I was going to be using the European Station models by Bachman for Valdieu-Lutran but, when I tried them in real life rather than as appearing on the track plan, they appeared far too big for such a narrow baseboard, especially against a train. The goods shed especially was too wide and needed to be raised by 10mm to allow locos and rolling stock to pass under its awning. This meant it needed a platform for it and I felt that it overbalanced the look of the layout.

Fortunately I also had a Hornsby Skale French station building and toilet block, and this looked right and fitted the baseboard better. I looked for a commercial model of a suitable goods shed but they were all too large. I therefore decided that, as this is a small French station, I would just have a small unloading platform instead of a goods shed.

To start I cut out a piece of 5mm foamcore board to act as a foundation. I then lined the outside edges using wooden coffee stirrers.

The loading ramp was then clad with coffee stirrer ‘sleepers’ and the ramp made.

Using a centre punch I pressed into the planking where I wanted to simulate bolts etc. These depressions were then highlighted by using a propelling pencil to darken them. The planking was then trimmed and then sanded to make a smooth finish before I used Games Workshop shades, Agrax Earthshade, Athenian Camoshade and  Seraphim Sepia to tint the planks followed by a coat of Nuln Oil to dirty the timber. 

The loading dock was then masked with low-tack masking tape and a white warning edge to the dock spray painted onto it.