Sheds,Outhouses or Biffies

[Vic]

Or whatever you want to call them Made out of whatever scrap wood or styrene that was laying around

These make a great "first time" scratch project because there's no set dimensions and whatever you make will look right

Yes Tyson and Errol....that's the same PLINTH that the Oakies were on

 

[Drew1125]

Great looking "privies" Vic!
What I really like is how you've got the "standard", "delux", & "executive" models!

 

[60103]

Vic:
I can't get the image big enough to tell: what's the red and white thingy by the door of the deluxe model?

 

[shamus]

Nice models Vic, whats your next project?

 

[NERLRR]

Nice "little latrines" lol. They look pretty cool, for outhouses that is, lol.

 

[Matthyro]

Great models Vic. I am sure we all could use dozens of these on our layouts.

 

[Vic]

THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENTS

CHARLIE... I'm gonna plant some "privy plants" (collard greens) behind them

DAVID... The red and white thing is a thermometer

SHAMUS... I dunno.... I've got so much stuff here that I've scratched and bashed over the years. It just tickles me to death that everyone likes to see them!!!

 

[bobrien]

Vic your dunnies look great
The one on the far left would be very common down here (out in the bush that is ) and we call them "long drops" (self explanatory I guess).
I am definitely going to build a couple for my bush train layout.

 

[BDC]

Nice job Vic! That's a real home away from home!

BTW - Did you mean to add a little 'smiley face' to the roof of the middle sh**shack or did it just turn out that way?

 

[planeshavings42]

Dang Vic, the one in the center looks much like my train barn, no wonder I can't stay in there too long especially when it's hot outside. Seriously, nice work. toot toot planeshavings

 

[Vic]

BDC Smiley Face

Nope that wasn't intentional but it does look like one from that angle....actually its a patch on the roof

The Robber Barron does not like smilies on his buildings so I'll corrrect that soon

 

[bobrien]

oh yes - nearly forgot.
the thermometer is measuring the temperature where exactly?
inside or out ??

 

[kettlestack]

THERMOMETER??????

Vic, These little retreats are soooo cute! with weathering that's just right.

I meant to post this before you mentioned the "thingie" was a thermometer. I honestly thought that just like up here in the north the "standard" one would have newsprint hanging inside, that the "deluxe" one had the Sears catalogue (red and white "thingie") hanging outside as a status symbol and the "Exec" would have Walthers catalogue hanging inside (for perusal ony) .

Hot dang, if Pappy sees holes digged in dat PLINTH yo shore gonna be in a heap o' trouble!

I would leave the smiley on the roof though, it's symbolic of the feeling one gets when one leaves the premises don't you think?

Me likes 'em.

Errol

 

[BillD53A]

Nice models...Now, here's the ultimate outhouse trivia! On the door of the right-hand outhouse there is a crescent moon.
There were once two shapes associated with outhouse doors...what were they and what were they for? I'll post the answer this evening! Bill

 

[Vic]

FOR ALL WHO ASKED

The thermometer on the privy is just a dry transfer from Woodland Scenics

Bruce.... Hmmmmm "long drops".... I suppose the longer the drop the longer the "stay" The shorter the drop the shorter the "stay"

 

[Vic]

BTW....BRUCE

The thermometer measures the outside temp......so one can decide if it will be comfortable to leave the door cracked just a bit

 

[BillD53A]

To answer my earlier question, te doors either had a crescent moon, or a star. The star was the men's room, the moon was the ladies'. I read where some 2 story buildings had 2 story outhouses...I dont even want to think about it!

 

[60103]

2 storey biffies

Yes they did.
There is one in Calgary Alberta Heritage Park.
The top level was for the Hotel guests, lower level for the Bar.




And to answer the unasked questions:
it was a large square building. There were 8 seats or so around the outside.
And the lower level was set in a couple of feet from the outer wall.

When I get home, I'll see if I can find anything on it. Whit Towers was interested and had a funny article after the NMRA convention in Calgary in 78(??)

 

[Vic]

More Trivia

On the Rio Grande Southern....The Route of the Galloping Goose...so named after their homebuilt motor cars....which were called galloping geese, the public outhouses were designated "geese" for the ladies and "ganders" for the men

 

[bobrien]

Critical accroutments for any outhouse :
BIG can of bug spray
Bottle of strong disinfectant (pine scented of course)
Lots of newspaper (NOT for reading)
Readers Digests (for reading)
Fly Swat (or refer #1)
Piece of string (to tie to the door handle in case lock is broken)

And the biggest long drop I ever saw, was about 3 meters deep (that's about 9 feet) and it was SO clean too. Wouldn't wanted to have fallen into that sucker tho....