Card Model Meeting 5th October 2003

The last ever RAF Halton Model Show was due to be held on this date, as permission for the use of the site from the Ministry of Defence was to be withdrawn. Sadly, with only a few weeks notice, the Show was cancelled altogether. An increasing group of stalwart card modellers had been meeting and showing our work at the Halton Show for the past three years. We were disappointed, but not beaten. Our overseas visitors already had travel plans in place, so hasty arrangements were made to meet at an alternative venue.

Mike Stamper, David Hathaway, Gunnar Sillén, Alvar Hansen and myself met at a restaurant in London, where we had kindly been allowed the use of a private room. A very enjoyable day was had by all, in earnest discussion of new designs in progress and in appreciation of the many latest projects which were brought along.

So here’s a few pictures...........

Above left, the Chateau de Sonnenberg (Ketty & Alexandre)

Mike’s extensive and masterly display of beautifully built castles and palaces from Europe.

Above, Burg Rozmberk (Erkotyp) which for me has the finest colouring and features

Left, Neuschwanstein Castle (Schreiber-Bogen)

Mike likes to show his versatility, here with the largest and smallest. Prague Castle, above, by Albatros, at 3’6” in length was the subject of Mike’s three part construction review in the Cardmodelers Ezine.

Left is the Micromodel of St. Peter’s, Rome, on a baseboard size of 6” x 4”. The model has been fabulously detailed.

And you’ll probably be viewing this picture at about actual size.

The latest addition to David’s Paper Shipwright fleet, it’s the Swedish Monitor John Ericsson. At 1:250, the model is 16cm in length.

Two of David’s new lighthouse designs, Orford Ness and Tater Du.

At 1:250, they’re the same scale as the ferry, ‘ Drotten’. This is one of Gunnar’s designs, the steamship which links the Swedish mainland to the island of Gotland, where Gunnar has his home.

Two designs in progress from Gunnar. He explained the pencilled notes on the superstructure of the cement carrier in the foreground........he took the model with him on board the real vessel to identify the positions of the various fittings.....

Farewell time................

From left, David, Alvar, Gunnar, Mike and myself.

With photographic acknowledgement and thanks to Mike’s daughter Jenny, who had also joined us and entertained us for the day.

Left (built by myself) is the ‘Italian Panorama’ of 1933. A working model with trains and cars moving intrigueingly in opposite directions across the viaduct as the handle is turned. Right is an earlier and simpler version from 1923. This and the Pagoda were built by Gunnar from copies of the magazine, which he was loaned by the publishers.

These models were inspired by Gunnar’s research into the work of the designer Hans Christian Madsen, as recently published in the second volume of ‘Zur Geschichte des Kartonmodellbaus’.They are Madsen designs, originally published in the ‘Family Journal’, a weekly Scandinavian magazine.