Some more colourful figures from Andy's painting bench...
Spot the truant...
Spot the truant...
Monday, 18 January 2016
Sunday, 17 January 2016
Hairpin improvement
One of the pair of hairpins that form the climb up to the back of the track has always been problematic. Firstly, the track rails seem to get pinched and so some of the cars would get stuck going round, and secondly, the side swipe would cause more accidents than in the Michelin hairpin because it was mostly hidden behind the pit building.
I've belatedly realised that Radius 1 turns are available that don't squeeze the lanes together. I had to buy four 45 degree turns to make the whole 180 degree hairpin (see on the right of the photo below).
I've left the original tight hairpin at the top of the slope by the Michelin Man so we'll see over the coming weeks which is the most suitable.
I've belatedly realised that Radius 1 turns are available that don't squeeze the lanes together. I had to buy four 45 degree turns to make the whole 180 degree hairpin (see on the right of the photo below).
I've left the original tight hairpin at the top of the slope by the Michelin Man so we'll see over the coming weeks which is the most suitable.
Friday, 8 January 2016
Brooklands-inspired pit buildings and control tower
Over Christmas, I finished the other buildings for Andy to complement the Goodwood Pits I made him in November. Sticking with the 1930s theme of Andy's track, this time I also looked to Brooklands for inspiration - from the pitlane garages with spectators above like this...
...and this one at Goodwood...
But for the control tower, the inspiration came from the central block of the old aero control tower at Brooklands...
A combination of foamboard, mounting board, clear plastic for windows, and lots of logos and textures printed on to adhesive paper, plus quite a few hours, finally produced this:
It's really three buildings so the two pit buildings could be placed together with the control tower elsewhere on the layout. (Note that it's only temporarily on my track for the photos).
Here's a close-up of the control tower, with the style of doors and clock taken from the Brooklands building:
The roof lifts off so that figures can be placed inside...
...and then the second floor lifts off to do the same on the first floor...
Finally, here's a view of the rear of the building with the stairs for the spectators to reach the roof:
Soon to be installed on Andy's track, this is a Limited Edition of One!
Before putting my own pit building back, I replaced the old red cardboard garage doors with silver-painted corrugated plastic, and sprayed the grey Jersey-wall concrete barriers alternately red and white. So it's gone from this:
...to this:
...and this one at Goodwood...
But for the control tower, the inspiration came from the central block of the old aero control tower at Brooklands...
A combination of foamboard, mounting board, clear plastic for windows, and lots of logos and textures printed on to adhesive paper, plus quite a few hours, finally produced this:
It's really three buildings so the two pit buildings could be placed together with the control tower elsewhere on the layout. (Note that it's only temporarily on my track for the photos).
Here's a close-up of the control tower, with the style of doors and clock taken from the Brooklands building:
The roof lifts off so that figures can be placed inside...
...and then the second floor lifts off to do the same on the first floor...
Finally, here's a view of the rear of the building with the stairs for the spectators to reach the roof:
Soon to be installed on Andy's track, this is a Limited Edition of One!
Before putting my own pit building back, I replaced the old red cardboard garage doors with silver-painted corrugated plastic, and sprayed the grey Jersey-wall concrete barriers alternately red and white. So it's gone from this:
...to this:
Sunday, 3 January 2016
Yet another camera car
Extending my collection of cars used in filming famous motorsport movies, here is the second camera car used in Steve McQueen's Le Mans - a Porsche 908 Flunder in special packaging.
This car was Steve McQueen's personal Porsche 908/01 Spyder (chassis 908-022) in which he had achieved second place in the Sebring 12 hour race in 1970. For filming at Le Mans later that year, the car was converted into a camera carrier and was equipped with three cameras, one in front and two at the back above the gearbox.
Here's the real car filming at Le Mans:
About time I watched the film again!
There is only one more slot car representation of a camera car that I'm aware of. I've got my eye on it...
This car was Steve McQueen's personal Porsche 908/01 Spyder (chassis 908-022) in which he had achieved second place in the Sebring 12 hour race in 1970. For filming at Le Mans later that year, the car was converted into a camera carrier and was equipped with three cameras, one in front and two at the back above the gearbox.
Here's the real car filming at Le Mans:
About time I watched the film again!
There is only one more slot car representation of a camera car that I'm aware of. I've got my eye on it...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)