Saturday Film Club: How Star Trek's Original Phaser Prop Was Built

Film and TV props, especially older ones, fascinate me. Once, when looking at some from Red Dwarf, I commented that they were more basic than I'd expected. The builders agreed, but pointed out that they were on screen for a fraction of a second, and people were more interested in the story than the details of the gizmo being waved around by the actor. Well, until the advent of DVDs, and sci-fi fans who will step through a scene a frame at a time, to fully take it all in. 

One of the best-known sci-fi props, has to be the phaser guns from Star Trek. Here, we take a good look at one of the screen-used props.  

Kenversions coach kit

You know I love a weird, vintage kit. Well, under the table in the The Tram Junction, Laxey, Isle of Man, I found a couple of envelopes, claiming to contain bits for a coach kit. It was too complicated to go through in the shop, but a fiver secured both, so I could enjoy a proper look later. 

What we have (I think) is, a six-seat brake coach kit. 

It's made up of good-quality cardboard sides and ends, various guillotined tinplate parts, and a rolled roof. More an aid to scratchbuilding than a kit, this is one for the modeller. There are lots of bits, and I'm not entirely sure they are all required. 

No chassis parts are included, I have a feeling that a Lime O gauge wagon chassis could be used, but when I get around to this, I'll make my own.  

I've been digging into Kenversions, and found this interesting article (PDF) by Derek Wiggins, covering the range of Mamod bodies the firm sold, with a passing mention of the rolling stock. There is also a catalogue, also in PDF form, which shows the coach I have. Hat tip to HGLW for hosting these. 

Buffer dilema

 

As supplied, the kit comes with a split pin, a bit of wire and a plastic hook. This will produce a realistic Ffestiniog coupling, but one that will be incompatible with everything except Cooper Craft wagon kits. Even then, the things will be a fiddle to use, which is why I prefer a bit of chunky chain. 

Digging in my spares box, I find some rather nice whitemetal buffers. There is a bolt thread on the back, so with a bit of bodgery, there is a strengthener that runs along the reline of the wagon to cut away, this fits into the bufferbeam, nice and strong. Especially with loads of superglue.  

All fitted well, but I didn't like the result. Too large, and more importantly, too complicated. This is a very simple wagon. It wouldn't be fitted with anything so fancy. 

Removing them was a bit of a mission. That superglue had done its job, and eventually, I had to cut down the back of the buffer casting, through the bolt, with a piercing saw. Two blades later, it was done, but hardly a relaxing job. 

The replacement is a block of hardwood (we always keep stocks handy for this sort of job), roughly shaped, and superglued in place. Since I don't trust the glue, despite the effort it took to remove the old buffers, a couple of pieces of brass wire fit through the block, and into the bufferbeam, where they are bent over. 

A hook, made from bent paperclip, is fitted in the top so I can use my chunky chain for coupling. This setup looks, to me, far more in keeping with the wagon. Which means I can move on to paint. 
 

Upper body building

 

The slate wagon body is simple, and ingenious. First, the sides are dropped into holes in the floor. These needed to be drilled out, although I just waggled a tapered reamer in to make them larger. Lashings of MEK softened the plastic so they would push in. 

Then, three slats are inserted into the ends. For the middle two, you ease the upper and lower side slats, and then the new one is grabbed by bumps on the end. Again, the holes in the end slats needed to be opened up - a 3mm bit sorted this out. One in place, loads more MEK to bond everything together.  

All that is left to do, is fit the couplings. Some very accurate ones are supplied, but they won't couple with anything else I own, so time to come up with a plan. 
 

Slotting the wheels in

I like being able to slot parts of a kit together without glue. In this case, the glass-filled nylon solebars and axleboxes can be slid into the floor with a little bit of a wiggle. Handy, as there has been a change to slate wagon kit since it was introduced. 

Original kits were designed to take finescale wheelsets. Now, a set of 16mm Association standard wheels are included, and these are slightly different. 

No problem, the modeller just needs to remove some plastic from the inner solebar. The photo in the instructions isn't that clear, and neither is the view above, but hopefully, this will help. 

I started with a coarse half-round file, and then carved away with a sharp knife. The plastic cuts easily, and I quickly removed the material. Probably too much if I'm honest, but we don't want to risk the wheels rubbing on anything. 

Once done, the solebars and wheels go back in. A quick check to ensure the chassis sits flat on a mirror, and then lashings of Plastic Weld, hold it all in place.  

Binnie slate wagon

 

Here it is. The kit that launched the Binnie empire. Moulded in ABS, and glass-filled nylon, a kit for the Ffestiniog 2-ton slate wagon. 

Reintroducing this kit has involved 40-year-old moulds and many burnt fingers from the manufacturer. As a piece of history, I felt that with my Garden Rail Editor jacket on, I ought to buy one and have a go. Despite being a limited-production kit, my parcel arrived in under a week, so I'm putting the canal boat aside for a couple of days to put the thing together. 

The instructions say "Trimming of flash will be required before assembly" - a legacy of those old moulds. My photo shows the worst bit, the one that would show up on camera best, and indeed, the first job is to clean things up. I don't think this is any worse than kits in the old days. Modern plastic manufacture means we rarely see excess material, but once upon a time, modellers just took it in their stride. 

A sharp scalpel blade and an abrasive stick took care of the worst of it, so I could move on to assembly. 

Meet Wilfred

 

 

I love "Art in the Park". The beautiful, if somewhat yellow, Jephson Gardens, are filled with stalls. Each of those stalls is manned by an artist selling their wares. All the hand-made creativity you could want, in a small(ish, it's getting bigger) space in Leamington Spa. 

Now, I know it's possible to spend a lot of money here. There is everything from ridiculously cheap cards (I stock up for Christmas) to serious paintings and sculpture costing well into four figures. I'm not in that market, but I do have a modest budget I'm willing to spend each year, as regular readers will know. 

There is also weird food on offer. My rule is that I should try something new each time, and this year I scoffed street food glazed duck. From a stand with a particularly muscular lucky cat. 

OK, dessert was (again) the toastie version of millionaire's shortbread from Jabberwocky, but it's sooooo nice. 

The weather was on the side of the organisers. Dry, sunny, but not quite as hot as it has been recently. The crowds were out in force, I just hope the artists did well. Standing there all day with everyone judging your efforts isn't going to be easy. You have to keep smiling, even when they are just tyre-kicking. 

Anyway, I blew a small part of my budget on a little creature that leapt out at me from the Clay Pidgin stand. My usual method of doing this event is to go around twice. Anything that has stuck in my head by the second visit, is a contender for my cash. Not this time though, Christina Callaghan was setting up and I dived in. No idea why, I just liked it. 

Wilfred, as a friend has named him, is a porcelain figure with several different glazes. The comb and lips are smooth, the rest textured. I think there is a hint of SuperLambanana about him. Apart from that, I really don't know why I like this little figure, but I do, and that's all art needs. Maybe it's a little bit mad, but then so am I. 
 

Saturday Film Club: Static Grass - The shocking difference!

Some wise advice from my good self, all hidden behind a thumbnail chosen by one of my rotten colleagues! I will get my own back...

Sea Lion painting

OK, I'm a sucker for one particular Groudle Glen Railway engine. When I saw this painting of the best steam engine in the world on eBay, I managed to resist, for a couple of weeks. Week three, and £25 later, it was mine. 

The watercolour may be slightly "naive", as the art world might say, but there is a lot right about it. The proportions of the loco, and the perspective for a start. Distorted round parts are a mark of the less-than-able artist painting or drawing a steam engine. OK, hiding the wheels helps, but I don't think artist John Beckett has done a bad job. At least the rivet counters will have fun with the bufferbeam! I'm pretty sure the scene is near Lime Kiln Halt too, where a track comes down off the hillside. 

I can't find anything about Mr Beckett online, so I'm guessing he's a talented amateur rather than an important, named artist. To me, this doesn't matter if I like what he has produced, and I do. 

At 42cm x 34cm, and very nicely framed (the price is worth it for the frame alone), should I ever own somewhere suitable to hang it, at least finding wall space won't be too much of an issue.  

Heavy duty sanding

 

You know I said I wouldn't be messing around fettling this kit? It seems I lied. 

On the manufacturer's website, the hull is clearly shown as a series of slices on their finished model. I didn't have a massive problem with this, but my lining up of the hull slices wasn't as perfect as I'd like. They were good, all within 0.5mm, but you could see the differences. 

So, down to the garage, and out with the Mouse. Fitted with the smoothest paper I could find, I attacked the sides. Handily, the laser-burnt edges acted like a guide coat of paint on a car. As I sanded, I could clearly see those that were inset more than the others. In theory, once all the burnt stuff was gone, the sides would be perfect. 

A coat of sanding sealer was followed by some Humbrol 33. This showed up areas that needed a bit more work, but after a couple of sessions with Perfect Plastic Putty filler, sanding, and paint, the result looks OK. 

I'm working on the basis that perfection is the enemy of good, or at least getting the model built. It won't be a show-winner, but hopefully I'll be proud of it. At £22.99, if I really want to, I could even treat this as a test, and aim for perfection on another kit. I doubt that will happen, there's plenty more in the stash to build!

 

September issue of Garden Rail out now.

 

 

Garden railways are never finished, and the 16mm scale Snape & Thornton Watlass Light Railway proves it! In our latest issue, builder James LePage reveals how his much-loved line has evolved over the years, the lessons he's learned, and what's next for the railway.

Plus, on the workbench:

• Building Corris vans with a modern twist
• Constructing a narrow gauge tanker kit
• Bole Laser Craft's beautifully detailed Welsh station
• A battery-powered Double Fairlie complete with sound and smoke
• Dinorwic slate wagons from resin kits

Also inside, enjoy stunning photography of James Gilchrist's impressive 7/8ths scale railway, catch up on the latest product news, and plan your next outing with our comprehensive events guide.

Packed with inspiration, ideas, and practical projects for every garden railway enthusiast! 

Garden Rail is available from all good newsagents, or our online store.  

Layering up the hull

 

Most of the MDF parts in the Petite kit, are layers that make up the hull. 

It's a simple job, fit the first two, and then add the internal walls. PVA holds everything together, but it's important at this stage, to ensure all the parts are square. The walls provide some positive location for all the rest of the hull slices. 

 

All this is made easier by the accuracy of the cutting, and that the slices arrive loose in the bag. No busting them out of a fret, then having to sand retaining nibs away. Just add the slices with glue between them, and clamp for a nice join. 

Incidentally, the hull is 22cm long, which I think means this is a 32ft long boat/  

A little barge

 

I'm starting to get back to normal after all the events earlier in the year, and one thing I'm determined to do is build a few projects for me. No worrying about publishing, other than on this blog. A chance to rediscover the fun of modelmaking. 

First kit out of the stash is a 1:48 scale kit for a small narrowboat from Petite Properties.  

I've built enough stuff from this firm to be confident everything is going to fit together properly. I'm not in the mood for a lot of fettling. Not that this will stop me making small changes, but fighting a kit is out. 

The model is an oddball addition to the range, which is probably why it appealed to me when I spotted the photos on social media. It's not normally on the stand at model railway show, so I had to pre-order for collection. Yes, I could order through the post, but I wasn't in a rush, and chatting is more fun. It's a popular kit too, it's often out of stock, so I was lucky. 

As with all Petite kits. what we have is a set of laser-cut MDT and cardboard parts. There's some wire in here as well. Instructions are included, although everything looks pretty simple. 

The prototype is a holiday cruiser. There is something similar in the Craftline range, although Petite's is shorter.  

A chuffing good time with the Merlin

You may remember that at the BBC Gardeners' World show, I had an issue with my Merlin Mayflower. A cab full of flame made the RC wiring a bit crispy. 

My assumption was that this would all need replacing, but out of curiosity, I switched it on during the week, and it worked!

Next stage was a trip to the club track for a proper test. The evening was warm, high 20s rather than last week's 30+. The loco fired up quickly, with all the fire staying in places where the fire should be in a model steam locomotive. 

Pressure took a while to build, and looking in the cab, I could see why. There was a loose bolt on the back of the boiler. Hot water was coming out, and if there is water, there will be steam escaping. 

I nipped it up with a spanner, and all seemed well. The loco trundled off around the track, making five or six circuits before running out of gas, in the steaming area. 

After a few minutes cooling, I regassed and watered, and off we went again. Sweet as anything. 

I lost count of the number of circuits this time. The goods train is at the limit of the model's power, although it would help if I lubricated the axles, and there is some squeaking from under a couple of the wagons. That should reduce the rolling resistance a bit. 

I can't complain though. For the moment, the RC gear stays in place. I might wrap some tape around the receiver, which doesn't have much of a cover now, but for the moment, if it ain't broke, I'm not going to try to fix it! 

 

Saturday Film Club: Bekonscot Model Village, a ride around the full route

I'm not sure why I haven't seen a locomotive point of view trip around Bekonscot's extensive Gauge 1 railway system before, but here we go. 

Book Review: Groudle Glen Railway Souvenier Guide

 

It's about Groudle, so therefore, brilliant. What more is there to say? 

OK, there is a bit more. This latest version of the guide, at 70 pages, is far more than a simple stock list. The text takes the reader from the earliest days of the Glen, and then the railway at the end of it. It introduces the steam locos, then their electric replacements, and exactly how badly those worked out. 

We go through dereliction, and gradual restoration before coming up to the present day.  

Only after this, do we cover each locomotive, including a few no longer on the line. All the stock gets a moment in the sun too, and that includes the all-important working wagons.  

My only worry, is that this is such a good history, it negates the hardback history that is also an impressive read. That said, it's perfect, and well priced at under a tenner, for the normal visitors the line attracts. If they read the contents, a little of the magic of my favourite railway line will be revealed. 

Only available from Flavel's Emporium on the line, so go pay a visit! 

I got some Gauge 3 into September's BRM!

 

You could say one of my practicals in BRM is a bit rubbish - well I was asked to take a modern dustcart, and work it into a diorama. The good news is that as well as the modelling, I've written a little history of wheelie bins!

As a bonus, I've modelled a man using a manhole to come up from under the road. 

In the four-step section, my first coach makes an appearance, being fitted out with passengers. Timely, as there is a little discussion floating around wondering if model buses should be available with passengers fitted in them. 

My camera has been out for a couple of cracking layouts. 

First, we have Temple Bridge in OO. The moment I saw this at Stafford show, I wanted to shoot it. The builder has really nailed the London atmosphere. Not just a terminus station and loads of yellow bricks, but with a small factory tucked in the middle of the scene. While there are less of these today than in the past, they are still a feature of the capital.  

Next, we have Littlecliff on Sea, in Gauge 3. 

I know, shouldn't Gauge 3 be part of the Garden Rail remit? In this case, I lobbied hard to say it was a BRM subject. This is one of the most detailed layouts I have ever seen. I'd go so far as to say it will be in my top five model railway layouts, I have ever seen. And I've enjoyed looking at a lot of layouts. The modelling is stunning, the atmosphere perfect. My only complaint is that it took its builder only six months to create. 

Seriously, this is a layout worth buying the magazine for on its own. Who knows, maybe the photos will inspire a few modellers taking flight from the smaller gauges where there is a lot of RTR, to consider larger scales because of the detailing possibilities on offer. 

Warehouse Wednesday: Manx shelter and post box

 

I'm nearly through the Manx photos, but had to use this one taken in the little museum (I think) beside Laxey station. 

Information is a bit sparse, but I assume this is a tiny shelter from the Manx Electric Railway. The post box is a fairly typical Manx feature - there is one at Groudle Station, which I always try to remember to send a postcard from. 

Both are very modelable, although that shelter looks a bit small for anything other than three people! 

Book Review: Narrow Gauge Railways in Mid-Wales by JIC Boyd

 

Many years ago, young Phil borrowed this book, Narrow Gauge Railways in Mid-Wales, repeatedly from my local library. I've never actually read it, but that wasn't the point. Inside were plans. Lots of plans. For locomotives, carriages and wagons. 

At the time, I dreamed that I'd use these plans to make models. I didn't dream of just owning them, I was going to build them myself. 

Of course, I never did. On my garden line, the main feature was cost, or at least lack of it. I built very basic wagons that didn't look that much like those in the book. Probably the nearest I got was building a set of wagons from Saltford Models kits, and they aren't much like those on "proper" narrow-gauge railways.  

This didn't matter; those plans inspired me to have a go. I've always collected drawings and now have several boxfiles of the things. All dreams to be realised one day. 

Someone is doubtless wondering why if I love plans so much, they aren't a bigger feature in modern magazines.  The first, is simple. No mag can afford to pay what drawing a plan up should cost. Look at each of these. Measuring up a wagon and then creating a drawing is a couple of days work. A couple of days which should be paid at a skilled rate. There are over two weeks in the photo above. 

The other reason is a bit sadder - I might look at these and dream of building a model, most people look at them and dream of buying RTR. Nothing wrong with that, but the only person who needs a plan is the one sat in front of a computer full of CAD. I did once ask someone if he'd be out with the tin snips if we published a plan for a Duchess, "Oh yes", he said. I was not convinced. Nowadays, a plan would be pored over, but only so people could find errors, real or imaginary, and pronounce on them online. 

Anyway, back to the book. I've occasionally looked at copies, but the other day, one popped up on Instagram being sold by Oxfam. The price was good, as is the cause. A couple of days later it was in my hand. 

Perhaps I'll get around to reading it now! 

Smallspace haul

 

If I'm honest, Smallspace was a lot about resisting temptation this year.Even I have worked out I really don't need any more plastic kit right now. Not Space: 1999 Eagle & Hawk War Games Edition 1:72 Scale Model. Not V.I.N.cent from the Black Hole. Nor the Visible V8 kit I've wanted to build since seeing it in Model Maker magazine back in the 1980s. Although that one has been superseded by the VW Engine I built a few years ago, 

Of course, I managed to add to the stash a little. Some very cheap paints from ranges I'm not that familiar with. I like trying different materials, and when they are 50p to £1 a pot, it would be daft not to experiment. 

For the model boats in the future, a few 1:12 scale figures are handy. They look like characters from the TV series Dr Who, you say? Just a coincidence. 

And I've not really built a vinyl figure kit, but I remember reading about them in Model Mart magazine. For a fiver, I quite fancy having a go at a 1/6th scale Dr Jones senior. 

 

Smallspace 2026

Check me out! I am full qualified to dock a Soyuz spacecraft to the ISS!

OK, a few caveats. I docked it on a simulator provided by the British Interplanetary Society. I bounced off the first time, and the controls, and the level I was working at, only allowed me to line up on the target using up/down left/right forward and back thrusters. No yaw control, that's for more advanced pilots. Mind you, I did this after 2 minutes of tuition, and only bounced off once. And that wasn't catastrophic. Not bad then, and fascinating. 

Smallspace was it's usual friendly mix of modelmaking, original props and replicas, along with slightly more trade than normal. All this in a village hall. 

Obviously, the car park was home to some Daleks. 

There were some Dr Who lookalikes, although this is stretching the term a lot. The Second Doctor's wig was spectacularly unconvincing. Oddly, no Tom Baker, but we did get a Sylvester McCoy, a Doctor I thought badly served by the TV show. 

"There's no railways here.", said a chap from Milton Keynes model club, but we enjoyed a good chat with one of the exhibitors over the best sci-fi spacecraft (Eagle transporters obvs) and how the genre holds a mirror up to current affairs.  

Anyway, enough of this. Go and look at my photos over on Flickr.  

Saturday Film Club: Tin baths on the Isle of Man

A quick look at the Tin Bath racing that I saw on my visit, along with the skateboard racing I missed because Groudle was calling.