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Topic starter
04/08/2026 8:14 am
I recently purchased a 'decal' background for an old German train station (Bahnhof) rear wall.
It needed a little dressing up, so I ordered two figures for it (they will be fun, I promise) and a couple of accessories, before I began building a small passenger platform for the arriving passengers. I began with very simple wood products, including balsa sheets and several thicknesses of 30cm long wood poles for framing. The first photo shows the raw product, with two long framing pieces glued together to give the platform a bit of lift from the ground (which were cut to size, after drying). This allowed me to elevate the platform 6mm and the step only 3mm. Before I constructed the platform I scored the flat balsa piece to create the look of single planks, which should show up better after the first steel wool treatment.
After I built the platform and one step off of the platform, I used a wood restoration product, Lifreer Furniture Restoration Kit teak wood filler/stain instead of paint, to give it a better look, which you can see in the second photo. This is not the end product, as I will now have to very lightly rub down the surface of the platform with a fine steel wool, or sandpaper. That choice is still under consideration.
I will have the setting completed this week, but I will hold off sharing the final product until the accessories and figures have arrived. Feedback is always welcome.
This topic was modified 6 days ago 2 times by GDH
04/08/2026 10:03 am
That will look GREAT! They sell mini diorama settings similar to this on eBay but nothing like this one. The aging on it is realistic. Can't wait to see your final image!
04/08/2026 11:19 am
"I will hold off sharing the final product until the accessories and figures have arrived. Feedback is always welcome."
OK, I'll wait...... I'm sure everything will look just great. If not, we'll tell you about it! 😆 😀 😆
04/08/2026 12:36 pm
04/08/2026 1:41 pm
This is very interesting and will be superb to see ! 
04/08/2026 4:27 pm
There is a French company called Milena Rose that manufactures diorama backdrops. I have a few in 1:43 scale, and I know they also offered some in 1:18 scale; I'm not sure about other scales.
Currently, 75 pieces are being offered by a French seller on ebay.de. v70cbf is the seller's eBay username.
An example with a weathered and slightly upgraded partworks bus:
Ralf Buyer
Wiesbaden, Germany
04/08/2026 6:55 pm
Those building are nice. I have used some cheap background I found at Walmart.
This post was modified 5 days ago 4 times by grockwood
04/08/2026 7:06 pm
04/08/2026 7:23 pm
wow these great display efforts are kinda sneaking up on us. Well done gents! Heres a couple of mine:
French Post Office, with 1/24 IXO bikes/scooters and Hachette Citroen.
And a garage somewhere in Europe!
04/08/2026 7:28 pm
Geoff, those are great looking images.
Topic starter
05/08/2026 9:08 am
@geoff-jowett Where did you find the French post office? I really like that one for 1/24.
Topic starter
05/08/2026 9:10 am
@grockwood These look great. I am also using other sources for backgrounds, though I don't wish to spoil the surprise, so no examples as yet.
Topic starter
05/08/2026 9:17 am
@ralf Yes, I have seen his offerings, but ordering anything from France is expensive. Shipping from me to him is around 8 Euro, whereas his shipping cost to me is 19,93 Euro, making his 40,20 Euro item a 69 Euro item, by the time it arrives. The total cost of the Bahnof (train station) I am currently building, without accessories or figures of course, will be about 21 Euro. And, I'm rather enjoying the building part. I am also confining my dioramas/vignettes to 1/24 or 1/18, as my 1/43's are all in cases and protected. (Remember, when I touch a 1/43, something inevitably falls off...)
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