Our world in miniature, hobbies

A volunteer duty took me near to Central Six, today, so once again I looked inside Hobby Craft, this time for pieces of "plastistruct" flats. I won't bother with details, but once again I was flabbergasted regards the price. £14 for a pack of two pieces. From my regular supplier, ten pieces, same length £5.30. So that's sorted. They might be ok on their boxed volume sales, but regards art/craft raw materials, for me a no no. Flat, box or girder shaped plastistuct is the kind of stuff that modellers use constantly. I'm hoping my gasometer will be completed before December, keeping us all warm & cosy with coal gas!

Anyone would think that I'm totally hostile to HobbyCraft. When Hobby Craft first opened in Central Six, I used it regularly, as the art & craft raw materials were well priced, often undercutting established art & craft shops. Bedworth had a brilliant art shop next to the entrance to the Welfare park. Allesley park had a good shop. Custom may now have switched stream to novelty stuff, whilst in Hobby Craft today, there were more staff than customers, but this is Wednesday. So, why & what & where for, we each have to make our minds up on.

Whilst waiting for my detailing bits to arrive so I can finish off the gasometer, I've tidied up the far wall of the fiddle yard. Our fiddle yard is a specific place. It's Burrow Hill station. The city to which our Hall Brooks railway is an outer suburb. Just as, when you are standing at the Arena station, we can't see Coventry station, but we know that it's down the line but out of sight. I've also added the defunct entrance to the Tippers Hill estate. Our railway was always meant to be around here where I live. Yes, it's all in my mind, fictional reality almost. The viaduct is Penny park viaduct & so on. I love it now more than ever. If you look at the map of the old Keresley mine line from Three Spires Junc, then continue it for just 3 fictional miles towards Fillonglley & Arley, we have the route of our HallBrooks railway. If you look on an ordnance survey map, all of these place names are there & in correct directional locations. You are good at verifying that Anne & Helen.

Or just Google them Yes, a quirk of history or geology might have sent the railway in another direction and there you'd be.

The fence adds a sense of distance to an impossible location. This cannot be seen other than this close-up photo. When I'm next grass & weeding, (the other way round to gardeners), that will finish that off. This is the view for anyone in the railway room. The industrial/working end of Hounds Hill. The same view from ground level. Just a bit of grass & weeds. It will look better in natural light.

Good afternoon all, I'm still puffing.

Hi Philip. How is the "gasometer" going?

I must stop reading gasometer as Gas O'Meter.

Hi, Awaiting delivery of 80,000 tons of steel from China. It's levelled, the correct height, but needs the top ring, side ladders & so on, which will need colouring. I'm mindful that it remains a stand for the fiddle yard mirror.

Hi all, We're turning the gas up!

Philip, You wouldn't have a clock hanging on a public building by any chance would you ? I hate to have missed it.

Hi Dreamtime There's a clock on the top of St. Wilfred's tower.

Found it Philip, thank you. I should have known.

Why are loaded oil tankers being marshalled for Gosford Green? There's no oil depot there! Unless they are going an odd way to Whitley Wharf! The Forman's office phone keeps ringing with no answer.

Somebody loves me!