# A small hotel - just like the song!



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

In the recent issues of the ‘Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette’ magazine there have been adverts for a kit of a hotel, the drawings of which are from the long running series by Harry Brunk on his layout (recently sold) on the narrow gauge ‘Up Clear Creek’

Through the kind assistance of both Richard Smith (of MLS) and Bob Brown the owner of the magazine, I have a set of plans of the building. It is quite tall being three stories high: which rather over-powered my small hamlet for my railroad (the kit is to ¼” scale and being made of Hydrocal plaster, and as my scale is larger I could not use it). I have bought the magazine for a long time but of course the plan (from May/June 1989) was just before I started buying the magazine – hence the request for a copy of it. 

The plans were studied, and the chief planning officer who naturally is SWMBO, who is also in charge of the cash reserves, (though I do have most of the material in stock), for the town was asked for ‘planning permission’ for a small hotel (just like the song, sung by Frank Sinatra and others) – eventually, after much drawing and scribbling, on my part and discussions were completed to a reasonably satisfactory conclusion. These made a ‘mock-up’ of the building a good idea, so that was done in heavyweight corrugated cardboard, and displayed on its intended foundation slab.. The committee (of tw me the builder and my wife, holder of the keys and cash), again discussed it and permission was granted subject to certain conditions. 

First it will be only two stories high – most of the buildings in my hamlet are single story and it will still ‘tend to dominate’ the area, but it managed to grow in width sufficiently to add a window to the width, and the building will be made to look like a wooden building, it also gained what I call a ‘Western shop front’ that was used in early hotel buildings in Telluride and other early mining towns of about 1880ish, you see my library does sometimes, produce ideas.. The result is quite different to the plans that I started with! 

Many windows are needed for the building – as usual they are the first things to make as they provide the size for the holes in the walls, to accept them. That meant 28 sash windows, each windows being made of a total of 44 pieces, a shop front, and 3 doors as well, were needed. So it was time to start cutting 2and 3mm strips if styrene, for them, and make a new matrix for them to be built on, and build them; some are smaller than the rest so at least there was a (very) slight relief. The window frames themselves are made from a couple of layers of 1/2mm styrene, and the outer frames are two layers at right angles of 1mm styrene. 

The ‘Western’ shop front needed large pieces of ‘glass’ well it is clear styrene – from CD cases with all the edges cut off with my small circular saw working overtime on cutting parts. It has been assembled bit by bit with some multiple layers of styrene for the 4 pillars; the main corner ones will be further strengthened when the building is assembled with some right angled section PVC strip over them. The basic design is taken from the Grandt Line one, which is to a different scale. 




The wall are scored by pushing an Olfa cutter across them at 10mm centers, after the windows are cut out with a fretsaw, drill a hole in the window hole(to be cut out) with a drill to let the blade be fed through, and to allow it to be removed when done.





The size of the hotel will be approx. 15” deep x 11” wide, x 19” high not including the chimneys.





Well that is just past 700 words, saving another 1000, here is the first photo of half the walls and most of the windows, though some more are needed and are being produced now. The windows in the wall have the final pieces added; those in front are without the extra pieces.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter;

It is looking very good. Since I also know the song, I have to ask: "Have you started work on the wishing well, or is that feature already in place?"

Best,
David Meashey


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Dave Meashey on 15 Nov 2011 01:47 PM 
Peter;

It is looking very good. Since I also know the song, I have to ask: "Have you started work on the wishing well, or is that feature already in place?"

Best,
David Meashey


Hi Dave, Nope but I have an idea for it! Thanks for the comment.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

The only song with a hotel I know contains the lyrics "they stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast" don't think its that song here, but ya never know ;-)


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

The only song with a hotel I know contains the lyrics "they stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast" 

'You can check out but can never leave'


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Victor & Thinker; 

The song you have in mind is "Hotel California," the classic by the Eagles. 

"There's a Small Hotel" starts like this: "There's a small hotel . . . By a wishing well . . . I wish that we could be there together." It's a bit more romantic than "Hotel California." 

Best, 
David Meashey


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Nice start Peter! Knowing your other beautiful work on buildings I'm already looking forward on how it will turn out at the end! 
Just keep the pictures coming please









Here's the song and the complete lyrics (and even some Wikipedia info) on Youtube: "There's a Small Hotel" (Jack Whiting, 1937)


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi


The 23 windows have all now been made, and safely stored for painting. 

The walls have been glued together, then the internal corners were strengthened with scrap glued into them and also some (more scrap) right angled corners between them. The outside of the corners then has some right angled section of PVC strip added both for finishing off the outside and adding more strength to the buildings as well.

I have added a set of narrower strips to the base to lift it the building off its foundation (an 18” square paving) slab, both to look like a foundation itself and to keep the base out of static water. The main walls are 5mm and the strips are 3mm thick.

To hold the side walls in alignment a central brace was added at mid height and also three more for the end walls – the front one has two as the front is made up of the ‘shop front’ and the wall above it: this stiffening is made, both internally and externally by extra strips and generally I use scrap for it from cutting out the walls from m y larger sheet sizes. The front has, above the windows. a top as the ‘Sheridan’ Hotel in Telluride, there it also provides fixings for a sunblind.

Before adding the internal center support for the roof a template was made for the base – so I can add the fixings to the foundation slab, and then the top of the side walls were tapered off to the same angle as the ends: extra supports for the roof were added as can be seen in the photos. The roof will be either 1.5 or 2mm sheet styrene. I have not yet decided on the finishing for the roof, but more work is needed anyway as there are some dormer windows (supposedly the servant’s accommodation) and chimney stacks to make yet.

The 3 doors were built in situ, after edging the door apertures is strips to the same as the windows, allowing for the windows above them. The back of the doors are 1.5mm styrene glued in position, and then the extra strips of 1mm thick are glued on top for the door design and a back plate added for the door handles: the handles themselves are made from glass headed pins, and fitted later. 

Hera are some more photos of the building










From the base looking upwards; the extra (as a result of adding the 3mm tjhick foundation strips) are made from my capacious store of 'scrap'l 











The central support for the roof with the extra 'end to end' pieces which are from some scrap plastic planking I' picked up' - with permission!

' 











Right way up! Showing the extra above the front windows. More strips are yet to be added, possibly at the lower edges of where the roof starts.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks like you're off to a good start, Peter. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Looking real good so far!


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

This will be a great looking building! I love the windows with the "keystone" detail at the top. It gives a feeling of style and place to the building. 

What is the basic material? and where do you get it? 

I have always worked in wood...plywood for the basic box and stripwood trim. I make molds for my windows if i have more than a few to make...I am too lazy to make them all individually! 

--Eric


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Phippsburg Eric on 29 Nov 2011 09:23 AM 
This will be a great looking building! I love the windows with the "keystone" detail at the top. It gives a feeling of style and place to the building. 

What is the basic material? and where do you get it? 

I have always worked in wood...plywood for the basic box and stripwood trim. I make molds for my windows if i have more than a few to make...I am too lazy to make them all individually! 

--Eric Hi Eric,

You (in the USA, I am in England) call it Sintra board I think, its commercial use is for exhibition signboards; the surface can be either semi matt or gloss, the semi matt finish is what I use the gloss finish is harder to cut.

One make for it is Vekaplan in Europe - I use their SF range a PDF is available at http://www.vekaplan.de/vekaplan/fil...F_engl.pdf to assist you - I have no connection with them 

A link to Sintra board is at http://sintrapvc.com/ I use the 5mm thick version with small amounts of the thinner ones and sheet styrene for the trim. There are different densities as well, that affect the amount of pressure involved in cutting it: mainly however I use a Proxxon KS230 (Micro Mark do a cheaper copy) small circular saw for cutting it, though a heavy 'Stanley' type knife will cut it.

It is impervious to most things - my building stay out in all weathers - here is a view of them at the start of the year - under snow!











It ended up deeper than this photo; the side walls were totally covered later on.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,

A bit more has been completed – the roof, of 1.5mm styrene, has been added which meant that the servants quarters could be worked out and have been added; but 


first the chimneys were needed – they are to be each has twin flues so all rooms have a fireplace: after all the location is meant to be cold (in the winter) 


Colorado so heating would have been needed in the winter months, also I will build a fuel store for the space at the back of its location, that will use up 


some of my scraps of wall material. The chimneys themselves used up some of the ‘scrap’ from cutting out the windows. 


The space between chimneys dictated the size I had for the servants quarters, that were to fit in the centre of the roof, and between the chimneys, first a 


couple more windows were made; actually I made 4 but the other two will be for some future buildings: two per side looked wrong so two were returned to the 


‘store’. 



The chimneys will be covered in bricks, some ends of ‘tie rods’ added (between floors), I have already added a stiffening plank (rather like the ‘wale’ on 


sailing ships hulls) for them; a cover over the ends of the roof rafters at the sides – actually its just a strip of my PVC foamboard with a chamfer on the 


inside and glued up tight against the lower roof edge has been added. They show on the ends though; there they will provide an exta 'glue area' and assist in 


locating the bargeboards.Those are still to be made and fitted. Some stovepipes will be added at the rear of the building as well; the roof will then need 


detailing – I think it will be a metal raised seam roof. 
The sun today was making some fitful appearances with a generally high level of light so the camera was taken out and produced some new photos which are below.











The front of the building - with some earlier single story buildings for comparison.










This photo shows the rear - I just placed the building 'in location' on its foundation slab - this is the kitchen/office area. The extra piece down the sides is for the tie rods and their end plates. 










A better view, from higher up. The darker gravel is the 'main street' 










almost back to ground level. and the blue house needs a repaint! It is also just placed in position and not set into the gravel.

Much more work to do!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Your whole village looks great! This new hotel will be a nice addition. 

I'm looking forward to trying the pvc board (sintra) on my hotel.


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## allisonmyl (Dec 1, 2011)

Awesome. I hope I make one too!


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Super work, Peter. I love your village under the snow (very Christmasy), but prefer to admire it from afar as anything below 70 degrees fahrenheit makes me and the missus yearn for warmer climes. 

Will your small hotel have an interior? With its huge front parlour (do ya like me English spelling?) it almost has to.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By joe rusz on 06 Dec 2011 05:07 PM 
Super work, Peter. I love your village under the snow (very Christmasy), but prefer to admire it from afar as anything below 70 degrees fahrenheit makes me and the missus yearn for warmer climes. 

Will your small hotel have an interior? With its huge front parlour (do ya like me English spelling?) it almost has to. 

Hi Joe,



Thanks for the note and your good 'English' spelling!`. You ask about the large front windows - yes; first there will be some blinds at the top, which will be part down; and there will be a simple interior - maybe some tables & chairs, a reservation desk on the back wall, and possibly a couple of doors (maybe just one),into the hotel itself; the whole area is only one (side) window deep - so it will not need much. 

Doing the painting now - its looking good, but absorbing a lot of paint. 


You missus will NOT like our present temperature (neither do I!) its about 40 Fahrenheit and that is warming up from the night time figure


Yours Peter.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,


I have been using up a lot of time and paint on the hotel, and it is getting close to being finished! Still needed are some bits of the interior cross wall, and a couple of stove pipes for the back of the building (exhaust from the cooking, and heating for the office), then fix the interior, and add the yet to be decided name decal.


As a result of Joe Rusz, who quite rightly, said that something was required with the big windows that I had added to the front of my hotel, added for the front ¼ of the building, and small eating area. This is a massive compromise as is the length of the building – I think it should be at least twice as long – no space for that alas!


So, one window was left out, and a cross wall designed – this has a couple of doors, and a central reception desk added to it. Above the desk there is to be a clock, which has been made already – it was missing some varnish at the time the photos were taken; and a couple of notice boards to add some detail to the blank upper wall – those will have some ‘squiggly’ writing on them and edges like some pictures which may also be included.


The floor has a couple of tables, and chairs and a central round seat – ideas taken from the photos of the hotel Denton in Salida, in one of the ‘Trails among the Columbine’ series of books. There is not enough space so they are crammed a bit – the view is only downwards, as the windows have panels at the base. In addition to the floor, the interior walls have a window on one side which as it is visible from both sides, been fittec with some curtains, and a ‘Welsh dresser’ type cabinet on the other – again helping the look., the wall have a ‘mid height’ rail added around them between the colors of the walls, dark brown (Burnt Umber and Cream). All the assorted bits and pieces are made from scrap PVC solid foam sheet, and styrene card for trim.


The outside of the building has been painted and varnished all over – the main wall color is masonry paint, with acrylic paint for the trim etc., the (double flue) chimneys have been covered in bricks, with (aluminum foil) being used for the flashing, and ridge covers (with an extra one where the 4 roof ridges meet), and plenty of glue to hopefully stop water ingress the chimneys are fixed direct to the under roof sheets – no holes but multiple layesr and glue have also been added there. The gables are supposedly the servants quarters, and each side of them where there are some 4 in total skylights above the (supposed) store rooms - which needed some light – so it was necessary to add some skylights! Windows are also placed in the ends to light the ‘end to end’ passage also assumed to be in the roof. 


The ‘shop front’ needed some fancy work (must provide a good impression for clients), so the design follows the ‘Grandt Line’ versions but at a larger scale; the upper windows have some blinds added to reduce the view – these are mainly 1.5mm (for strength against the sun) styrene with spacers to keep them off the clear styrene sheet windows. They also hide the marks from glue that managed to place itself in the wrong places! However the styrene does give some strength to the many pieces that the front has been made from. It is painted to look a bit like mahogany – acrylic Burnt Sienna color, with a couple of layers of dark brown ink, roughly applied = several coats to produce some variation the depth of color: then varnished twice. On the dark colored horizontal planks – which are assumed to be there for stiffening, I added some 16 tie rod end plates – these in real life are at the ends of ‘through building’ iron tie rods to hold it together – as it is rather large I felt they were needed – and they also, in my opinion, look good! They are 10mm diameter discs, with a central bolt on a piece of tube, and 4 bits each of sloping bits of strip to replicate the stiffening ribs – the originals would be cast iron, all the bits being made from styrene. The entire building has been given a couple of coats of Satin varnish (it behaves better than ‘matt varnish’), for protection.


The missing (and not yet constructed) stove pipes (double layer painted plastic ‘bendy’ drinking straws) will fit at the rear of the sides, this area being assumed to be the kitchen & office area – the ‘guest rooms’ all have their own fires for the cold Colorado winters the servants will gain from the heat drifting upwards and sideways from the flues. All doors have glass headed pins for handles, including those interior doors. Finally, the foundation flag has now gained its ‘bits of plastic angle’ to hold it down. 
So having waffled on for some almost 900 plus words it is time for some photos – today though cold the weather was reasonable so the hotel was taken outside for its (a bit early), debut in the hamlet of Sycamore Creek, with some extra photos inside – here are a selection, with some extended captions - enjoy. 











The most complicated bit - the front - just dropped - for a short while in position. Note the tie rod end plates on the center of the side.











Here is a better view of the end plates - they are fitted on the center & top extra (dark colored) planks.i










A bit cockeyed but it shos what would normally be seen when all is finally fitted - note the dark brown ink cover on the front - deliberatly multi colored 











What the interior unit looks like! Still to be added are the clock, and some notices, and perhaps pictures - those will need the magnifying glass being dug out from storage! 










The 2 pieces for the interior separatred- there may be a 'roof' added - not yet certain. The floor sits on 5mm sqare distance pieces to keep it off the flagr and any surface water on the foundation flag
; the entire building has a extra 5mm foundation added all round already.










Back the the exterior and down at ground level - seen in relation to some of my other buildings.











And a final one; up a bit and change ends. The 'Welsh dresser' can jsut be seen; I will see if I can, weather permiting take a couple more of the interior post them opn the end of this post.


Enjoy!


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

What a great Paint Job. Really looks great 

JJ


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Love it! 
As for the title - I'm not sure what song you're referring to, for some reason I keep thinking of the old gag, "How are tight bluejeans like a cheap hotel?" (A: both have no ballroom)


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

how i would like to be able to make buildings of this quality...


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By kormsen on 07 Jan 2012 01:22 PM 
how i would like to be able to make buildings of this quality... 
Korm, They tell me it mostly just takes patience and practice... Unfortunately, while patience may be a virtue, it isn't one of mine


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter,

That is one fantastic building. Your talents are endless and your projects give all of us great ideas and incentives. Keep them coming. I'm getting tired of RR cars so I'm moving on to buildings my self. Your work will provide many techniques and ideas.

Doc


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## alecescolme (Dec 20, 2010)

Peter, 
Fantastic work, I too like the paint scheme! 

Alec


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Peter 
That is really a fantastic looking structure 
Dennis


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

I would like to book a room!


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