Saturday Film Club: Steam trams in the Netherlands
I'm not one for colourised films normally, but this has been subtly done, and the pictures are so interesting, that I'm happy to enjoy the results. There's so much to see in this film from the 1920s...
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I want you to pay for my train set!
There's been a little consternation online that someone has set up a GoFundMe campaign to solicit donations towards building his new O gauge layout. From what I've seen, people are not in favour, and...
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Jones the Steam
Along with mini-Tag, came Jones the Steam from the Ivor the Engine series. At 8cm tall, he's a lot smaller than Tag, but still looks a lot like his 2D cartoon TV version. Ivor was telly trains for me....
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Book Review: Rails Across the Isle of Man in the 1950s
Let's be honest. I'm a sucker for any book with photos of Isle of Man trains or trams in it. You don't need to put many pictures between the covers before I know a copy is going to be added to my...
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Warehouse Wednesday: Whitechapel bell foundry
Hat tip to Duncan Young for this one - it seems that plans to redevelop the famous Whitechapel bell foundry into a poncy hotel have been given the green light by both the local council and centra...
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Hibberd Planet diesel
I can't remember exactly how long ago I built this model, but I know the chassis, a rewheeled Tenshodo SPUD, was written up in Modelling Railways Illustrated, so I guess that means it would be 1996 or...
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Hornby Hundred Point of Sale
Another addition to the Hornby collection - this A3(ish) size advert for the companies centenary. Point of sale material is always popular with collectors. Most of it ends up in the bin, but looks...
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: Talbot Rancho review
Everyone remembers a car from their childhood that they loved the look of. For me, there were two - a TR7 and the Talbot/Matra Rancho. I've mentioned my love of the French soft-roader on this blog...
View ArticleBig shoes to fill
I was once minding the stage door when Ken Dodd came off stage. He looked at my shoes and said "By jove - are you a copper?" I said I wasn't, to which he replied, "Well you should be. You know what...
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Kyle of Lochalsh
Since it's a bank holiday today, a couple of holiday snaps from 2008. 25 May to be precise - a whopping 13 years ago! I did a little tour by train, which I wrote up on another blog when I aspired to...
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Pedometer repair
I've been competing with a friend over the number of steps we take each day. I usually lose, and one reason is that I record mine on a 'phone and she has a smartwatch. If I don't carry the 'phone, the...
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Warehouse Wednesday: Canadian Folly
Thanks to David Youngs of Ontario, Canada for these fascinating photos from a local park. Apparently, this used to be the front wall of a local skating rink that burned down. However, the locals...
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SECR Crane Tank
Once upon a time, I was exhibiting at a model railway exhibition, and I spotted a brand new kit for a crane tank. By the end of the show, my expenses had been recycled into the traders till, and I was...
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Book Review: The Hornby Book of Trains - The First one Hundred Years
Dropping in to my local model shop last week to buy some fencing for a project, I was surprised with a heavy cardboard package. It seems that one of the anniversary items I ordered many months ago had...
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: Groudle Glen Railway at 125 years old
I wish I had been able to be there. That is all.
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Return to Selly Oak
After a couple of months break, Selly Oak is back on the workbench. The first job is to write a to-do list. The project have become bogged down, but I need to finished it and the best way I think to...
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Build a plywood van
A few weeks ago, I needed an unnumbered van for some filming. Not a problem I thought, I have a box with built, but unpainted kits somewhere. That somewhere eluded me, but I did find a Parkside kit...
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The Melbridge Dock display case
Last week, Woz commented: "You mentioned "it looks terrific in the display case" do you have an overall picture of the display case showing the goodies inside ?"Here's a view of the business end from...
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LMS Dock Tank
The LMS Dock tank was a challenging kit. An etched brass product from Mercian Models, it was probably a bit beyond my skill level when I took it on. Despite this, it eventually became one of my...
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PVA water experiments
With a project involving water on the horizon, I fancied trying a different method to a commercial product or my usual yacht varnish - and I'd heard about employing PVA for the job. A few YouTube...
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