Pay Checks

A final bit of the Stafford haul, which I nearly forgot as they have been rattling around in the bottom of my bag, are these railway paychecks. 

According to Wikipedia, these would be issued on Thursday, and then swopped the next day for money and a payslip. Some numbers would be issued to an employee when they started work, and kept for life. 

These cost me a quid each from the North Staffordshire Railway Co. 

While I know they aren't rare, each one is much older than I am, and a fascinating piece of social history. This little bit of copper (I think) meant everything to the person it belonged to. Who was that person? Whose hands have each one of these passed through? 

I've built a model like that!

 

Going for a stroll last week, I spotted this fence. There are several similar ones on the estate it's on. 

I think the ground has dried up so much, that the posts have all started to lean. Obviously, the bars have held, so it's just leaned over. 

Which looks an awful lot like many a model fence I have seen - so there is a prototype if you can't make your posts stand up straight! 

Garden Rail November - We are off to Switzerland

This issue takes a trip to Switzerland with the stunning 'Helvetia' Gauge 1 layout, proving that world class modelling can fit in surprisingly small spaces. 

Also inside: 

• Build your first Gauge 1 locomotive with the latest beginner-friendly G1MRA kit.
• First test of Garden Railway Specialists' new Hudswell Clarke live steam locomotive.
• Create realistic water features to bring wildlife and extra interest to your railway. 
• Build a Tin Turtle armoured Simplex from recycled parts. 
• Explore the history of Harvey Watkins' Darjeeling B Class locomotives. 
• We visit the Misbourne Valley Railway for an Indian locomotive special, and if this inspires you, we're also building a Darjeeling coach 

Plus, all the latest product news for anyone working in the larger scales. 

Garden Rail November 2026, packed with ideas for builders, tinkerers, live steam enthusiasts and anyone looking for their next project.

Soft furnishings

The "padding" on the beds and sofa in the barge is made from pieces of pre-cut MDF, to be covered by the builder. 

I raided my mum's material scraps for something suitable. These aren't big cushions, but it's a modelling job I've never done before. Each piece was wrapped, and glued along one side with PVA, held with a couple of small bulldog clips. Then I was distracted, and left them for a couple of weeks. 

Coming back to the task, the material had stuck, but I needed to work around curved corners, which with the PVA and clips, seemed a little challenging. So, I changed to superglue, which sets fast enough that the excess material can be tugged to keep the tension. 

It worked!

Within a few minutes, everything was stuck in place, the glue hadn't ruined the front of the material, and I could trim the excess with curved nail scissors.  

Some small cushions seemed to be required. Why is it that the softest and most comfortable seat in the house, needs a ton of small cushions? 

Anyway, these are balsa wood squares, roughly shaped (you can't see much through the windows) and wrapped in tissue, again, held with superglue. The surface is a bit wrinkly, but looks OK. 

Stafford haul

 

As I picked up the 1/24 figure set, the guy behind the Stafford second-hand stall said, "I thought of you when I put that out!"

It seems I have a reputation. 

To be fair, I've enjoyed some cracking deals from this stand. Mostly buying stuff no one else wants, but appeals to my weird interests. 

So, we have a 1/24 set of "Campus Friends" in an odd Tamiya box. This set looks to be the original 1983 version, there is a more modern set with a figure taking a selfie. However, the plain box confuses me. Is this an early "white label" version? 

The Russian army figures are useful poses, especially those with the fuel drum. And the MG, well, I hadn't brought my spend up to the value of my entry ticket, and it just appealed to me. There is a lot of box for a very small motor car! 

These came from a preservation stand. The Merit carboys are nice models, and with straw packing, will make a wagon load. I suppose most people would ignore them for something 3D printed, but that's their loss. The trees are just nice boxes, and I'm curious about them, especially the Alder trees. 

Anorak's Anonymous provided me with a nice kit for a road roller, travelling van and water bowser. These are nice kits and make up well. Six quid is a lot cheaper than a RTR diecast model, and so much more fun too. While we are looking at road vehicles, the diecast trailers from £3 for three, and the second-hand stall had a pile of them. 

Another AA find. I didn't know what I was buying here; I just really loved the box design, from a firm I've never heard of. What I have is a set of street light kits. Probably a bit American, but not outrageously so. However, buying old kits because I like the look of the box is very on-brand for me. 

Finally, from the donations table, at the end of the day, so obviously not that popular, a railway simulator. I don't think I've ever had a proper go with one of these, so why not? I'm probably one of the last people with a CD Rom drive in my computer anyway - which probably explains it being left on the table!

Not a spendy show, but the trade was good fun. I haven't picked a few bits up for work projects too, but this is the fun/weird stuff that makes going to a physical event so entertaining.