Transformer Station
Faller 1:87 Scale Scenery Review
Transformer stations of this type are often seen in rural parts of Germany, where its shingled walls and traditional roof make the transformer blend in with its surroundings. Measured at 1:72 scale, the HO model still has a floor space of 9.4 square metres, and it is tall enough to be used in conjunction with the taller miniatures. Compatibility with 1:72 scale miniatures can be improved by raising the small roof above the doorway by 4 mm. The model is beautifully done in coloured plastic, but it is well worth the effort to weather it, using the small scale AFV weathering technique developed by Jim Gordon. Telegraph poles will be required to build a telegraph line in conjunction with this model.
Contents
Transformer Station, rural
- Period II, after ca. 1921
- 63 Parts in 4 Colours
- Clear Plastic Sheet for Windows
- Masking Paper with printed Curtains
- 1:72 Scale Floor Plan: 2.77 × 3.38 m
- 1:72 Scale Height: 7.70 m
- Accessories: Telegraph Poles № 955
Evaluation
Excellente choice of subject: The transformer station may be used as a solitary building along a rural road. The shingled construction and the addition of telegraph poles and lines make the model very attractive.
Scale model with excellent detail. Shingles, roof tiles, plasterwork and wood grain are nicely sculpted.
Very easy to build, only 63 parts.
High quality kit. The parts are practically free of flash, and the cast-on sprue is easy to remove with a scalpel. Even beginning modellers should be able to put the transformer station together without a problem, the parts fit together very well.
Excellent colouring, the model looks realistic and very harmonious. The beautifully detailed shingles really call for additional weathering, using the same techniques one would apply to a military vehicle.
The kit contains a pre-punched four-colour paper insert with printed-on curtains. Most of the insert is black, and it is designed to prevent interior lighting from illuminating the plastic of the model. With the masking paper in place, light will only shine through the windows. Wargamers typically simulate nightfighting by imagining darkness on the battlefield, but here is a model which would actually support night actions on the table-top battlefield.
Four-colour warning signs “HOCHSPANNUNG – LEBENSGEFAHR” are included in the kit, but the print is not crisp enough to read them, and the chrome yellow colour has not been matched correctly. The signs are not dated, we can only assume that they are from the earliest historic period of the kit, 1921–1945.
Not strictly compatible with 1:72 scale figures and vehicles, but the transformer station is unique, and its overall dimensions are such that it may be used alongside larger buildings.
The kit does not include telegraph poles or lines, but these are required to complete the model. Part № 1/4 must not be attached to the building without the lines in place. Faller kit № 955 includes the necessary poles and lines, and it should be ordered along with this model.
There are three insulators on each side of the roof, but the telegraph poles included in kit № 955 support up to four lines. If four lines are to be used, part № 1/7 should be replaced with a similar part scrounged from a telegraph pole.
Faller kits are cataloged by historical period, a system which works well for model railroaders who base their layouts on a particular period. Period II extends from 1921 to 1945, for example. Unfortunately, this dating method is inadequate for military modelling purposes. We would have expected to find the year of construction in the manual, enabling the modeller to match the building to certain vehicles which may have appeared at about the same time.
Historical Employment
- Rural Transformer Station, Germany ca. 1921–1997
The transformer station is a perfect stand-alone building for a rural setting. Anyone looking for a nice change of pace in armour modelling, is well advised to give the transformer station a try. The crisp detail and surface textures may be painted and highlighted using regular AFV painting techniques. Roll-players and wargamers will find a number of interesting scenarios revolving around the transformer station: It is a tactical objective, landmark and observation point.