Model engineering ex...

[mjt60a]

....at Ally Pally is tomorrow, I suppose I'll have to go and see it, though there's not usually much in the way of paddler models there (*not really that much of boats/ships at all last year, only static displays....) but I need some bits and pieces that shops just don't seem to keep in stock, plus it's a day out for a change  

*by that I mean that in earlier years they used to have a fairly large pool for working demonstrations of boats and subs and yachts, plus ones for vehicles and for helicopters too!

[mjt60a]

...Well, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, quite an impressive number of ships and boats to look at this year, better I thought, than last year......Anyhow, items of interest......
1) This unusual 'cruise ship' don't know how else to describe it, it has a swimming pool on the rear of the upper deck! must be 1/72 scale as 00 rail figures were used for passengers & crew. Model not quite finished, was awaiting railing and masts (and probably some other fittings)


2) Cargo/freight carrying paddler, 1/48 scale I'd guess, looks well used, photos were provided of the model sailing...
 

3) Not directly paddler related but I was interested to see these models;

The coaster in the centre, the narrowboat on the right and the little sailing barge at the top of the picture - were all made using strips of newspaper!!!
The paper hull at the left of the pic is for the coaster and is perched on top of the styrofoam 'mould' (plug really) used to make it. Unlike my method, the builder uses a solid plug on which the paper hull is constructed building up thicknesses of newspaper. The paper hull is removed when dry and a wooden frame constructed to fit inside. The outside is coated in two-part epoxy putty such as Isopon P38, then sanded smooth before primer/paint applied.
This prevents the concave appearance of the finished article (caused, I think, by each successive layer of paper shrinking) when I make them applying the paper directly to the wood frame