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Pound stretchers loco jacks
Does anyone remember GEM "Pound Stretchers"?Packs of whitemetal details that cost, a pound. There were all sorts of things available and I coveted them for my model railway. Even in those days, these...
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: Sailor buoy by Tri-ang
Something special for you this week - another Phil's unboxing. This time a vintage sailing game from Tri-ang.Ā It's brilliant fun and I've checked, no-one knows where the moulds are so Hornby won't be...
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Cosford Large Aircraft 2019 - Rain stops plane
The weather forecast promised cloudy skies. The previous weekends and even days running up to the event predicted sunshine and sun-hats.Ā As it was, by lunchtime, the rain was coming down and sensibly,...
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Surprise unobtainables
Things I'm surprised I couldn't buy at Cosford, from the wide array of RC parts suppliers.A battery holder for a jelly cell.Ā OK, the flyboys don't use heady lead-acid batteries, but I was able to buy...
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Time to put on weight
All wired up and ready to sail, the ark just needs a bit of weight to level it up. The heavy battery in one end brings the hull down a bit, but uneavenly. What the model needs is a spell in the sink...
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Warehouse Wednesday: Scruffy building with big doors
It's not just me who has collected photos of ugly buildings. This one is from the collection of the late Peter Barnfield, artist extraordinaire.What a fantastic building. Ugly corrugated walls, big...
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Bekonscot in Garden Rail
A treat for me in issue 300 of Garden Rail - a visit to Bekonscot which included the chance to wander around behind the scenes. I won't lie, I had a great day out. It's a facinating place and chatting...
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Sewage, scenics and an interview in BRM
Lots of stuff from me in the latest BRM. I kick off with a photo session at South Bierly Sewage Works.I spotted this layout at Lancing show a couple of years ago and was really taken with it. OK, we...
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: Landing on the moon
50 years ago, as my parents watched from a Scottish village where the milk was delivered by horse and cart*, man landed on the moon. This video takes you through the descent and landing with all the...
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Warley MRC open day 2019
Sunday morning - an industrial estate on the outskirts of Birmingham - model railway journalism is full of glamour!Andy York and I had taken a trip over to the club behind the biggest model railway...
View Article2 by 2, they went for a sail
Loading the ark with figures proved to be interesting. I tried a few different arrangements but ended up with something very close to the first version. I wanted to keep the pairs of animals together,...
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Not an ideal maiden voyage
Look closely at these two photos taken 2 minutes apart.You might think they look like a pretty boat sailing on the water at our boat club, and you would be right.The sharp-eyed will notice that the...
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Warehouse Wednesday: Got any spare sleepers?
Spotted in Birmingham, some railway sleepers. Not for trains though. Even the nearby Midland Metro extension isn't using them. No, these are in use as weights holding the scaffolding tower that will...
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Cutting foamboard square
For a project, I need to cut some foamboard. It's not a material I use a lot as I've never been happy with the edges I cut. I want square once, but always manage to hold the knife blade at an angle....
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The many uses of talc for modellers
Got a granny? Sadly no. It's a pity as my modelling toolkit needs something grannies seem to have plenty of - talcum powder.I'm not sure why it seems to be such an old-fashioned product. After all, you...
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: 1950s cable TV
Who knew there was cable TV back in the 1950s?This film explains relay television and is full of archive town films full of classic cars and lorries plus plenty of (then) current technology with proper...
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Isle of Man motor museum
I'm writing this post while on the Isle of Man enjoying a holiday. Earlier today, I took a trip to a new attraction to meĀ - the Isle of Man motor museum. My expectations weren't high for this. The...
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Too much heat!
Or maybe too much haste. With my holiday looming and a piece on whitemetal soldering to write for Garden Rail, I was cracking on with a loco kit built and had reached that glorious primer stage.A...
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MT Games and DVD, Weston-super-mare
In the back streets of Weston-Super-Mare, I spotted a Hornby logo on the front of a shop that at first sight, didn't look that promising. The front suggests once of those places where you trade in...
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Warehouse Wednesday: Silos with corrugations
This is a warehouse - for storing grain on a farm. Modern, zinc-coated corrugated streel and still looking pretty clean, they wouldn't be too hard build using South Eastern Finecast vac-formed...
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