Brian Parker - RIP

 

On Wednesday night, my dad, Brian Parker, passed away peacefully. 

It's very difficult to know what to write in this blog post. He was my father, friend, helper and the person, who more than anyone else, made me who I am today (well, it had to be someone's fault). 

Some of my earliest memories are of him building a balsa and tissue aeroplane. He would also help me with my more complicated Lego - there is a photo somewhere of him putting together an oil rig I'd received for Christmas. 

Dad supplied me with my first train - a Tri-ang 3F he'd repainted into maroon with a golden dome. He didn't think I'd like a plain black engine! Sadly, in a fit of realism, I repainted it black again years later. 

I'd always been a kid who enjoyed making things, and one day, he presented me with a bag of balswood offcuts, a knife, and some glue. And that was it, I was allowed to get on with it, hacking away at the wood. The idea was that I would learn about sharp knives, and to be fair, I still have a full complement of fingers.

There were also many plastic kits from his stash that I was allowed to build, not always brilliantly, but I learned a lot in the process. Some of those have become collectables, but this didn't bother him. I was taught that plastic kits were for building. 

Dad had an interest in aircraft, and assisted at the local air cadets. Somehow, this involved us in visiting an air museum, where I saw a Sunderland Flying Boat. I was smitten by this, and so a few months later, I came downstairs to find he had assembled and painted an Airfix model. Sadly, this didn't survive, but I still have a couple of figures from it. I've promised myself that I will one day build another, and include these people in it. 

Years later, he accompanied me to the Leamington & Warwick MRS every Thursday evening. Trains were my thing, but he was happy to come along and help out. On our first night, he saw track being made using SMP parts. "I'll never be able to do that.", he said. Three layouts later, he seemed to have the hang of it. 

Of course, we exhibited layouts together for many years. Dad never learned to drive, so this side fell to me, but he was always happy with his supporting role. I made the rolling stock, he, the buildings and boats. We trekked up and down the country with Melbridge, Flockburgh and Hellingly and really enjoyed ourselves.

We also visited a lot of shows. Much of this was by train, and we enjoyed many lovely days out. 

Back at the L&WMRS, he took on organising the annual show for several years, successful events that helped boost club funds, leading to the success the club undoubtedly is now - something Brian was always very proud of.  

There is so much I should write, and maybe I'll continue with a few stories in the future, but right now, I'm not in the best place to put together a complete history. 

Suffice to say, I'm going to miss my Dad. Of course, like any good modeller, he has bequeathed a pile of unbuilt kits, and half finished project to add to my own collection.  

Thanks for everything Dad. 

Note: There will be a brief hiatus in blogging for a few days.

Time for a new loco cradle

 

I think it's really time to deposit this Peco loco cradle in the bin. It's performed admirably for many years, but the foam has really lost its spring. 

To be fair, I bought a replacement some time ago, and this has just been kicking around on a shelf and gradually degrading. The foam has gone brittle, and bits keep falling off. As you can see, it's more pancake than U-shape. It just goes to show that some things simply fall apart over time. 

And before someone shouts "inbuilt obselecance" - I think that well over a decade (possibly two) of use isn't bad for a foam cradle. I know, in the old days, we had cradles made from granite...

Warehouse Wednesday: 7 1/4 tunnel

Tidying up on my computer, I found this photo of a tunnel mouth on the Heath Park Miniature Railways and Tramway in Cardiff, operated by the Cardiff Model Engineering Society. 

I was there to shoot a OO gauge layout, but couldn't resist a stroll around the very attractive Heath Park site. During the sunny months, the group operate regular trains around the 5 and 7 1/4 inch tracks. 

Playmobil 45mm gauge track

 

We are giving away the Planet diesel I have been building in recent issues of Garden Rail, to someone who has bought advanced tickets to the April show. 

Since I was in the studio, I recruited Steven to help me make a quick video of the little beast. And for this, I needed some track. We have some 5ft lengths of LGB, but these are costly and a pain to move around. Instead, I dug out some of the Playmobil plastic track I bought on impulse at the Llangollen show a year ago. 

This track appeared because toy legislation banned Playmobil from selling track-powered trains. All their models went over to battery-electric, something that I suspect was much appreciated by parents, as they could stop fiddling with fishplates and wondering why the train suddenly ran out of electric juice. Kids would be happy, because the radio controls brought more play value, lights and sound, with them. 

This stuff is lovely and chunky, comes in 268mm lengths (no idea why) and clips together. For more permanent setups, there are some clips that fit in the square holes at the ends, to really hold things together. For my purposes, the simple clipping seems pretty solid. 

I have straights and curves, plus four points. Again, nice and chunky, with good, positive motion when you twist the knob beside the switchblades. 

In the video, the little shunter ran happily along it. Making it ideal for temporary lines. No steam though, the plastic wouldn't take kindly to dropped hot fluids!

 

Syston Haul

The rule is that when you go to a show, you must come back with some new toys. 

But. There are very few new toys that I actually need, and not many that I want right now. So, complying with the rule at Syston wasn't easy. 

Spotted in a box, is this nice, playworn, Matchbox hovercraft. I like hovercraft, and for a couple of quid, it complied with the rules. I'll kid myself that one day I'll take it apart and restore it. The stickers could be reproduced on a computer, and they are only bits of paper stuck on. The liver, well a can of white spray paint will sort that. 

For the moment, I'm enjoying it as a desk toy, making hovercraft noises as I push it up and down. I am a big kid. But then you knew that. 

Rather more relevant, and also found under a stand (it's where the good stuff is, but don't tell anyone) is this Hornby Dublio TPO set. 

Despite being an operating accessory fan, I've never got into the TPO sets. There is an orange Tri-ang one in the collection, but that's it. 

What interests me about the Dublo version, is that it works in a very different way to the later Tri-ang and Hornby models. Those are purely mechanical. Dublo uses electricity. There is a pickup skate sticking out of the side of the coach, and what I assume is a matching tongue sticking out of the delivery/collection space. 

How all this works is a mystery to me. I know I could probably look it up, but I'll have fun finding out by experimentation. 

All this, in nice condition, for £15. OK, there are no mailbags, but for some reason, I already have some. There has been some depreciation going on, as there is a paper label inside for £95 - an optimistic price, even when HD was worth proper money!