0820PerranporthPaddington

Many years ago, a company called Harris Edge produced some very good card kits of various models of steam locomotives and a Traction Engine. they were called 'Showcase Models' and were produced on a series of card sheets for you to cut out and glue together. They were very impressive and relly looked the part. Their only weak point was the wheels, as they ere only a series of circles and used to 'bend' over after some time. However, they were still very authentic. The range was: Flying Scotsman, Mallard A4, The Royal Scot, an American Wood Burning Locomotive and a Showman's Traction Engine. At one time, I had the whole set, but over time, they got damaged and lost. I still have an unmade boxed model of the Royal Scot, which I am not sure whether to make up or sell. I did hear a rumour that there was to be a model of a GWR 'King', but nothing came of it, so I dedcided to create my own, which was back in 1980. the first image was my first attempt, but I was never that happy with it and it has taken me unitl this year to do it again. I had no drawings as such to work on and both have been created from used cereal packets and painted. I also made a coach, using the same method of wast card. I titled it 'from Cornflakes to the Cornish Riviera' The second image shows my later attempt and the third with the original coach. I still have a fair way to go, with many fittings and pipework to add. One of my main successes is how I have created the wheels. All the spokes are carefully folded together to create a lifelike effect and the rims and flanges are strong enough to hold the model. I also made a 14xx in 1983, using the same wheel design, which can be seen clearly. The last image is the umade Royal Scot model, that gave me the idea of creating one of my favourite locos, The King Class.

Someone asked me if I could make a GWR Pagoda shelter in '0' gauge and to make it as authentic as possible! As I make cut out card kits of Cornish Engine Houses and have made one or two pagodas in '00' in the past, I looked at the possibility of printing corrugated card. As I had some sheets of various card and amongst them was a corrugated one, I designed the pagoda in kit form, scaled up fro 4mm to 7mm. With great trepidation, I fed the shett into the printer and after three or four attempts, it worked! The picture above is the finished model, placed on a makeshift platform, but I forgot to fix the fretwork on the roof! This I have done by printing the fret, using OHP clear film. The two downpipes are way too large, but that has now been remedied, shown on the second 'tryout' below.

I make these GWR Pagodas in 7mm scale, using corrugated card and are sold as a kit, with full instuctions.

Yes, I make and do sell them. If you are interested, please let me know and I'll give further details

Beside building my my large Clay built Cornish Pumping enine, I also make card cut-out kits, which are around 'N' gauge. I say around, because all of these engines vary in size due to the different sized beam engines within. The one above is a replica of a mine in St Agnes, Cornwall, called 'Wheal Friendly'. It overlooks the lovely Trevaunance Cove and today is just a ruin, along with many in the County. One very famous mine is the 'Michell's Whim Engine', which sits by the main street in Pool, between Redruth and Camborne. Now owned by the National Trust, it is a good example of a Cornish winding engine. I have also made this, again in 'N' gauge. They are printed on card and cut out and glued together. The picture below shows the completed model and make a nice addition to scenery, or layout. The National Trust also own the 90" puming engine at Taylor's Shaft, across the road and behind the Morrison's store. This engine is the third largest engine ever built and both can be visited in the Summer months. Below is my model of that mine engine.

Although it is quite large, due to the very varied sizes of the buildings that were built, this would certainly fit on a 00 gauge layout,

I first made the Pumping Engine in 1980, just to see if I could! It is made of clay and represented a typical ruined Engine House. Over the years, I thought about 'kitting it out' with a fully working example, but never getting past that stage until this year, when I obtained a synchronous motor, geared down to 5rpm, which when fitted with a crank, gave the correct speed for the beam to move up and down, nearly all engines of this type worked at five strokes per minute. First to go in were the main beams that support the Beam, which in turn are supported by the cross beams and the Bob wall. I then made up the front hoarding, which enclosed the top floor against the weather in a real engine. Next, starting to make up the bob platforms, prior to fitting the drive (a 220v synchronous motor, rotating at 5rpm). I then made the beam, or 'bob' in Cornish terms, which I found easiest to make by gluing six pieces of card for each side and gluing together, lining out and painting, drilling the holes for the various rods, then fitting to the main beams (I used cable clips, which give some tension to the movement), This shows the arrangement of the beam between the supports. It had to be accutaretly fitted to avoid any fouling from either end of the beam. The bob platt fences have been fitted, making sure of clearance. Finally, I made up the fences to the platforms and added the pump rod, the vacuum pump behind it and the mud pump behind that. The roof was built up of lines of printed slates on paper and fixed by pva glue. All of the pump rods work at five strokes a minute, a fairly normal speed of these engines. Although it is a large model (about 14" tall), it will sit quite comfortably on an 00 gauge layout. the large Taylor's engine at East Pool, in Cornwall is well over 60 feet high!

Many thanks, Mellangoose. I also love modelling Cornish stations. I recently made a model of the former station house at Helston, but my greatest love was the little station at St Agnes, which closed in 1963. i made a static display of the station, which is in the St. Agnes Museum

Excellent Model of Bodmin Parkway! You have captured it brilliantly. A couple of years ago, I made a display of St Agnes station for the Museum there. it depicted the station around 1950 and is a permanent fixture. My nex project is of the same station, but in 'N' Gauge it will be in two parts, going from the original single line as built in 1903, to the rebuilt layout from 1937. Should be an interesting project for me, as not modelled in 2mm before, although I have already built the ststion and Goods Shed

The footbridge at Bodmin Parkway, in Cornwall is one of the finest of the GWR designs. Made of wood and iron, it spans both tracks with opposing stair towers. Itnot only gives access from the down platform to the up, but also provides access to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Because of the intricate nature of this bridge, I decided to make a model. Made of card, designed and printed on my computer. it was created in three sections. 1. The central Span, consisting of the two sides with windows cut out and glazed, the Ironwork individually cut out and applied to each side. the underside, made up of three sections and the roof in three sections. 2. The stair towers, which were cut out and the Ironwork applied the same way Fitting the three sections together proved the most difficult, as getting the structure to sit correctly and square meant gluing together more or less as it will stand. There have been some design changes since this model was made, so will post further.

The footbridge at Bodmin Parkway, in Cornwall is one of the finest of the GWR designs. Made of wood and iron, it spans both tracks with opposing stair towers. Itnot only gives access from the down platform to the up, but also provides access to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Because of the intricate nature of this bridge, I decided to make a model. Made of card, designed and printed on my computer. it was created in three sections. 1. The central Span, consisting of the two sides with windows cut out and glazed, the Ironwork individually cut out and applied to each side. the underside, made up of three sections and the roof in three sections. 2. The stair towers, which were cut out and the Ironwork applied the same way

The branch that ran from Gwinear Road to Helston closed to passengers in 1962. all that is left now at Helston is the platform and the Goods Shed, which acts as a community centre, the station site is now a sheltered housing complex. Two years ago, I created a permanent display of St Agnes station, which resides in the Museum at St Agnes, I am now a member of the Helston railway project, which plans to re-open part of the original line, so I decided to make an 00 gauge model of the very large station at Helston This is a view of the platform side, from the Helston end. This is the view of the roadside, also from the Helston end I decided to add lighting for a better effect and this shows a close up of the station entrance. This is a view looking along the station from the Gwinear Road end. There are a few things to finish and tidy up, but as yet I'm not sure if it will be part of a layout, or just a single display item I am also trying to get line drawings of St Ives and Bodmin General, so if anyone has any info on these two stations, I would be very grateful.

The branch that ran from Gwinear Road to Helston closed to passengers in 1962. all that is left now at Helston is the platform and the Goods Shed, which acts as a community centre, the station site is now a sheltered housing complex. Two years ago, I created a permanent display of St Agnes station, which resides in the Museum at St Agnes, I am now a member of the Helston railway project, which plans to re-open part of the original line, so I decided to make an 00 gauge model of the very large station at Helston This is a view of the platform side, from the Helston end. This is the view of the roadside, also from the Helston end I decided to add lighting for a better effect and this shows a close up of the station entrance. This is a view looking along the station from the Gwinear Road end. There are a few things to finish and tidy up, but as yet I'm not sure if it will be part of a layout, or just a single display item I am also trying to get line drawings of St Ives and Bodmin General, so if anyone has any info on these two stations, I would be very grateful.