Model Engineering Show
Alexandra Palace, London
Dec 9-12, 1999
Well there I was, sitting on the London Tube, looking around, when what did I see??? An advert for a major model show, in London??? Can't be true - but it is!!!
Dawns the day, and off I go - Tube across London to Kings Cross, and then the train to Alexandra Palace station. It's at the point I make a big mistake, and walk up the hill. Argh, finally make it (never again! Next time I'll take the W3 bus!!!), and go in through the Palm Court entrance. Remember - take your Tube/train ticket, as you get £1 off entry price - every little helps!
So - what do you actually see? As the title suggests, models and model engineering is the name of the game here. The Exhibition is split into four areas, so let's cover each in turn.
The first hall is dedicated to Railways and Vehicles (otherwise known as racing cars). If you like these, you'd love this hall, as the racing circuit must be 50'x100' across, maybe larger, with many twists and turns to catch the r/c drivers out. The trains are well-catered for, with scales from tiny through to those you can ride about a (very large) garden on! Add the stalls selling new and old equipment, together with various parts and plans - an enthusiast's dream.
Moving from here and going downstairs to the smallest room (still large), we enter the realms of the Military and Science Fiction. Well, this room is OK if you're into model soldiers or armour, but if you like SF, the best exhibited items are from Mat Irvine (if you're asking "who?", he did models for such BBC classics as Dr Who & Blake's 7) with various props, inc. the Federation Chase ships and the shattered Liberator from Blake's 7 (strange that - I was under the impression that these parts had been finally collected and the Liberator rebuilt - in fact, I've seen her...), while the best ones up for judging include a beautiful White Star from Babylon 5. The rest of the SF include (don't ask why...) a 1:8 Viking Lander and a 1:1 Sojourner buggy - but apart from these, very poor :-(
Back upstairs, we rush eyes closed to the aircraft hall (you'll see why next para!). In here, competitors are flying their wire-controlled craft round and round and round........ Didn't bother to stay here long (not my cup of tea), but I was impressed by a US Navy jet doing her stuff.
Moving back a hall, we get to the main room. This can be split into several sections, even though they are all mixed among each other..... Want some tools? Or materials? Or anything else like this? Well, if it's not here, I'm very surprised! Items range from photo-etch for aircraft to balsa wood to model tools to welding equipment, presses, drills and lathes! Hardly surprising, when you move across to some of the exhibits - 1:8 scale steam trains are about the largest models here, but also on display are some very pretty aircraft (Vulcan bomber, 4' wingspan with working jet engines, anyone? Or WWI "kites" for Mistress Lorna?), various steam engines, sailing craft and finally naval vessels!
Far leading this latter range is a model anyone would be proud to own - a 15-foot model of the County class HMS Sheffield. Enormous doesn't describe this beauty! She sits with several other craft, such as a 4-foot Rothesay class, but the Sheffield dominates the display. When I get the photos developed, I'll get them added to the review!
Dragging ourselves away, we get through to the pool and the ship stalls. Unfortunately, the pool has only one warship, as the majority are commercial vessels, or tugs, with some small pleasure craft. The surrounding stalls are worth looking at - the builder of the Rothesay was at his club's stand, and the ships here are worth taking time over, including a 5-foot HMS Fearless. At the back of the hall is a submariner's stand - and yes, where else will you find a U-Boat beside a Los Angeles class sub? Before we take a last look at the hall and go, let's call in at a stall beside the pool, where a modeller is at work. How many have seen the Tamiya Enterprise rigged for real sailing? With radio control? Well, Tamiya reckon it's impossible, but after looking at the Big E, they're wrong in this, as they are with a Bismark and an Yamato!!!
Anyone for a spot of "what-if" with these three on the pool??!!!!!