Open day haul

 

You won't be surprised that I managed to swap a fiver on the Bring'n'Buy stall for some stuff I probably don't need, although this time I managed to find items that might just be useful. 

Vinyl letters are always useful. They are now in the drawer with transfers. These are larger than anything I own, I think, so a quid well spent. Possibly less useful is a roll of blue and white check vinyl, but if I did another RC car, I could use that on the wings. 

Obviously, I don't need another model boat kit, but a Police launch for a couple of quid? 

What appealed most is the length of the model - 410mm. Ideal for a "Thursday boat", the sort that I can pick up at a moment's notice, and head off to the lake with. 

Slotting the main hull parts together suggests that the build shouldn't be too hard, although the proof will be in the eating!As a hard chine hull, there is wood to be bent around the edges, and a nose to be carved from solid, but none of that should be too difficult. There's space inside for all the gubbins, probably a brushless motor and battery pack. 

Having found it online, this is a nice-looking freelance model too. More about sailing than looks, although, I think it will look nice on the water. One day...
 

KMBC Open Day 2026

Time for a break from all things toy trains, with a day spent lakeside, enjoying the Knightcote Model Boat Club open day. 

The weather was kind, and we saw more visitors than normal. From opening time to 3:30, there was always something on the water, with a wide variety of vessels to be enjoyed. 

For an open day, I like to make a bit of effort, and so had brought pride of the fleet "Pigeon Pie" out of storage for what appears to be its annual sail. 

Despite lack of use, the Pie didn't let me down, processing around the lake perfectly, and looking great. In fact, all my boats, MisCheif and the tiny tugboat, worked perfectly. This made for a very pleasant day. 

Was there cake? 

Of course. And sausage in a bun too. But mostly, there was chat, and boats sailing, which is what it's all about. 

More photos from the event over on Flickr. 

Dad's celebration day

 

What a wonderful day!

My Dad didn't want a funeral, but we felt that there ought to be some sort of celebration of his life - a chance for people to say goodbye properly, but in a fun way. 

My plan was that we'd jump onto the L&WMRS open weekend Sunday. That way the clubrooms would be open, with all the layouts working anyway. In the social area, I'd install Melbridge Dock, the layout that Dad and I built and exhibited for years. Next to it. would be a slide show with some old photos. 

On the water, we'd have three of the boats he'd built. 

"Puffin", a scratchbuilt tug, "Isobella" a Victorian steam launch, and "Felix", a ferry. 

Finally, on the outdoor track, the set of coaches he built would be doing a few circuits. 

Beside the track, which he loved, there would be a barbecue, which he'd be less keen on. 

I'll admit that putting all this together kept me busy, and a little concerned in the run up - but it all went brilliantly.  

Obviously, this is all down to the people. For a start, Mark, Duncan and their wives who ran, with the aid of my mum and sister, the burnt food and salad end of the day. No one went hungry!

Then the guys from the model boat club who sailed for me. They didn't have a special weekend, but a few came along to help out anyway. 

Chris and Andy ran the layout in the clubrooms, keeping things moving all day (all weekend in Chris's case as he was there on the Saturday). No, I wasn't being lazy, I needed to be walking around talking to people, so I recruited a few assistants to help out.  

Then there were those who just came along. Too many to mention, and several I didn't expect. The grapevine worked well!

One special guest was Earl King. A long-term friend of my parents, and arguably the person who got me involved in railway modelling. Yes, it's his fault, and now you know what he looks like. 

Thank you to everyone who joined the party, or simply thought of us on the day. We gave him a terrific send-off. One he would have enjoyed, even if he'd been slightly embarrassed at the whole thing.  

I miss my Dad. At the end of the day, when things had wound down, I sat on his bench at the boat club for a few minutes, looking out over the water as we had done so often in the past. It was lovely and peaceful. 

Then I headed back inside to run a couple of trains on Melbridge Dock, remembering some of the shows we'd done this at in the past. A proper connection. And that's what it's all about.  

Battery management

 

Preparing Dad's boats for use has made me face up to the state of the batteries we own. It's very frustrating to try charging one up, only for it not to take a charge, because of years uncharged. 

So, I've ordered some, and now write the date they were bought on the side. At least this way I can work out how old the things are, and make a guess at the chances they will actually work.. 

Now, I just need to get rid of the old ones, which aren't as easy to recycle as you'd think. I can't, as far as I can tell, just drop them off in a recycling point in a shop. Is there a space at the tip? Maybe, but I've got to remember to take them next time I visit.  

Putting Puffin on the water

Time to launch the second of my Dad's boats, for his celebration day on the 31st. I've already sailed his Victorian launch, but the other vessel I really wanted to see in action is "Puffin", a small tugboat. 

Scratchbuilt from a Basset-Lowke drawing, I think, I've always liked this model, but it's especially important as Dad built absolutely everything. OK, I did the paintwork and electronics, but otherwise, it's all him. 

Inside, there were a few issues. The battery pack had died through lack of use, and it was fitted with 27mHz radio gear. A new pack was ordered from Howes, and a spare RadioLink receiver fitted. I'm not using Planet this time as I want the opportunity to sail three boats, and I only have two Planet transmitters. I'll probably change it over eventually, but right now, it all seems to work. 

Carefully placed on the water, it seems the model is stupidly fast, or at least it would be if I opened it up! A couple of clicks on the transmitter, and we were plodding around at a suitable speed for the tugboat. 

Puffin sits well on the water, and doesn't seem to let any in. The day was a bit breezy, but there was very little roll. All the weight that gets the model down to the waterline, and broad beam, see to this!

I managed 10 minutes sailing, but there was no sign of the battery running out of charge, so we should be good for a long enough sail on the big day. 

You did a good job there Dad. 

 

Lifeboat day 2026

Lifeboat day dawned grey and cloudy, but when I arrived at the lakeside, everything was set up, and looking good. I'd even got there early to help, but I think that despite the emails during the week, much of this work had been carried out the night before. 

Good news as it turned out, because people had travelled to the event from quite some distance, including a group from the Blackpool MBC.  

There were all sorts of orange boats, plus a few blue and white earlier vessels to be seen. I'd taken my Brede, and launched it early in the day - at that point when everyone seems unwilling to get their hulls wet. It performed well, but ran out of electricity before the main parade. Never mind, we struggled around a bit, and at least stayed on top of the wet stuff. 

Not everyone did. 

Speeding off, and then slamming the brakes on, saw this superstructure jump off the hull, and need resucue by someone in a wetsuit!

Incidentally, the funny colour of the water is a fish-safe chemical that keeps the weed down. 

By lunchtime, the sun had come out, and I was enjoying a sausage in a bun, followed by some cake.  

All in all, a really pleasant day by the water. I even made a profit on the Bring'n'Buy stand!

You can see more photos over on Flickr. 

Testing Dad's boats part 1

 

If I'm going to see some of my Dad's boats on the water during his celebration day, I better see if any of them are working. 

First up, Isobella, a Victorian steam launch named after my grandmother.

Dad was always very proud of this boat. He made a smashing job of the woodwork on the deck, and the glazed engine cover (the bit that looks like a cold frame), so it was top of my list for the day. 

None of the boats have been sailed in years, so it was a bit of a surprise to find that the NmH battery pack still seemed to be fully charged. Initially, I assumed there was something wrong to make the charger show a full pack. After a bit of faffing with the radio, I proved it would turn the prop, and make the steering servo work. So, off to the lake. 

On the water, the model lists very slightly, but happily pottered around for over 15 minutes, looking lovely in the evening sun as it did. I correctly remembered that this was a very nice sail too. Other than another charge, this one is ready to go. 

While I was there, we had some action on the steam track. A rather nice loco under construction, based on Roundhouse underpinnings. That's the joy of being at a club, you never know what you'll see. 

 

My weird classic car show haul

Yes, I bought stuff at the classic car show. 

First, something you are supposed to buy at this sort of event - a sales brochure for a Crylser Alpine, like the one I sat in. The front cover looks an awful lot like our family car, although without the rust and mismatched paint on the bonnet. 

 

I work in magazines, so WH Smith is important to my job. This Corgi lorry was (according to this website) produced from 1975 to 1982. Which is why it has the old logo which is so nostalgic to us children of the 1970s. Mind you, according to the website, it's worth £8.42, and I only paid a quid, so I got a bargain!

A clockwork Hornby tinplate speedboat. One of these has been on my wants list for a long while, but all the ones I've seen have been stupid expensive. Now, this might be play-worn, but that's fine, as I want to sail it. 

 

The motor works (I checked this on the stand), although it looks like it's been oiled with something from the car's sump, which is deposited all around the inside of the model. Not to worry, I'm not looking inside very often. 

It didn't have a key, but half an hour or so of fiddling with bits of brass solved that. 

When the weather improves, we'll try some sea trials. 

Finally, and weirdest of the lot, a paddleboat. 

This is one of those things I buy because they are A) Cheap and B)Interesting. Obviously, what the experts call "shedwork", it has a real charm. Those paddle boxes are cut up tin cans, and the rest is made of wood. 

The metal paddles are really good, but what intrigues me is, how it is supposed to be driven? Turning the handles turns the paddles, but if you want to use it on the water, do you need to train a hamster to work it? At 8.5 inches long, not much else will fit. 

I'd be fascinated if anyone has a theory about this one, as it's got me stumped. 

The mystery Lehmann boat is back!

 

If you wait long enough, I believe that most things you want will turn up at some point. So it is with this Lehmann (LGB) ship. I acquired an example a couple of years ago and decided to start a watch on eBay for any more. 

Finally, I had a result, buying this boxed example for less than a very modest round of drinks. As you can see, it's pretty complete, apart from the clip-on motor unit. 

Unlike my original, this hasn't been painted, and looks all the better, in a toy-like way, for it. 

It's even got fish in the hold, and a compass on the bridge roof. 

All of which means the first example is very ripe for detailing one day. However, the range still fascinates me. Maybe one of the tug boats will join the collection one day? There is no rush... 

KMBC Open Day 2025

It's a long while since I've put a boat on the water. And my last visit to the KMBC pond on an organised day, well I can't remember that. For various reasons, including being so busy at work, my model boating has been pretty much non-existant. 

Still, on a nice day, when the club would be putting on a show, it would be daft not to nip down for a couple of hours. 

There was certainly inspiration on show. The Rother lifeboat looked magnificent, and reminded me that the very same kit has been "maturing" in my collection for well over a decade.  

A 3D printed Thunderbird 4 appealed too, and proved how hopeless Garry Anderson vehicles are when they aren't attached to strings. This one has all the technical gubbins attached to the underside, and works like a conventional boat. Looks good on the water too. 

For reasons I can't fathom (pun intended), members were being given free food. Being a generous soul, I insisted on paying for mine - a couple of quids worth of cake isn't going to break the bank, and I can'[t see a little more in the club coffers will hurt. Orange and giner in the photo, since you ask. 

Talking of money, there was a bring'n'buy stall, and of course I left some cash there. 

 This literally has my name all over it!

At first, this looks like a Meccano copy, but on closer examination, it's not quite as simple to use. A proper play will appear in a future blog post, this deserves more than a passing mention. If anyone remembers this stiff, please comment.

And considering this is boat club, picking up a large-scale wagon for a fiver was a surprise. 

It's really solidly constructed from wood and metal. I fancy regauging it to 45mm so I can add it to my steam train freight set. I've no idea if this was a kit or scratch-built, but the construction is very tidy. 

So, a nice couple of hours away from work.I really must get something back on the water. 

 You can see a fuller set of photos over on Flickr. 

The Web Model Fitting Co.

 

I love an old modelmaking catalogue, and picked up this gem at York. Can you imagine such a bombastic cover appearing nowadays? 

Inside there is a range of what appear to be superb quality fitting for model boats. 

The 48 pages showcase photos of a huge range of parts. You can't get anything like this now, at least not from a single source!

 

As a guide, the top middle ships wheel, S404, cost 20/6 for 1 1/4" diameter, up to 42/- for 2". Is that a lot? I have a feeling these fittings might be for the deeper-pocketed modeller. 

Looking online, this catalogue dates from 1966, a bit later than I expected. The firm closed many years ago. 

204 High Street, Wood Green, London, N22, is now a dentists.

Sailing into Model Boats magazine

 

I've not done this for a while - appeared in Model Boats magazine!

The subject of my review is the Heng Long ready-to-sail tugboat that I bought from P&S Hobbies at Easter. Maybe it needs a little assembly, but not much and nothing technical, so it is RTR. 

You'll have to read the article for the full details, but suffice to say I have sailed this little model a lot sinve I bought it, and really enjoyed the experience. As a way to get someone into the hobby, it's perfect. Not too expensive and yet offering proper radio control. Not too large either, it's been down the lake in my rucksack a few time, although it now has a proper box for both boat and controller. 

Back on the water - Pigeon Pie

 

2007 was a good year for my boat modelling, not only did I build Little Miss Minty, as seen yesterday, but it also saw me finish the pride of my fleet, Pigeon Pie. 

The model is from a Metcalf Mouldings River Star kit, and you can read about the build in some of my earliest posts.

I've built many boats sinve this, but Pie is still my favourite. I love the design, and don't think I did a bad job building her. There are other kits of this quality in the stash, and I hope that some of them meet this standard. 

Anyway, I hit a problem with getting Pie on the water.  Power is supplied by a modest 6v gell cell battery. One that hasn't seen a charge in many years, and was dead as a dodo. 

I improvised with a couple of the smallest gell cells you can get, but they offered only five minutes on the water, followed by an embarassing wait while the model drifted to the bank so I could retrieve it. 

She still looks good on the water, and I can always buy another battery. 

Back on the water - Little Miss Minty

 

For the open day, I decided that I wasn't going to just sail the "Thursday Boats" that live at home for the rare occasions when I get to go to the weekly club sail. No, I was going to get boats that haven't seen water for some time, and use those instead. 

First up, Little Miss Minty. 

Built from a Goearge Turner kit, you can follow the build on the blog here. It's scary that this was in 2007. And I'm not sure how much time the model has spent afloat since then. 

Anyway, I found the Ni-Cad battery and gave it a gentle charge. Electricity seemed to stay inside, at least enough to make the model work. I did have to swap out the old-fashioned reciever for a 2.4mGz one, but nothing else changed. 

On the day, Minty sailed well, I'd forgotten how good on the water she is. Sadly, the battery could really have done with a few charging cycles to bring it back to life properly, as we only managed about ten minutes, but they were good minutes, and I am happy.

More junk

 

At the weekend, we had the model boat club open day, and since I'm short of material, we'll start by looking at the junk I bought from the bring'n'buy stall. I know these sort of posts are popular, because after any big show, someone always lets us see photos of the goodies they have bought. Sadly, it's usually N gauge in boxes. I'm sure the stuff I buy is much more interesting. 

Anyway, I am now the proud owner of: 

• A small round rasp. This will be a very handy woodworking tool for when I drill holes in slightly the wrong place. 
• A wide and very, very soft brush. Ideal for dusting models before taking photos. 
• A gas-filler adapter. Well, you can't have too many of these. 
• A spring balance for testing loco traction. It's much easier to read than the one I have, and reports in kg and lbs. 
• A Speed control. 15A, so loads of grunt. No idea if it works. 
• A doorbell button. Well, someone had to buy it, and I have ideas for a push-button operated model. I now have the button...

Total cost, a fiver. This is why I love rummage boxes.

Danger: Boat club auction

The annual model boat club auction can be dangerous. Since the members never want to spend any money, I've picked up rather more "stuff" than I should, because it's fun to bid. I also feel sorry from the auctioneer as he struggles to extract money.

This year, I wasn't only planning to buy, but had four boats in the sale too. One had a reserve, but really, they just wanted new homes. 

And it worked. Well, nearly. The Star pond yacht didn't sell, but everything else did. Some cash in my Dad and I's loco slush fund. 

And I manged to pick up some useful goodies. Three Planet recievers - the ones I use in boats and can't get now unless you pay really silly money. 

Oh, and a radio control Duck. 

My excuse - I like ducks. So, for a fiver, I've given it a new home. Building one has long been on my plan, now I don't need to worry. If it works anyway, far too cold for testing right now!