Friday, May 17, 2019

Scenerama Modelling detached town houses

It's unusual for me to trip over a kit I've not seen before, but this one, found on the second hand table at the RMweb members day, is a mystery.


This kit is sizable injection-loulded affair for a pair of 4mm scale semi-detatched town houses. The moulings are really high-quality and include all the detail you'd hope for - and more. The saircases are part of the kit, modellers are expected to build the interiror!


To provide the wall finishes, a couple of sheets of pre-printed paper are included. These models are to be yellow London brick with red brick detailing.


Even the floors are printed, complete with carpets.

This is a really hi-fi kit but who were Scenerama? I've never heard of them.

And, this is the big question, are these kits and the very similar looking Hornby R273 OO Gauge Victorian Semi-Detached Houses Kit's the same thing? If so, this could be another very underatted Hornby product.

9 comments:

Luke said...

I believe the moulding was done for Hornby by Heljan, long before they entered the UK market. I wonder if Scenerama got them to do a production run when it was out of Hornby's catalogue?
Luke

Anonymous said...

I think it is the other way round, Scenerama produced the original kit which was the plastic moulded interior and pre-finished paper wrap. Hornby had the plastic mould re-cut to include the brick courses and released it as R273. There is a similar shop version R274.

Come on Hornby (or someone) please produce a few more please.

Unknown said...

I am the son of the original designer and maker of the Scenerama Kits. His name was Ronald A. Chivrall a past winner of the Championship Cup for Model Engineering.
My father, who was the Tool room manager and later the Chief Designer for Airfix and subsequently Crayonne at Sunbury on Thames, designed them and had them tooled under the Company of Scenerama. I was the original salesman for them. The Company did not do well and I believe the tools were sold and ruined by trying to etch the brickwork into the tools. I have the original artwork for the walls etc and a fair number of the kits. I did have them on sale on E.bay a few years ago but did not sell many.
If you would like further information contact me.
Roger[url=https://postimg.cc/YL2xnK1f][img]https://i.postimg.cc/NFmP0QFV/IMG-3277.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://postimg.cc/bsN6Lbgc][img]https://i.postimg.cc/VLX3fWb6/IMG-3269.jpg[/img][/url]

Phil Parker said...

Roger - This is amazing! I'd love to get in touch and find out more but Blogger has scrambled your e-mail address. If you can hit the "Ask Phil" link on the top right of this page, your e-mail will come straight to me and we can chat.
Thanks.

Roger Chivrall said...

I did hit the "Ask Phil" link but nothing happened.
I tried to insert a couple of photos from my postimages but they do not show.
Look forward to communicating with you on this one.
Roger

Phil Parker said...

Ask Phil should activate your e-mail program.

Try just mailing me at: phil@pagenumberone.co.uk

Blogger is quite unsophisticated so it can't handle photos in the comments and doesn't pass on your contact details.

Jeremy Brook said...

As Secretary of the Airfix Collectors' Club, I would love to know more. If you could contact me Roger via the A.C.C. website that would be great. Thanks, Jeremy Brook.

xkopite said...

Phil, have you done anything with this model yet.
I have this model plus the Hornby ones, I will be starting a 1940s home front diorama with bomb damaged buildings. Have you ever done this type of modelling if so any pics or tips.
Regards
Dave H

Phil Parker said...

Not so far. Modelling a damaged house would be a real challenge - you need to look at lots of photos as you'll need to scratchbuilt floors and joists. Good luck.