We all know Stalters for their plasticard and plastic-based range of models. They are also producers of very high quality multi-media locomotive and wagon kits in many scales. A firm not scared of developing markets most mainstream manufacturers shy away from with wheels on sale for garden and model engineering scales, it seems that in the dim and distant past, they started with humble cardboard models.
I don't recall ever seeing one of these before so picked up kit reference number 46M9 from a second hand stall recently for a couple of quid. Maybe the packet could have been opened to satisfy my curiosity but for such a small price, it didn't seem fair. Anyway, I might not have got it back in the packed again. Been caught with that one recently as I'll relate in a future post.
The kit is for a 4mm scale wooden LNWR station building. According the notes, these were mainly built before WW1 using a modular construction system. For the modeller, this means you can build a fictitious station using standard components and it should still look real. Parkside Dundas supplies the panels as plastic mouldings if you fancy this.
The Slaters kit is a bit more basic. There are some nicely printed, although not photo realistic, parts that have to be cut from the card sheets. Glazing is ready printed on acetate. It includes roof glazing that has to be folded up first. Finally, doors and brackets are injection moulded and on sprues. I have a feeling these might still be part of the range.
It's a nice kit that will probably sit in the pile of other card kits for the moment. If built, it would site nicely amongst Superquick or Metcalf kits. I'm not sure why they gave up on card, perhaps the size doesn't help. The main sheets are an unwieldy 46cm long. Most manufacturers stick to A4 size packaging for easy display and storage.
The one thing I can't find anywhere is a date of manufacturer. I'm guessing 1980's but can anyone do better ?
Slaters Website
The provenance of this kit is Prototype Models as Slaters were the distributers and then took over the marketing of the range -they featured in Slaters' adverts in the late 1970s-early 1980s. IIRC the original designer went on to produce the Diorama kits of terraced houses and a corner pub.
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