By Marcus Klugman
This is the most bizarre thing that I’ve ever made. I posted some pictures of it about 2 years ago to Facebook, just as I was completing the main build; there are also pictures on the ‘Shed of the Year’ website from 2 years ago.
What is it? Well, it’s a small summer house in the style of a SECR country signal box! Well, in the style of several possibles from around the country.
So, mad modeller that I am, yes, I’ve scratch built an (almost) 1 ft to 12 inches scale model signal box in my back garden! And yes, it is scratch built. It’s not a ‘repurposed’ or decorated summer house.
I went round Wickes, B&Q and local timber merchants and picked up various different types of timber and, over 4 months, built it bit by bit from a plan in my mind.
The finishing touch is the signal (which works), made from a fence post and the signal arms are galvanised electrical trunking that I cut to size and painted.
With a 32mm narrow gauge railway (the Haddocks Hill and Worsham Light Railway) running round and being the main feature of the garden, when my wife said she would love a summer house, something on a railway theme was what was needed. With light and airy being the need for the summer house, only a signal box fits the bill with their windows.
So, 2 years on, much to mine and the neighbours surprise, it’s still standing and still fairly weather proof! And worth updating on?
Something a little different for you!!