Enormous model fleet for disposal.

 Philip Warren, who has spent 75 years building scale models of every ship in the Royal Navy since WW2, has decided to stop presenting his collection for display, usually in Nothe Fort, Weymouth, as it is getting too much for him to do the transporting, setting up and clearing out. He is looking for an institution to take on the collection, but I wonder where it could go, who would take on the job of care and maintenance, and would they be on view? 

I remember seeing his display some years ago, and it was remarkable. Although in only a small room I was there for a good couple of hours just enjoying the handywork and dedication, considering the models are all hand made (no frets) from matches or wooden matchboxes. I picked up a copy of his little booklet and still enjoy browsing the pictures.

Here's hoping there is a good outcome to the situation. 

On Show

 For the first time in years I have managed to exhibit a model railway. Nothing grand, just a lockdown project based on a Peco 009 set track starter pack. While it got boring watching the train(s) go round and round all day I did get some interesting chats as the visitors tried to find all the little cameos. There were Red Riding Hood and the wolf, Alice and the White Rabbit, a flock of dodo's and a wolf in sheeps clothing, to mention a few. My collection of old Games Workshop 'Gothic Horror' figures came in handy, and other makers bits and pieces are there too.

Question is, what can I do for next year?

Life gives us a smack in the face.

After, what, three years, MrsJ came down with a cold. She was due to go into hospital for a new knee so phoned them up and the doc suggested that she'd be OK to go in, but take a lateral flow test in case. She came out positive so I had one with same result. Hence her op is called off and delayed goodness knows how long, and we have a week at home together!! I suppose it was Sod's Law at work. Neither of us feel like doing much so a lot of rubbish TV is being watched. Normal service resumes shortly. 

A new Imagi-nation comes into being.

I'm thinking of disposing of my metal mountain of 18th century figures, as I've not had them out of storage for about four years, and will never have time to paint them anyway. During my recent trawling through the boxes to see what there is (a merry assortment of Rank And File, Fife And Drum, Willie, and others I came across a box containing a batch of Eureka 'Toy Soldiers' which were unpainted. I've done a couple of generals as practice and now have General Dogsbody and General Ignorance (I need a better name than that) and have cobbled a few trees in order to see how they turn out.

 

They were a bit top heavy, so I glued them to a couple of handy tiddlywinks. I can borrow the grandchildren's building blocks for houses and forts (Fort Not and Fort So), can have a couple of small forces as army red and army blue, set against each other in a 'Noddyish' land called Blytonia. 

At the moment I have a couple of infantry regiments, a couple of cavalry regiments, and a cannon with crew. If I duplicate this for opponents I reckon I should have enough to get the grandchildren keen.

I'll be getting on to this project after Christmas, and it is my resolution for 2023.

In the meantime, Seasons greetings to you all, and all the best for next year.

Queen Elizabeth 11's Lying in State.

Hello, I've been away on a six week round tour of Scotland in the caravan, returning home last Saturday. During that time the country has lost its Monarch and slipped into an outpourng of nostalgia culminating in todays State Funeral. I caught up with the Lying in State, watching bits of the various TV coverages and it led me to wonder, What about making a 54mm toy soldier diorama of it? Would that be seen as bad taste? I thought I might proceed with the possibility of producing something for next years BMSS competition, so I've been browsing for appropriate figures.

Looking at photos it would appear that I need 4 guardsmen, 4 beefeaters and 4 Gentlemen at Arms as a minimum, preferably at attention, that I can convert. I can see that there will be a bit of work in bending heads and especially in producing the 'reversed arms' involved. I've discovered a Beefeater and Gentleman as kits on the Tradition site and ordered one of each to start with, and I think I can use my Prince August moulds to produce the guardsmen.

I'll use this as an autumn project, and drop in occasional progress reports as I go.

 

  

Lost Skills?

 This picture )no further information) has just popped up on one of my Facebook suggested sites. Makes me think of my own Humperstein 'Grey Ladies' , a small unit of female hussars formed by Princess Aurora as bodyguard/intelligence gatherers. They have grey uniforms, hence the nickname. Perhaps they are modernising and moving onto cycles from horses. Mind you, from my experience of excersise on cycles momentum +swing could lead to trouble balancing.

Model Mayhem weekend

 Is it really a year since I put something on this page? Well here's something to be going on with.

This weekend MrsJ and I visited in-laws at Titchmarsh in Northamptonshire, just seven miles from Wicksteed Park in Kettering. As it happens (a bit of judicial hinting from myself) the visit coincided with the Model Boat Mayhem weekend held on the boating lake in the park and I managed to slope off for the morning thus avoiding a dose of flower arranging. This weekend is an 'anyone can turn up' with or without model boat and have a sail. People travel vast distances to attend. Here are a few photos I took of the event. I'm just jealous that I can' match the expertise shown.