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Steam at Black Bridge
Yesterday, we wondered why trainspotting isn't cool, and now I look back to the 1980s when I was spotting this train!The location is Black Bridge in Whitnash - favourite spot to watch the occasional...
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Getting dizzy
My first thought when looking at the distributor, was that it doesn't look like any VW dizzy I've ever seen.Had the kitmakers designed it for ease of manufacture, rather than prototype fidelity? Nope....
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Nearly finished, and I'm exhausted
We're nearly at the end of the VW engine build, and it's time for some of the larger bits in the box to be fitted - the exhaust system. It's interesting that the pipes emerging from the cylinder heads...
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Warehouse Wednesday: Cotswold Corner
Stopping off in Chipping Norton for some lunch on the way back from a photo shoot last week, I couldn't resist a quick look around Gill & Co. a traditional hardware shop. A proper "Four Candles"...
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Two very different layouts in March's Garden Rail
We've a bumper issue this month, with not one, but two feature layouts, and they couldn't be more different. First, there is Pen-Y-Bont, Steve Howard's amazing indoor garden railway that's a slice of...
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Off to Doncaster
Yes, it's time to head north to Doncaster for the Festival of British Railway Modelling. I'll be hanging around the BRM stand all weekend, happy to chat about modelmaking. Please come and say hello, I...
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: Condor
An interesting history of the British Raiwlays "Condor" container service. However, I wonder about the use of all the historical footage. Yes, the maker takes a lot of time to credit the owners,...
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Larger Scale Trade Show, Swindon 2023
You know how it is, head off to a fashion outlet store, and suddenly you find yourself in a model railway exhibition!Well, that's (sort of) what happened last weekend. The Association of Larger Scale...
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Finished flat four engine
And with that. the VW engine is complete. Mounted on its base containing the batteries, the model can be made to work at the touch of a button. It looks great, I'm glad that I painted a few of the...
View Article1/4 scale VW engine - the video
Here we go, the 1/4 scale VW engine in all it's full working glory. Press the button on the base, and the model turns over for 40 second, while making some very unconvincing noises. Trill as you can...
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Warehouse Wednesday: Compton Garage
Spotted in Long Compton, Compton Garage looks like a bit of a time warp. That frontage hasn't changed much since those old petrol pumps out front were in operation, and on the side we have some...
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A little, angry man
Needing some figures to populate the coaches my Dad is building, I selected Modeltown as the cheapest option. Since you aren't going to be able to look closely at them, cost wins over quality. Mind...
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Can I repair my conscience?
There was a clock on my wall that I've owned for around 30 years. In that time, I've replaced the quartz mechanism once, and the battery box on this mech as well. Finally, it's given up the ghost...
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: Doncaster show
Three days spent at the Festival of British Railway Modelling last weekend, and I didn't manage to bag much in the way of photos for this blog. Worse, my video camera stayed in its bag the whole time....
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Sunday morning exploring
Since the Festival of British Railway Modelling doors don't open for exhibitors until 8:30, and I tend to get up early, last week, I found myself with a little spare time to do some exploring. I love...
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Winifred the steam tram
My parents (and me) like the team at Boot Lane Works. After a chat at the NGRS last year, my Dad ended up with a Rose on his workbench, so it wasn't that much of a surprised that a Winifred kit...
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Steam tram chassis
In thoery, assembling the Boot Lane chassis is a screwdriver job. Acrylic sides are screwed to 3D printed spacers. Not quite idiot-proof, but if you read the instructions carefully, then hopefully not...
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Warehouse Wednesday - A simple gantry crane
Spotted around the corner from the big Doncaster Morrisons supermarket, this abandonded (I think) travelling gantry crane. There's no obvious clue what it used to move, but that doesn't matter, as a...
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A quick look at the Quarry Hunslet in BRM
The Spring 2023 issue of BRM is a little light on Phil content this time - I've been busy on a load of other projects which have eaten my time. There isn't even space for a video, although that is due...
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Slate miner
According to the card beside this in a book/antique shop I visited recently, this is "Quarryman with tipping truck - very accurate (used as illustration in book on slate) - £3 - made of compressed...
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