.
These beams in the roof are only for carrying the micro-wire bulbs.
Nice cramp-iron
~~~
Heading for finishing up!
With such a beautifully weathered roof, I disliked installing the brightly coloured paper skylights prescribed by Vollmer.
I therefore opted for beautifully weathered wooden lids. The monks never come to the attic anyway...
When trying the paper mask, I discovered that I should have followed my instinct at the beginning.
The front door has two side windows and should have been positioned right here!
The manual supposed otherwise, which in the end doesn't concur with the mask. Alas...
For adding
I need roof trusses to attach the lamps to the roof of the church hall. Afterwards I decided to use chandeliers.
I had no intention of ever using these - too large - street lamps again.
Although not prescribed, I have fitted the rain gutters wherever possible.
Fortunately, the kit contained enough parts to do this correctly.
Almost done...
Although the roof itself has not yet been glued together, here's a first impression of the whole.
And then... in to the train room!
18.2.2021
After some 4 months a little more progress to finishing things up.
26.6.2021
Testing the lanterns. Lamps (non-functional) are added against the wall, the very same as in the church.
The upper floor windows on the backside got stained glass, which I intentionally turned inside out.
I decided to make an interior to the monastery as well, be it more modest than the Cathedral.
I made 7 benches, an altar viz. lectern for college and I added a Faller micro cable bulb in the small chapel.
The clergy guys got a little lasur to highlight their facial expression and the folds in their garbs.
Since I didn't want to leave the interior of the room completely deserted, I decided to create a small scene.
The Cochemer Brass Band rehearses in Bavarian costume for an upcoming wedding ceremony the next day.
Finally, the roof is being glued!
The monastery is now ready to be positioned on the Cochemer Bahn.
6.7.2021
~~~
Chapter 45 ~ T h e W a l l
(5.2.2021)
Since I worked on the Altstadt Renovation (see Chapter 41), I had to move the Kibri Tower aside, behind the houses.
While looking at it in a glimpse, all of a sudden, I was struck by the idea
that this never-ending-story of I-never-knew-how-to-fill-in-the-backyards now finally got its purpose.
Ever since I caught sight of this set of walls, which is absolutely in line with the Klingentorturm, I have great expectations of its fitting.
The box arrived on Friday, February 5th, ordered online only one day before.
~ To be continued in another Journal ~
~~~
Chapter 46 ~ T h e W h i t e T o w e r
(18.2.2021)
Photo found on Pinterest. Model most probably made by Yuri Kovalev
Ah, and before I forget: another kit arrived, where in fact the whole story of Klingentorturm, Cathedral, Monastery and City Wall began with:
this Vollmer Tower, seen on a display with - awkward enough - the name Reichsburg Cochemer Castle.
Whereas Vollmer gave it the name R o t h e n b u r g !
How curiously all things come together again.
The content of this box with only 19 parts was rather disappointing, considering the firm price of € 33,99!
Whereas Faller's Klingentorturm with 178 parts only costed € 43,95.
It's almost plug-and-play.
As my friend Sander wrote on my FB page: "That'll speed things up nicely..."
~~~
Painting the roof was no problem. But what came underneath...
On Tuesday February 18th, I started painting the walls, which was done in less than an hour.
I opted for an unmixed clean white base colour and will weather it furthermore with a choice of darker shades.
I assume, the paintwork will give the flair that this model lacks in its base!
My first attempt was a complete disaster.
I thought I could use Deco sleek white paint (RAL 9000) as a substrate and
wanted to apply a layer of Heki Dur Lasur for weathering the next morning.
When cleaning the Lasur, the white undercoat came off. Either the paint wouldn't
adhere well or the plastic was too greasy.
In addition, the Lasur had in the
meantime developed in such a way that the whole thing started to resemble
stratiachelli ice cream.
The next day I rinsed off all the paint, washed the plastic parts with soap and now chose Vallejo Off-white paint as a base.
And from now on it all went smoothly.
A new attempt with Heki Dur Lasur...
Last night I entered the train room to look for a first impression of how this tower would fit.
The odd thing: it just didn't fit in the least! Not in the town, not at the wall, not even at the monastery.
And then... something happened. Things fell into place.
But that will be another chapter!
~~~
Monday, 22/2 ~ Finishing up
Dry white, a most rewarding job in the end.
I chose a different way of filling the gaps.
I also put a light bulb inside.
This gives more confidence to travellers, who approach the gate from the dark forest.
Since this morning I decided to use this tower as gate-tower to the castle, I think some kind of fence is in place.
In the evening I put the icing on the cake.
Finished!
~~~
The story continues...
February 22-28
The odd thing is, that I had in mind to put the White Tower somewhere in Town.
Either as part of the Faller Wall to come behind the houses or as part of the Monastery in the background.
The funny thing is, that when I took this tower to my train room and randomly put it in and around town, it just didn't fit.
Until... I just dropped it at the Cochemer Burg and since then everything fell into place.
It would become a Gate Tower.
To me the challenge was to not only have it as a separate watchtower, to check on people entering the castle, but to connect it with the Castle as well.
This would be at the top by means of a bridge.
And as happens so often to me... from one thing comes another!
Adding some details, all scratch.
This bridge belonged originally to the Falkenstein Castle, now Cochemer Burg. So, it's back again!
One can't enter the tower, except by this door at the end of the bridge.
In the mean time I had to cut away the rock. Solid plastic that came with the Falkenstein Castle, Kibri B-9010.
On 2/24 I thought I was done with a small piece, but three days later I had to believe in cutting away a whole piece of rock.
Because it had to be done carefully, I used a soldering iron to cut away the plastic while melting.
A work of no less than some three hours.
Piece by piece...
Chapter 47 ~ D i e D r a c h e n b u r g
(22.2 - 1.3.2021)
I initially thought that - while connecting the White Tower to the Cochemer Burg - I could do it the easy way with just a single wall.
The rest would become just rock, grass and bushes with a (fantasy) tunnel leading into the castle.
However, when you're scratch building - at least to me it happens time and again - one step leads as usual to another.
While looking at a single wall and a nice-looking Pinnacle Turret, the idea of a C o u r t y a r d was born.
The following story will tell you, how I dismantled the 40-year-old Alsfeld Town Hall (Faller B-936) and turned it into the D r a c h e n b u r g.
As a basis I started with a piece of wall that remained of the Klingentorturm, as you could read in a previous chapter.
I thought the small turret from the Alsfeld Rathaus was a nice addition.
The turret was painted with ivory...
... whereas the three white windows - turned yellow due to glue and UV - got a nice gloss black layer!
After all, they're made of cast iron
The left wall was taken from the Alsfeld Rathaus, as well as a second turret. The original pinnacles, broken loose for years, are back in place.
Only later did I realize that one of these four pinnacles is already on the wall of the Cochemer Burg (to replace the broken flag).
This view in the evening convinced me of the idea that there should be a courtyard anyway.
Indeed, more stripping...
Because the Cochemer Burg is located in a fairly dark area, I decided to create a light island around the White Tower.
No less than three light bulbs will illuminate the bridge, the courtyard and the little tower.
I deliberately lowered this lamp (with yellow wires), so that you only see a light in the dark, but not the lamp itself.
I could have saved myself a lot of work. But yea, fun is in the detail.
Again, a piece of B-936.
On Sunday 28/2, I started to finish with details.
With a little cosy decoration
Yea, unfortunately I did cut myself and spilled some blood...
A slate roof will cover the wires later on...
Finishing up things...
Monday, March 1st 2021
Today I added three roofs (remnant parts of the Busch Forsthaus), a small bench in the courtyard, and filled remaining gaps in the walls.
Lasur paint was added where needed.
It took me some 15 minutes to figure out, cut, paint and position only 5 parts.
I could have made it easy for myself to just take a plastic one from my stock.
But as is clear from the entire Drachenburg project: every addition can make or break the whole.
Covering the light bulb with one wooden plank...
In the afternoon (outdoors)...
... and in the evening, with a first test of the light.
Even without the Knight's Wall yet attached, a first impression how it will look like!
It's time to install the D r a c h e n b u r g into the Cochemer Bahn. And then...
Wednesday, 3.3.2021
About foundations, hatches and the Knight's Wall.
Today, the Knight's Wall was attached. No more photos can be taken from the inside, hence the delay.
All of a sudden, I got the luminous idea this morning of making a slated roof between Castle Wall and Drachenburg as well.
Fortunately, I have enough material left over from the hunting lodge (Busch Forsthaus).
I cannot imagine a better connection between both buildings.
This shelf makes a nice connection as well. Since none of this building has been thought out in advance, I was glad it fitted.
I only noticed this morning that the D r a c h e n b u r g is leaning considerably outwards, and yet not as level as I thought.
Hence this bar.
An extra stone foundation, to which the rock will soon be glued.
One of the last small annoyances I found was the small tower in the middle.
Too much stone and basically without function. Therefor these hatches.
3.3.2021
Connecting the Drachenburg to the Cochemer Burg
March 4th
Basement weathered
Fits most perfect
After four days of drying, I painted the new rocks on Thursday March 12th.
A day later vegetation was applied and then the White Tower could be put in place.
The levelling was quite a thing, but in the end it worked fine.
6
With the beautiful mountain landscape in the background, this castle certainly makes an impression.
Even between dusk and dawn...
~~~
Now one thing still had to be made: a doorway from the bridge into the Castle.
March 19th. 2021
Last Update:
Frits Osterthun © 22.1.2023