Bournville haul - the joy of scruffy boxes

 

Small shows are a happy hunting ground for me. Since I'm not looking for the latest RTR, I'm free to scrub around under tables and in scruffy cardboard boxes for interesting stuff. 

The first prize has to be a Gaugemaster Combi controller - for a fiver! I have been pondering buying something from the range for loco testing anyway. OK, it doesn't have the separate power supply, but that's a generic item that I should be able to pick up easily enough. I'll have one somewhere as I've used a Combi on a couple of layouts in the past. I think it's stuck to the NG7 project at the moment. 

After that, there is some microstrip for a quid a pack, piercing saw blades for about the same, dry print lettering and Tiny Signs posters, the latter for a current BRM project. 

Finally, a row of sprung SPDT toggle switches for three pounds. All this is junk to most people, but I rate it higher than the latest shiny Accucraft product, but then I'm a bit weird. 

I'm the same with books - there are very few big hardbacks for me. But those slim publications that never made it to a second print run, and whose distribution was very limited, that's my thing. Especially if there is an Isle of Man connection. 

So, we have Manx Transport Kaleidoscope, of course. I may well have a copy, but why risk it for 50p/ Bagnall: A narrow gauge legacy is new to me, and I can't have looked through it as there is a whole chapter devoted to the Groudle Glen locomotives. That wasn't going to stay in the box! And we finish with Davyhulme Sewage Works and its railway - which has some interesting pictures, and let's face it, an unusual subject. Sewage works railways aren't common models, but the photos suggest that there is some interesting scope for one. Best of all, this lot came from a preserved railway stand, so the money is off to a good cause. 

The postcard kits for telephone boxes are just a bit of fun, and I do love a K6...

Bournville 2026

I wasn't really looking to visit a model railway show. But then UKModelshops told me that the Bournville show was taking place the next day, and I decided a train ride would be nice. I remembered from last year's visit that the show is next to Longbridge station, making for an easy trip. There was a layout on the list that intrigued me, and that would (hopefully) compensate for the lack of cake I also recalled. 

The ride was nice. I read a book and looked out of the window occasionally. The journey involved a change in Birmingham with a bit of a stroll around New Street station, noting that a 'spoons has appeared since I was last there. I like a ride on a train and quite like the Class 730 units with their super-wide connections between coaches. Despite the heavy use they get, the insides are still pretty tidy too. 

Arriving at Longbridge, I decided to follow people who I thought might be going to the show. I chose well, and a group of three of us chatted during the five-minute stroll. 

Inside, I hunted down the layout that had caught my eye - Moonbase Apha. 

The first thing to say is that this owes nothing to Space 1999. There are nods to 2001 and Silent Running, but this is very much its own creation. 

What it is, is a good idea, exceptionally well done. 

3D printed monorails, cleverly making use of OO gauge track that has been heavily modified and ex-Tri-ang mechanisms, circulate around the station complex. Both passenger and freight trains have been modelled, and several designs of each. There is a distinctly Flash Gordon look, with a hint of the early APT designs and even Belgian "Goggle" trains. 

Inside the buildings, people move along a travelator, or rotate inside geodesic domes. Outside, Airfix astronauts perform various tasks, including examining a black rectangular object in a hole.  

The modelling is sharp. The lunar landscape is exceptional. If I'd just come to see this one layout, I wouldn't have been disappointed. I have suggested we need it at the NEC next year...

The rest of the show was OK. Apart from the American narrow-gauge layout, there was amazing, but I remind myself that every one of these models is being exhibited by a proud owner, and there were a few ideas I will be taking away with me. It proves my point that you can always learn something from any layout, no matter what the standard. 

And no, there wasn't any cake. A can and a Double-Decker bar sustained me until I returned to the 'spoons spotted earlier.  

More photos over on Flickr.  

 

Saturday Film Club: Severn Crossing Monorail

An unexpected monorail - that breaks down! Fascinating. 

Book Review: Manx Electric Railway - Motorman Basics Handbook

 

It's time to order my 2027 calendar - the 2026 one is filling up with all sorts of things, and bookings will soon stretch past December. 

While on the Isle of Man Railways website placing the order, I spotted the Motorman Basics Handbook, for a paltry £3.

When the package arrived, I opened up the book and was surprised. OK, it's a slim publication, but inside is packed with all sorts of nerdy, technical detail for those interested in MER trams, or just trams generally. 

The driving and stopping mechanisms are explained in great detail - I'll need more than a single read-through if I'm to take it all in. Suffice to say that if you've ever wondered what goes on inside the pedestal the driver stands behind in a tram, it's all in here!

Likewise, the various braking systems are fully covered with some excellent diagrams.  

This book is part of the ultimate driving experience. Presumably this is a longer session than the one I took a few years ago. No book for me! It was still great fun though. Driving a real tram, on a live line, complete with wandering sheep. 

 

At the back of the book, there is a rundown of the different types of driving cars and trailers to be found on the MER. This stock listing is worth the price alone, as there is a lot of variety in the fleet. 

 A must for the Manx transport enthusiast, or anyone interested in tramways generally. 

Scenic work in the October issue of BRM

 

Plenty of Phil in the October BRM, and in some interesting scales. 

We kick off with building a couple of N gauge (OK, 2mm scale) garden sheds from Metcalfe kits. They really are tiny; that's a 10p piece under one of them.  

Why am I building sheds? Well, I needed them for a diorama. 

We're taking part in the "Make a Scene" competition, so I was presented with a pack and told to go away and make something with it. Digging through my stash of N gauge materials, I found the makings of a bungalow, and an allotment. 

In the pack are some interesting scenic materials, so I set off and produced something simple, but I hope, very achievable.

My camera has been out, and sticking with the N gauge theme, the first layout is Ambleton Vale. 

Chock full of interesting details, this is the first layout I've seen with a racecourse. 

Next, we step up a scale to 3mm*, with Hanton Tarrant.  

*That's proper British 3mm scale. 1:100, not that upstart TT:120.

It's a scale I love, and with boats and a rhinoceros. Can't go wrong there.  

With my reviewer head on, I take a look at Rapido's 009 wagons. 

And finally, for BRM TV, I explain colouring bricks.

 

Roof making

 

Regular readers will know I'm a fan of dry-fitting kits together to spot possible problems later in the build. 

Looking at the sides on the barge, I'm not 100% sure where they sit. Logically, the bottom of the side sits atop the sides of the hull. But there is a gap at least one layer of card could sit in. Get it wrong though, and the roof won't fit. Looking at the photos in the instructions, I think I'm right, but there's one way to be sure, make the roof. 

Work starts by putting a curve in the piece of card forming the roof. A set of metal rollers would be ideal, but mine are buried in a cupboard, so I just rolled a bit of dowel back and forth, with the card on my thigh - less chubby people can use a couple of towels. 

It worked fine, so the next job was to fit some MDF formers in, which are clipped in place as shown. Finally, a spine fits into these. I did all this quite quickly so the glue didn't have time to dry until everything is in place. The cutting of the MDF ensures very tight fits, but there is a tiny bit of movement of the MDF formers in the holes in the card. 

Speedy work ensures this isn't a problem. Using normal PVA rather than Roket card glue would have been wide too, but didn't occur to me at the time. Fortunately, I've got away with it. Luck or skill, you choose.  

Bow pen rims

 

Looking at the sides, I thought a nice brass rim around the edge of the windows would look good, but it would need to be perfect. 

It occurred to me that maybe I could run a bow pen around, with the corner of the card in between the jaws. This would keep it consistent. 

With no idea how this would work, I loaded it with neat Darkstar Molten Metal Brass, and had a go. After all, if it went wrong, I could wipe away my shame, and slap some red on top. No one would be any the wiser. 

And you know what? It worked perfectly. I was able to trace around the edges easily, and the acrylic paint flowed perfectly. I'm quite pleased with this!

 

Barge sides

 

Back to the barge! Various work projects have got in the way, but it's back on the workbench. 

There's a lot of painting going on. Also a lot of ignoring the instructions, which, if I'm honest, aren't the easiest to follow. Apparently, you are supposed to build some furniture next, but as far as I can tell, this can wait until the sides are ready. That way I'll know if it fits. We'll see how this pans out. 

Anyway, the sides are made up of three card layers, sandwiching some clear acetate. The basic idea is to make painting easier, as the shaped outer can be painted red, and then overlaid on the next one, which is green. That's clever, if not particularly prototypical, but I can live with that. 

The card is really nice quality. Sharply cut and it takes paint really well. OK, the satin green took three coats for a decent depth of colour, but that's down to the Humbrol paint as much as anything. 

Inside, I'm going for a varnished wood effect. OK, a mid-brown, but from the outside you won't be able to tell. The MDF dividers looked like they might be a problem, so I went over them twice with a AK white paint pen. After that, the brown looked great, even on the burnt ends. Mind you, the MDF absorbed the white like crazy. I'll remember its usefulness for priming in the future though. 

Would you care to join me in Lutterworth this Thursday?

 

The Joys of Model Railway Publishing 

Phil Parker is the editor of Garden Rail magazine and a features writer for BRM (British Railway Modelling) magazine and website. Phil shares his experiences of these roles and of the UK modelling scene.

---

Earlier this year, I received a call asking if  I'd be willing to speak to the Lutterworth Railway Society about writing for model railway mags. Years ago, I used to pop up at lots of conferences for work, and generally enjoyed the experience, so I thought, "Why not?"

I understand that it's an open invitation, so if you fancy a trip to The Pavilion, Coventry Road Recreation Ground, Coventry Road,, Lutterworth, United Kingdom, LE17 4RB at 7:30pm, why not join me? 

And, if your group fancies a speaker for an evening's entertainment, hit the Ask Phil button, and we'll have a chat. I can talk about publishing, how you get into it, or the future of the hobby as I see it. Just remember that tea and cake will be required!

 

Saturday Film Club: What is kitbashing?

They have let me into the studio again - this time to talk about kitbashing with Steven. 

As well as the video, he has put together an excellent guide on World of Railways.  

Another Lego Santa

 

The best time to sell a convertible is in the summer. No one wants to buy a car with no roof in the snow, or when rain is hammering down. Conversely, the best time to buy a convertible is in the winter. You'll stand a better chance of a bargain. Wet feet, but a bargain. 

Which is why I snapped this Lego Santa to add to my festive bricks box, in July (this is a catch-up post).

Set 246-2 was released in 1977, when we had finished celebrating the Silver Jubilee.  It's proper vintage stuff when they didn't make special bricks for everything. The nearest we get here is a yellow two-stud with a smiling face, and I'm sure that appeared in other sets. Yes, it's a bit blocky, but that's how I like it. 

We're also in pre-minifig days, so Santa can be quite tall, making the design of the sleigh and reindeer much easier I suspect. 

Price including postage, six quid. OK, no box, and torn and incomplete instructions, but I don't care. The model is simple, and has a lovely vintage charm. Wait until December though, and I bet his value soars! 

(According to Brickeconomy, the set has appreciated from an original £1.19 by 13751%. OK, that's mint boxed, but who knew there was proper trading in Lego? Buy! Buy! Buy! Build! Build! Build!)

Finished slate wagon

Job done. I was aiming for a faded look for this wagon, so dug out a Lifecolor Weathered Wood pack of paints to give them a go. 

I tend to find these paints a bit pale, the White Wood is basically six of pots of white, but for this job, they looked OK. Anyway, this is what "proper" modellers use, so I really ought to have a go. 

First, the entire model was painted with Cold Base Colour, a beige. Then dry-brushed with Cold Light Stage. Once this was dry, a wash of Warm Base Colour to emphasis the grain and plank lines. This took a bit of working, but I think the end result is OK. 

All the metalwork is colour with a AK black marker and them touched in with rust from the Lifecolor Rust Wizard set. 

For such an old kit, this really comes up well and was great fun to build  - more details on the Binnie website.  

Warehouse Wednesday: Wingfield Station

On the way back from Crich, I dropped in to Wingfield station. Knowing nothing about it, other than having spotted a sign on the way up to the tramway museum, it was one of those wonderful discoveries that happen occasionally. 

The station isn't served by the real railway any more, but trains still pass by what was once the platform, and it's a lovely spot to sit eating a tub of delicious ice cream, and watching multiple units thrashing by. 

Rather than take you through the extensive history of this Grade II listed building, allow me to point you at the excellent website.  

As a modelling prospect, this building has a lot going for it. Modest in size, and not overly ornate, to my eyes, very attractive. If you're not sure, there is a 4mm scale model of it in the goods shed. 

With an eye for the unusual, I was very taken by the train planters around the site. 

 

 

I want some of these in the garden!

More photos of Wingfield station, and its planters, over in my Flickr album.  

Hellingly Hospital Tramcar

If there was a list of model rail vehicles I never expected to see, the Hellingly Hospital Railway tramcar is very high on the list, but there, in a cabinet at the Tramway museum, is a stunning 5/8th inch to the foot miniature, built by David Getgood. It shares space with a number of other models he built, all lovely, but this is the one for me. 

The scale works out at 1:19, basically 16mm scale, and slightly larger than the G3 loco from the same site that I own. I think they would still look great together. Maybe one day I'll make that happen. 

Apparently, David  started building in 1950, completing the models over the next 50 years. They are operational with 24v motors, and performed on layouts until 2015. How I would have liked to see that, and speak to the builder!

It certainly puts my OO gauge model in the shade. 

 (Photo: Chris Nevard)

 

Model trams haul

This was supposed to be a cheap show! So, how did I come away from it a couple of hundred quid lighter? Not money spent on cake either...

Dodging the smelliest person I have ever encountered at a show while browsing the TLRS second-hand stand, I spotted some 7/8th scale Groudle Glean Railway coaches in the corner. Making my way over to them, partly to avoid the stench, I whipped out my pocket ruler (we all have one don't we?) and checked that the wheels were 45mm gauge. 

Closer inspection showed these to be an average-built set of IP Engineering kits. I don't like the livery on the ends, and the woodwork could do to be a darker colour, but you know what? They are a set of coaches to go with my Sea Lion. I have a feeling there are kits in the stash, at least I hope so as they don't appear that often, but these are built. One needs a coupling pocket rebuilt on the end, but they are built. I could run them. 

After a little negotiation on the price, realistically, I was likely to be the only person after something like this I pointed out, and they were stashed under the stand. It's opportunities like these that mean I enjoy a second-hand stall more than any amount of shiny new stuff. 

Of course, these weren't the only weird things I picked up.

Atlas Lisbon tram for a fiver in its box? Yes please. I really must go back there, ride more and take plenty of photos. Manx Electric Railway supplement - can't remember if I have a copy but why risk it for a quid? It's a good read too. 

The books were a cash donation. Vauxhall Cars is for my Mum. I was born in Luton, and her dad worked for "The Vauxhall" like so many others in the town, and she remembers him owning many of the cars in there. Mr Whippy is because I like ice cream, and it's the sort of history that fascinates me. So far, I've learnt that their headquarters were down the road from me in Leamington Spa!

And finally.  

Impulse buys. The four-wheel railbus is one I've eyed up in the 009 Society cabinet a few times, but never really thought much about it. The other is just an interesting kit. Both for 1/3rd the price they would sell for on eBay. They always say you regret the things you don't do, and I'd have kicked myself for not picking these up. Maybe I was the only person in the hall who would have bought them, I'm sure I'm one of the few who handed over the money intending to build them. 

And yes, I know my kit stash is bigger than it sensibly should be. But each one is a little dream, and I can live with that.  

Crich Model Trams 2026

I had a lot of reasons for visiting the model tramway event at Crich this year. 

First, I'm layout shopping for work. I've always felt that model tramways are under-represented, and if I'm going to find something that will work on the page, surely this is the place?  

Second, this was one of my Dad's favourite museums. I remember many years ago on our first visit, he was like a kid in a sweetshop. He loved trams, and there they were. Running through a street scene, and beautifully restored. And so many of them! I had arranged to donate a couple of boxes of die-cast models so they could be sold to raise a bit of money. I gained a chunk of useful space in my office; the tramway museum brings in some funds to help their work. 

And thirdly, I just enjoy the day out. It's only 90 minutes up the motorway, and as a member, I get in for free. 

As far as model tramways go, I drew a blank again. There were a couple of interesting N gauge models, but nothing that would stand the sort of scrutiny of a magazine shoot.  My favourite OO model was nice, but very narrow, and once you start to take 3/4 views, this becomes an issue. Never mind, maybe next year. 

However, there were more model railways than tramways, and I spotted a couple I need to investigate. One problem was that several were upstairs in the workshop, and the lighting is good for exhibits, and hopeless for models. None of which had their own lighting rig. Much peering through the gloom was required, which was a shame. 

Outside, the first tram I saw, and indeed rode on, was a four-wheel LCC car. I've inherited a part of a 3/4-inch-scale model of something very similar (a Preston car, I think), so this was appropriate. 

Little Brian posed on the dashboard of this, and Bluebell, another of his favourites. 

I enjoy the changes to the museum over the years. The buildings have changed a bit, we no longer have a little engine shed beside the shop for example, and the ice cream kiosk has become a pair of vintage-looking catering lorries. 

There were also a couple of ladies wandering around in full 1930s dress, and in character. I heard them chatting to a girl about the price of her coffee, "You'll have to make that last all year!" and marvelling at one of those new-fangled motor cars. 

The car in question was 91 years old! I enjoyed a chat with the owner, who had driven it, full of family, from Telford. It's good up to 45mph, so no motorways for that trip. 

An enjoyable day. The weather helped; it can be a bit chilly on top of the hill in an open-top tram, but Dad always insisted on heading for the top deck, so I had to do the same. Just like he always liked lemon meringue pie, so I had to eat that on his behalf as well!

You can see more photos from the trip over on Flickr. 

 

Saturday Film Club: How Star Trek's Original Phaser Prop Was Built

Film and TV props, especially older ones, fascinate me. Once, when looking at some from Red Dwarf, I commented that they were more basic than I'd expected. The builders agreed, but pointed out that they were on screen for a fraction of a second, and people were more interested in the story than the details of the gizmo being waved around by the actor. Well, until the advent of DVDs, and sci-fi fans who will step through a scene a frame at a time, to fully take it all in. 

One of the best-known sci-fi props, has to be the phaser guns from Star Trek. Here, we take a good look at one of the screen-used props.  

Kenversions coach kit

You know I love a weird, vintage kit. Well, under the table in the The Tram Junction, Laxey, Isle of Man, I found a couple of envelopes, claiming to contain bits for a coach kit. It was too complicated to go through in the shop, but a fiver secured both, so I could enjoy a proper look later. 

What we have (I think) is, a six-seat brake coach kit. 

It's made up of good-quality cardboard sides and ends, various guillotined tinplate parts, and a rolled roof. More an aid to scratchbuilding than a kit, this is one for the modeller. There are lots of bits, and I'm not entirely sure they are all required. 

No chassis parts are included, I have a feeling that a Lime O gauge wagon chassis could be used, but when I get around to this, I'll make my own.  

I've been digging into Kenversions, and found this interesting article (PDF) by Derek Wiggins, covering the range of Mamod bodies the firm sold, with a passing mention of the rolling stock. There is also a catalogue, also in PDF form, which shows the coach I have. Hat tip to HGLW for hosting these. 

Buffer dilema

 

As supplied, the kit comes with a split pin, a bit of wire and a plastic hook. This will produce a realistic Ffestiniog coupling, but one that will be incompatible with everything except Cooper Craft wagon kits. Even then, the things will be a fiddle to use, which is why I prefer a bit of chunky chain. 

Digging in my spares box, I find some rather nice whitemetal buffers. There is a bolt thread on the back, so with a bit of bodgery, there is a strengthener that runs along the reline of the wagon to cut away, this fits into the bufferbeam, nice and strong. Especially with loads of superglue.  

All fitted well, but I didn't like the result. Too large, and more importantly, too complicated. This is a very simple wagon. It wouldn't be fitted with anything so fancy. 

Removing them was a bit of a mission. That superglue had done its job, and eventually, I had to cut down the back of the buffer casting, through the bolt, with a piercing saw. Two blades later, it was done, but hardly a relaxing job. 

The replacement is a block of hardwood (we always keep stocks handy for this sort of job), roughly shaped, and superglued in place. Since I don't trust the glue, despite the effort it took to remove the old buffers, a couple of pieces of brass wire fit through the block, and into the bufferbeam, where they are bent over. 

A hook, made from bent paperclip, is fitted in the top so I can use my chunky chain for coupling. This setup looks, to me, far more in keeping with the wagon. Which means I can move on to paint. 
 

Upper body building

 

The slate wagon body is simple, and ingenious. First, the sides are dropped into holes in the floor. These needed to be drilled out, although I just waggled a tapered reamer in to make them larger. Lashings of MEK softened the plastic so they would push in. 

Then, three slats are inserted into the ends. For the middle two, you ease the upper and lower side slats, and then the new one is grabbed by bumps on the end. Again, the holes in the end slats needed to be opened up - a 3mm bit sorted this out. One in place, loads more MEK to bond everything together.  

All that is left to do, is fit the couplings. Some very accurate ones are supplied, but they won't couple with anything else I own, so time to come up with a plan.