Arriving at the market, and speaking only English, I decided that I was going to buy something. It didn't really matter what, this would be a souvenier of me stepping out of my comfort zone.
I didn't fancy owning a H&M Duette, or some battered HO Marklin items, the only train stuff I spotted, but a set of small weights looked good. I use weights a lot for modelling, and so these would be a regular reminder of my trip (better than a minitaure Manneken Pis, which is pretty much what the souvenier shops offer) and actually useful.
Waving them at the trader, he opened with 20 Euro, and I countered with 10. That's a bit pricey for little lumps of cast iron, but I was on holiday, and not speaking the lingo, aren't in a position to argue too much. 10 was fine anyway, they are really nice little things, and you pay easily as much for urinating babies...
However, it seems that these weren't the only weights I had bought.
Oh no, the trader isisted I take these as well for the money. They weigh 940, 913, 381 and 375g. Basically, I'd bought just over 3kg. Which I had to carry around for the rest of the day. Thank goodness I have a rucksack.
Once I'd lugged my load back to the station, it was fortunate that my plans included an hour and a half's trainspotting. I could sit on a grit bin and take the weight off my shoulders. Another good thing is that Eurostar don't weigh your luggage, although what the security people thought of them when the bag was x-rayed is a mystery!
Back home, I'm sure these will be useful tools, and I'm glad I bought them. It's certainly added some memories to the trip!
Has anyone else bought modelling stuff on holiday?
I too always try to buy a modelling momento when on holiday, but as we always holiday in Cornwall, never get the opportunity to haggle. That would be fun.
ReplyDeleteNo, and I regret not buying the motorised Melbourne tram when when I was there, though I did get a non-powered one when I got back
ReplyDeleteG'day Phil,
ReplyDeleteYes I try to & like you it'll be at the oddest places where your next expecting to find something.
My best purchases was in London 1981, when as a teenager on a family holiday from Australia, I purchased a Hornby Minitrix N scale Mallard in green & a Graham Farrish HST set.
The Mallard has a Beatties price label of 36.50 Pounds (no Pound symbol on the keyboard only $).
Another odd acquisition is dirt, I have a location in the lower Blue Mountains along a trail that offers several different shades of yellow, yellow/brown, grey etc & all within 1 meter of each other.
I have a second location 2hrs north of Sydney where 400 meters from a mates place is black dirt & also red dirt like it is from the center of Australia. (Locally termed the red center).
Mix any of the above mentioned dirt colours for more variations.
Woodlands Scenics Burnt Grass is the primary greenery for Aussie modelling.
Cheers Woz
Sydney, NSW, Australia
I wonder what the yellow weights were originally for ? Their unusual weight in grams is intriguing me....
ReplyDeleteSteve - The yellow weights make no sense. They aren't marked, and the odd weights are weird. I'm thinking they look a bit medical, but can't see you can do much with them as they have been made so innacuratly.
ReplyDeleteThe yellow ones might be for adding tension to something, possibly a weaving loom. Much bigger ones are used on the full size looms used in old fashioned mills.
ReplyDeleteG'day Phil,
ReplyDeleteLocal Regional Museums are worth checking out on your travels.
Coffs Harbour Regional Museum (mid north coast of NSW, Australia) has a book produce by the local Aboriginal Orara People that has lots of old photos of the area of which was an extensive narrow gauge logging railway with Shays.
Traction engine road trains of which 1 traction engine hauling 2 trailers.
At an Australian Narrow Gauge Convention I saw footage of a gravity logging narrow gauge railway with brakemen riding the rear of the log holding a lever for braking. There was a curved bridge that didn't have to take a loco but only long logs with a bogie bolster towards each end, so it was minimalist built with 1 of the pylons being a tree chopped to take cross supports for the track to cross the valley.
Cheers Woz