Cinema "THE BIRKS"

This kit is based on the glorious art-deco cinema in Aberfeldy. Opened in 1939 and named the “BIRKS” after the local name for birch trees. A stalwart presence in the Perthshire town for many years until it declined (with many other local cinemas) and closed as a cinema in 1982 leading to use as a bingo hall and amusement arcade and eventual closure in 2004. However, the community rallied around, won significant funds for its major renovation and reopened in 2013. 

Visit the cinema for your favourite blockbuster or just sample the café – it is worth a visit. 

*The kit comes in 2 parts:

·        A kit of just the frontage (low relief) of the cinema (2xA4 laser cut 3mm plywood sheets (1x0.8mm))

·        An add on kit to add the back to complete the full building (4xA4 laser cut 3mm plywood sheets (1x0.8mm))

The 2 parts must be purchased separately. These instructions cover both kits.

This bespoke model has been designed in 1/76 scale to represent this wonderful example of an art deco cinema building that will enhance any townscape in your layout.

The building requires glue. Choose a glue that allows at least a minute before setting to allow adjustments to be made during the build. Always test the build before using glue.

For finishing, we recommend first priming the surface, then painting with any acrylic or model paint of your choice. The material is etched, so any engraved detail such as brickwork or roof tiles will be visible after painting.

Important information about railway scaling: 

All kits are designed in OO Gauge on 3mm plywood, so there are a few considerations to be made when scaling the digital files to other Gauges. The instructions provided will be the OO version as the build order is the same at different scales.

O Gauge Orders: When scaling to O gauge, there are manual modifications that may need to be made when assembling the kit. This is due to the thickness of the plywood when scaling the kit from the OO gauge material of 3mm to the O gauge 5.25mm material that would be needed. As this thickness of ply does not exist, we undersize the material to the closest thickness we have of 4mm plywood and recommend dry fitting the build first so that any joints that need to be sanded for a flush finish can be noted.

N Gauge Orders: Scaling to N gauge works well and has no extra modifications needed due to material thickness. Some parts will be very fine, so take care when removing them from the frame. If some window pieces are particularly fine, they can be reinforced by soaking them in glue before assembly.

TT Gauge Orders: Scaling to TT requires slightly more modifications of the designs before cutting, so please contact us if you’re interested in a kit, and we can provide you a quote at info@popupdesigns.co.uk.

Any other questions, tips or enquiries please don’t hesitate to contact us via our email address or contact form. 

This kit is designed by Iain Ross and sold by PopUp Designs with his permission.