I saw this model kit on Ebay and thought it would be an interisting structure on my HO layout. I ordered one and was surprised at how well this kit was made and detailed. I built it and weathered it to fit the ‘honor of its fame’ for those who remember the Hitchcock movie. This would make a great structure on many layouts and I just wanted to share it with everyone. I still have some small details to finish but the kit comes with a stone step structure like the one in the movie, which I plan to use, and a base. Even Normans’ mother figure is in the upstairs left window.
Disregarding the horror movie heritage, it could also be finished with bright new paint and multi-pane windows as the home of the railroad’s president or the county’s political kingpin. Either would be historically accurate. That style of construction was common in the Northeast.
You simply must have Arbogast (Martin Balsam) walking up the inside stairs – or falling backwards down them (one of Hitchcock’s cleverest and cheapest special effects ever):
Does any one have/have you seen the Grimm’s Funeral home from Downtown Deco ?. How did it come out for you, the one I purchased there were lots of hole in the outside of the walls, the back of the tower where the mold came together was really thin on one side,thick on the other and in two places parts of the wall was broken. I could live with the broken wall pieces they could be glued back together, but the tower and the voids in the outer walls I was not happy with. I took it back for a refund. Now I don’t know if I got a bad kit or what but if you have this let me know how it turned out (if you have pictures please post )
BTW technically not a “mansion” just a house. Victorians tended to have large families so houses were much larger in the 19th century than recent decades. Go into most any big city’s older residential areas and you’ll see many houses like this, many being used now as rooming houses.
This kit is about to get hot again. In case you haven’t heard A&E will have a new series called the “Bates Motel” in March. Its a prequel to the Hitchcock film yet set in a modern setting.
Thanks for all the comments on the model. The kit is made by Polar Lights and includes an LED but I don’t like the blue/white light it puts out. I am using a flickering yellow/amber LED from one of the tea lights sold at the Dollar Tree; 3 in a pack for $1.00. I just take them apart and use the LED which has the flicker circuit built in. I also use it in a 55 gallon drum as a flickering fire for the yard workers to keep warm.
This kit is very well made and the corners fit exceptionally well. I was really surprised and very pleased. Also, I thought about finishing it as a new or well maintained victorian home but the picture on the box was just too much to pass up.
The steps came with the kit, the road is just 020 styrene, aged concrete (Floquil) weathered and the center stripe is, believe it or not) whiteout (correction fluid) from Bic, comes in a squeezable ballpoint pen type applicator.[:D]
It’s a nice looking kit. I bought one for the layout to make as a haunted house, but it looks so good, I thought I’d keep it as a nice old Victorian home that survived into the early 1950’s.
Thanks Karl, especially the tip on the Bic whiteout. It looks very uhhh… controllable, which l’ve found is the chief obstacle to getting good stripes on roadways.
SOmewhat off topic, but my wife & I saw the movie “Hitchcock” yesterday. It’s about the time Hitch made the Psyco movie. If you like Hitchcock movies, you shoud see it. It is in limited run, not at the major movie house chains. Anthony Hopkins as Hitch and Helen Mirren as his wife http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/hitchcock/
To do the Addams Family one, it will require interior detail. Particularly, a model railroad, with two locos hitting head on and exploding, with Gomez standing nearby cackling with glee.
