The Marvellous(?) Miniature Workshop

 

Can I be a little controversial? There is a TV show called The Marvellous Miniature Workshop. It should be right up my street - and I really don't like it. 

The basic premise is that a skilled modelmaker produces a miniature scene, or building, that brings to life a memory for a member of the public. We watch the skilled (and they are very skilled) modelmaker create something wonderful.

If this was how it worked, I'd be all over the show. After all, there is the excellent Repair Shop, and I'm also keen on Car SOS and Wheeler Dealers, especially the Ed China episodes. But it doesn't. 

The producers are obviously keen to invent another Repair Shop, but because they work in tellyland, completely missed the point that makes that show work. Put simply, they fall for the fallacy that a TV show needs a STAR. In The Repair Shop, pretty much everyone involved was unknown at the start. A few series in, all the people working on it (we'll not mention Jay Blades) is a star - because of the wonderful skills they have.  

For MMW, there was a budget, so we get SARA COX. Now, I think she is brilliant on the radio, but here, I think shes woefully miscast. The BBC has favourites of the month, and they are shoe-horned into everything. Presumably, SARA COX got the gig because Romesh Ranganathan wasn't available. 

Worse, because we have a STAR, she has to be the main focus of the programme. So, we have SARA COX  introducing things, talking to the ordinary members of the public over a contrived cup of tea, where they meet the modelmaker. Then, to tell the story, the ordinary members of the public are shown talking to the camera with SARA COX providing voiceover. Cut to the modelmaker with more, slightly patronising SARA COX voiceover. Everything is "made to perfection". Next, SARA COX goes and does some "research" for all of two minutes. Back to a bit of construction, then SARA COX unveils the finished model. 

In The Repair Shop, and other shows I mentioned, we follow, and get some understanding of the work being done. Most of the time, it is fascinating. Here, we have a STAR, so the modelmaking is almost an afterthought. The people building models seem perfectly personable, so why not give them more screen time so they can tell us what they are doing? 

One reason might be that a lot of processes take a very long time. If it takes five hours to make a floor, then the camera team can't be kept hanging around while someone cuts out bits of wood. In the same episode, the maker produced half-a-dozen tubular steel hospital beds from plastic strip, which will have taken hours, but was covered in a single voiceover line from SARA COX.  

Worse, the focus is on the "human interest" story. So, there is a lot of reminiscing, and not a little crying. To me, it's very mawkish, something The Repair Shop keeps to a minimum. But then they know we've come to see skilled people at work. The backstory is kept short. 

But these producers don't like skilled people doing interesting work. They have a STAR, who has cost a loads of money, and needs to be used a lot. They also believe that blubbering ordinary members of the public are TV gold. 

What the show needs is a spinoff - no SARA COX, no ordinary members of the public, just skilled modelmakers talking us through the work they are doing. OK, it's a harder edit, and you'd probably need them to film themselves, but that's not impossible. It's would be a better representation of the effort that goes into what are real masterpieces. 

Maybe I'm just grumpy. Very probably, but I look at the modelmaking, and want to know more. I don't care about the "research" which isn't, and I never want to see people so upset by the current state of the house they loved, and the subject of the model, that they are crying on camera. 

Not for me. 

Saturday Film Club: Why DO we love model trains?

Why do we love model railways? Tim Dunn asked people at The National Festival of Railway Modelling. 

Airfix flick motor

 

"Would this fit in your Beatties collection?" asked someone generous at the weekend. I took one look at the price label, and said, "Oh yes. Thank you". Of course, I completely forgot to get a name, and even if I had, it would have slipped my mind in the chaos of the event. So thank you, random stranger. 

What we have is a "flick motor", a one-pole motor that will run, but not start on its own. You fit the motor into the nose of your 1:24 aeroplane, and wire it up. Then, to start the prop spinning, flick it with your finger. To stop it, just stick your finger in the way. According to the box back, this won't hurt. 

It's a very neat solution. No switches required, just some clever motor design. Presumably, Airfix felt there would be enough of a demand to justify manufacturing these. It's not like there was an alternative use in the real world - unless anyone knows better. 

Anyway, into the collection it goes. 

 

My 100th issue of Garden Rail!

 

In my 100th issue as Editor, 

Did you know? The Lynton & Barnstaple line, once nicknamed the “toy train”, has its very own 16mm scale model railway! Pete Chandler takes us behind the scenes, and shows how you can get involved.

On the workbench this month:

• Building a 5-inch gauge loco
• Chassis for our 16mm Planet diesel
• Scratch-building a Gauge 3 steeple cab
• Welsh slate wagons
• A micro layout for your office corner
• Repairing an LGB point

We visit the Wernigerode model village, a G-scale stunner. 

Out in the garden, we’re exploring lineside planting ideas and sharing tips to encourage youngsters into our hobby.

Plus: All the latest news for large-scale modellers!

Available from all good newsagents, or our online store.  

Warehouse Wednesday: Oxford roofs

I found myself the other day, looking out over Oxford, from the top of the Sheldonian Theatre. As I admired the dreaming spires, I pondered how I'd model them if called to. 

And it occurred to me that there were two options. Carefully make one, with a great deal of skill and fiddling, and cast it in resin, or more likely, 3D print the thing as many times as required.  

As a fan of traditional modelling, I'll have to admit that this is one area where printing will score well above carving things out of plastic. That pains me a bit, as I'd like my modelling to take place somewhere other than on a screen - I spend more than enough time staring into one as it is! 

However, this fits my idea that this is another technology that is a useful tool, an addition to the modellers toolbox as it were. Fortunately, I'm not likely to modelling central Oxford in the near future, so I don't have to worry too much right now...

Incidentally, while in the Theatre, I tried on a mortarboard.

All the ones on offer were too small. So, it turns out it was a good job I was too thick to go to university - I'd not be able to graduate, because I couldn't fit in the hat!
 

Heat and hammering

 

Last week, I mentioned a nice four-wheel wagon I've picked up. The wheels were set to 32mm gauge, but I felt it would be more use to me in 45mm. 

Well, a couple of days ago, I decided to do something about it.

As discussed last time, moving the wheels on the axles was likely to require heat, and that wasn't going to be good for the whitemetal axleboxes. With a bit of levering, the track pins holding these in place were pulled out, and then with a waggle, the axleboxes on one side came away. Fortunately, the glue had aged, and the joints broke. 

Popping the first axle in a vice, and giving the end a tap with a small hammer, the wheel moved. So did the second one, and soon they were set to the correct (41mm) back-to-back. A little superglue run around the wheel/axle joint, and they seemed pretty good. 

The second set were harder work. In the end, I had to heat up the joint with a small blowtorch to get anything to move, even with many, many whacks. Eventually, though, the joint gave up, and they were set as required. 

I refitted the axleboxes with pins, but no glue, and all seems good. The wagon has had a trip around our club track as part of the train, and seems to behave itself. Sadly, it won't fit in the goods train box, so I'm not sure how much use it will get. I do need a small wagons box for the skips. Perhaps it will find a home in there. 

Anyway, a fiver and half-an-hour well spent. 

Book Review: Between the lines. My Life at Hornby by Simon Kohler

OK, this is an interesting one to review. Obviously, I know Simon, and have done for many years. When he left Hornby for the second time, I nagged him to write this book. I'm interested in the history of model railways, and no one has been at the centre of things for a longer period, than Simon. With that in mind, as soon as it came out, I paid my £34.99 for a copy. 

TLDR: It's a good read, and if you are like me, very interesting. 

The book traces Simon's working career from his earliest days at The Model Shop, in Northampton, through H&M and then the many, many years at Hornby. Over this period, the hobby changes quite dramatically. 

However, the single overriding question I think most people will take out of this is: How is Hornby still in business?  

Simon charts the various changes behind the scenes, both in management, and more importantly, in attitude to the hobby. We have the firm focusing its efforts away from their core activities of model railways and slot racing, to toys, and souvenir items, almost at random, and certainly with little understanding of the market at times.  

Now, this is one person's view, and it's only natural that if you write a book like this, you portray yourself as the hero, and to be fair, there are many times when Simon admits he made mistakes, or simply didn't speak up to try and stop others making them. That said, I've known him a long while, and also some of the other personalities involved, and it's, as far as I can tell, a pretty fair account. 

One of the most interesting areas is the move of manufacturing to China. We tend to think that this was purely based on keeping costs down, but it was heavily driven by a desire to produce models with high-levels of accuracy and detail. We couldn't do this in the UK, often as much due to attitude as ability. This ties in with Jason Shron, of Rapido Trains comments when considering moving manufacturing to Canada. Only the Chinese have the ability to produce the quality that modellers now demand. 

There are certainly plenty of interesting stories along the way. One of them saw me present Simon with a 3DS system to talk about at the NEC. This was classic Hornby management devising something that is a bit rubbish - and thinking it would be a major part of the company's output. At the time, they felt threatened by computer games, but the result didn't set the world alight. 

At 336 pages, this is a pretty big read, and it took me quite a while to go through. As I say, I found it interesting and enlightening. Some of the activities that caused Simon to leave for the first time are well-remembered by those of us trying to keep a lid on ranting modellers determined that Hornby was evil. Finding out exactly who was to blame wasn't a surprise...

If I have a complaint, it's that the later stages of Simon's career, mainly the second stint at the firm, feel a little rushed. I could have happily read another 30 pages to allow the story to breathe a little. Of course, there is the TT:120 book covering this, so that will have extracted a chunk of story. I wonder if it's too close at the moment, and while people mentioned in earlier parts of the text are long gone, those from the recent past are still around, so discretion plays a part. 

Whatever, as I'd hoped this does cover a lot of ground. If you want to know how the model railway business has evolved, that alone makes this worth a read. I could also see it being interesting to those interested in business generally. Hornby has never been afraid to try things, and some simply sink without trace. 

Which brings me to the biggest issue. Having read this, I know some of the items that didn't sell - and now I want to add them to my collection, along with the 3DS. A velodrome to start with, and then a Hornby livery HST. The last one was a surprise to me. Just proving that all the experience in the world doesn't mean you get all your guesses right! 

Gwen's Cafe

 

Shockingly, I've managed a weekend without a show to attend, so instead, you will have to made do with a rather nice 4mm scale model I spotted while out on a layout shoot a couple of months ago. This wasn't in the layout I was photographing, and the layout it is on is a long way from being camera-ready, but I loved it, so grabbed a mobile phone shot. 

Saturday Film Club: Design the SPV

How do you turn a classic vehicle from Captain Scarlet, into a slot car? Scalextric's designer explains. 

Phil's wagon

 

This was not my idea.

I think that the chaps at Rapido Trains are somehow responsible. 

Anyway, you can now pre-order yourself a P.Parker Patisseries wagon from the World of Railways shop.  One of only 90 to be made I'm told. 

If you prefer, there is a three-pack too: 

 

This includes a wagon to celebrate RMweb, and my late friend and colleague, Andy York. Proceeds from the Andy wagon will be donated to The Royal British Legion, a charity he supported. 

Being Rapido wagons, they are of the highest quality, and will look amazing on your OO layout. If you have an N gauge layout, then you have plenty of time to build a OO one, as the wagons will be delivered late 2026. 

So, get over to the shop and get your order in now 

(Note: I don't receive any money for this, but it will be a bit embarrassing if no one buys one! Even though THIS ISN'T MY IDEA)

4-wheel wagon

 

Would you believe I picked this lovely little wagon up at a model boat event? No one knows how it ended up there, but I'm glad it did. A fiver well spent. 

A well-made scratchbuilt (unless anyone can identify a kit) wooden model. It's fitted with 30mm diameter, uninsulated steel wheels. Currently set to 32mm gauge, there is plenty of space to move these out to 45mm, which is what I plan to do. 

Mind you, they don't seem very keen on moving on their axles. I'm wondering if I dare try a bit of heat to break any glue joints. Trouble is, it's such a lovely model, I don't want to risk damaging it. The axleboxes are metal, I'm suspecting whitemetal which rather precludes warming things up. Suggestions welcomed. 

Length, over buffers: 160mm. Width, over axleboxes, 82mm. 

The hole in the floor is a mystery. Was this a tender for a steam loco, and the holes is to allow a pipe through to the loco? Maybe a battery cart for an electric model. We'll never know, but it's fun to speculate. 

Warehouse Wednesday: Staines Mustard Mill

Hat tip to Duncan Young for this photo, which he had to get wet to take!

He says, "It’s been boarded up for some time and is adjacent to a path to the railway station. The central part must be for roasting or grinding the seed? It might make a nice low relief model?"

I can't disagree. This is a pretty typical structure, but being modular, it would be perfect as a backdrop to a layout. You could even stick a few sidings in front; they wouldn't look out of place.  

 

 

Model shop carrier bags

 Some people have greatness thrust upon them. I have old carrier bags from long-defunct model shops. 

Trains and Transport of Preston

Modelzone

A paper bag from G&I Models, Wigan or Warrington

A little Beatties bag

St Helens Model Centre

CDS Models, Warrington

 TAG Models, Doncaster 

 Finally, an Ian Allan bag from Waterloo

What a collection! Thanks very much, John J on RMweb. These are now carefully folded in the box with all the Beatties stuff. When I looked through these at the NEC, with members of the trade panel, there were some who remembered these shops - wonderful nostalgia!

NFRM - The Haul

 

Obviously, even though I was busy, I managed to buy a few bits to add to the stash. When you go to a toy train show, the obvious thing to come back with is a Russian space shuttle. A fiver from the MRC stand. They wouldn't let me try it on their test tracks though. 

I did manage to find some train stuff. First up, a couple of additions to the G-scale circus train, thanks to a deal with Richard at Footplate models. 

 

I also added to the old Hornby kit pile with some shops. 

Not sure if I have this one already, but for a fiver towards the end of Sunday, I'll take the risk. In the back of my head is an idea to build a street scene with a tramway running along it, so some shop kits will be useful. 

Some brushes from Burshes4U. I think these are brilliant, so it's time to stock up.  

Another job on the agenda, where it has been for years, is to ruthlessly sort out the brush pots, and bin all the ones not good enough even for dry-brushing. Then I'll put some good brushes in to replace them, which will make painting much more pleasant. 

Finally, a late buy from the MRC second-hand stall for a couple of quid. 

 

All the animals are off their sprues, and some have damaged legs. That's why it's a lot cheaper than the example on the Kitmaster collectors club stand, which is still in its cellophane. 

Playing the "If I was a millionaire" game, I'm not sure, with my limited time, how much else I'd come away with. The £100 Edwardian "Dribbler" on the MRC stand, perhaps. Interesting, but not that interesting to me. I'd probably order an LNER Garratt, and TT:120 DMU bubble car. But in terms of stuff to walk home with, not that much. Maybe I'm mellowing, and realising I have enough toy trains. Well, nearly. 

The National Festival of Railway Modelling 2025

 

What a weekend! Admittedly, I didn't see much of it as all my time was absorbed by hosting the World of Railways theatre. Being ringmaster to panels and talks is new to me - but everything passed off as well as I could have hoped. The conversation and questions flowed, and we enjoyed good numbers, with no free seats for the YouTubers, and well over 100 in for the talks, even on the Sunday. 

The show itself felt a lot better than last year. 2024 was all about getting the doors open. 2025 is the year it started to feel like "our" show. Something different from a traditional club show, but offering everyone exhibits that they will enjoy. 

James Street took the layout prize, but it was a tough choice - there were many cracking models on show, and no space fillers. I shot a couple for future issues of BRM, and there is at least one more I'd like to point a camera at in the future. 

Trade was also good, and a few people took money off me, more of that tomorrow. 

We "enjoyed" the usual moans online - the "void" is the area we don't pay for, yet get to use for loading and unloading. It's always been there, but quite a lot of people forget that. It's also somewhere for famous YouTubers to sit and tell everyone not to go to this show, having reviewed it without mentioning the layouts. 

Chairs - the show has never put out enough chairs to keep everyone happy, and we are no different. But then the motor show a couple of weeks ago had no chairs at all, and IPMS only have seats in the catering area. There were a load, and of course, a theatre you could sit in, munch your grub, and be entertained. I know a couple of people who enjoyed apple pie and custard in the front row of Mr Hornby's talk!

Talking of cake, my weekend started with Empire Biscuits, and continued with Malteser cake, stolen (I passed these to the WoR team) and apple pie and custard. Well, it's difficult to get away long enough to grab a proper lunch, and I didn't want to collapse with hunger during the day...
 

So, the weekend was fun. Well, I enjoyed it anyway. Numbers were considerably (well over 10%) up on last year. Hopefully, this bodes well for the future, as I think the National show is an important fixture in the calendar. It's not like other shows, but then why should all model railway exhibitions be the same? Model railway enthusiasts certainly aren't. 

Saturday Film Club: YouTubers at the National Festival of Railway Modelling

Last weekend, I hosted the Theatre at the NEC. One of the panels hotly anticipated, and packed to the rafters, was the group of YouTubers. Both Saturday and Sunday sessions are now online, so sit back and enjoy. 

Saturday

Sunday

 

 

T55 JFJ motor

Another mystery item from the box of stuff in our clubrooms - a chunky skew-wound French motor. 

Dating, according to the writing on the box, from 1981, the configuration is a bit odd. A large permanent magnet sits over the armature. There are a couple of contacts on the back. Touch a 9v battery on these, and the motor kicks, but doesn't revolve. I wondered if it was designed for AC current, but the instructions, translated by Google Lens, don't mention this. 

This is a heavy-duty unit, but I can tell you no more than that hence the post here. Should I spirit away for a project? What would I use it for? 

The interweb isn't much help either. I found one other example - an expired auction on French eBay. 

Suggestions? 
 

 

Shedtastic January issue of BRM

Here's a quick turnaround - a kit bought on Sunday, built and in BRM January four days later!

OK, it's not the most complicated model in the world, but everyone has to start somewhere, and a four-step build of a laser-cut shed is as good a place as any. Let's face it, if you don't do a great job, then a wobbly shed isn't unrealistic. 

The camera has been out, first time for the stay-at-home O gauge layout "Amberside". 

Then we have the tiny layout "Torry's End". This micro is given more page space than the area it occupies - but the article is fascinating, and the modelling, especially for a first layout, exceptional. 

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

By diesel to Port Erin

 

Looking for some photos for a magazine article, I found these from 2014. I'm not sure what is rarer, Isle of Man Railways diesel No.21 actually working, or the load, a collection of Peel microcars!

The loco has disgraced itself, and spent the last few years on blocks in the bus station car park. The reasons behind this are complicated, but largely stem from politicians trying to do something on the cheap, and ending up with a machine from a dubious firm, apparently. 

Whatever, this was one interesting train. A collection of Peel cars - P50's (including the prototype) and Tridents. 

 

Ratio SR van finished

 

It's not special. Not a stand-out supermodel. This is exactly what I wanted - a very run-of-the-mill "layout wagon".

I used to turn these out all the time. Meldridge Dock was full of them. My thinking is that you see a mass of vehicles, rather than a load of individuals. As long as the weathering, and overall effect, is harmonious, the layout looks good.  

Well, that, and I'm hopeless at applying transfers when they are in the kit, and too stingy to buy them when they aren't. Mind you, on the kit box, the transfers show plenty of silvering, so I'm not the only one. 

My solution is blobby numbers. Just get something in the right place, and no one bothers to read them. Anyway, if you are wagon spotting on my layout, I'll think there is something wrong with you. For this model, some Humbrol 147 was applied with the smallest brush (note to self, buy some more) to hand. You can read "XP" and not the rest. 

 I had planned to use a mapping pen, but my white ink had the consistency of semolina pudding when I dug it out, so I need to buy more of that too. 

Chalk marks are pencil crayon. Again, my pale grey has hidden itself, so they are white. 

Weathering is a little dry-brushing and lots of weathering powders wiped with a wet cotton bud. 

So much of this is easier if you practise. As I say, this used to be bread-and-butter work, but I can't remember the last time I built a wagon kit. I enjoyed this one though, and there are more in the stash... 

 

More plastic kits for the stash

 

Scale Model World was always going to be a spendy show. It's part of the fun, and my bank account was prepared. In the event, the bill was about the same as a single Rapido Y7, which isn't so bad. I certainly came away with a few boxes!

First up, the planned purchases. SMW is great for bargain prices on current kits, so as I wasn't in a hurry for these, I waited for my visit. As an added bonus, it ensured I'd leave with a new toy, and not just something random. 

The MiniArt holidaymakers are in wonderful poses. I've certainly seen people doing just this!

Airfix's Alvis Stalwart is a prototype that fascinates me. Now, I don't do military stuff, but I had a plan. One that I wasn't the first to think of. 

No need for camo, when a civilian version is available, thanks to Matchbox. OK, it's probably not real, but I remember having one of these toys when I was a kid, and the paint job will certainly be easy!

Mind you, I rather like the look of this version too. 

Moving on to impulse buys, I'm a sucker for a VW Type 2, and this looks like a rather nice kit. 

There's a satisfying number of parts in here, and options to produce four different liveries. Sadly, on the bargain stand, there wasn't the airfield "Follow Me" version, but I suspect applying to the all-over transfers would be a nightmare anyway. 

In the stash is a three-wheel bakers van, and I decided to add some figures and a stall to the project pile. 

 

The "Piste Circuit"? Well, the name made me snigger, and it was only three quid. What I have is a slice of racing circuit to use as a diorama base. Not sure I have much to pose on it, but I'm sure that can change...

Finally, a tool purchase. 

While I own an airbrush cleaning pot, but the rest of the bits have been on the list to buy for a long while. A tenner for the lot? Bargain. 

I'm sure some of you are thinking about the wisdom of adding more kits to my stash. Truth is that there are some that have been "maturing" for many years. I don't think I've built anything from last years pile for a start. Each kit represents a little possibility. I love making stuff, and while my time for this sort of personal project is sorely limited at the moment, I dream that one day each one of these will make it on to the workbench, and we all need a dream, even if it is a silly one involving plastic, glue and paint. 

Anyway, how many of you lot don't have a stash of your own?