Lightening the load

[Peter Insole]

Thanks for the tip Crimson! Some sheets of roughly A3 size would be ideal if Slater's can do it.

I remember a wonderful shop in the Grays Inn Road, just around the corner from our studio at Clerkenwell. They sold everything needed for commercial and architectural modelmaking, and I purchased some really big sheets of styrene there. I imagined back then that I had acquired a lifetime's worth of the stuff!

Thinking about it, I suppose it was almost a lifetime ago...!!

Pete.

 

[Overseer]

Thanks for the tip Crimson! Some sheets of roughly A3 size would be ideal if Slater's can do it.

I remember a wonderful shop in the Grays Inn Road, just around the corner from our studio at Clerkenwell. They sold everything needed for commercial and architectural modelmaking, and I purchased some really big sheets of styrene there. I imagined back then that I had acquired a lifetime's worth of the stuff!

Thinking about it, I suppose it was almost a lifetime ago...!!

Pete.

Probably 4d Modelshop. They moved to The Arches, 120 Leman St, E1 and still stock the larger styrene sheets.

 

[Tim Watson]

A good place to visit. Amazing range of stuff. But dangerous…for the wallet.
Tim

 

[class27]

Pete. A local signwriter may be able to help. I managed to get through mine an 8'x4' sheet of 15 thou plasticard, for my backscene which was a fairly reasonable price.

 

[Peter Insole]

Sorry for the late replies, but a darned dose of plod mode has been plaguing me lately! I have not been getting out much either, so a trip to Leman Street will have to wait until after Christmas now. At least the purse is still blissfully unaware of the severe pounding it is going to receive when I do eventually get down there!

I'm afraid that progress on the barge has been a bit lethargic too...



All the wobbly skin sections that can be fitted at this stage are done now, and a start was made on the two "budgets" required...



I have no idea what precise purpose the holes performed? It is quite clear that each barge builder adopted their own solutions, with the holes greatly varying in size, shape and even number! Without having any decent drawings to work from this particular model can only be generic, so it had to be a similar case of making my own personal preference, albeit after studying various photographs.


The wide, flat plate on angles fitted to the aft edge of the budget was undoubtedly there for protection against the inevitable collisions, but I wonder if they also had the effect of adding an extra degree of drag in the water, and thus marginally improved control while under way? On the other hand, they might just have been a necessary evil for the poor old so-and-so's heaving the huge sweeps (oars) and swearing, way up on the fore peak...?!



I forgot to take pictures of the supports under construction that followed.

Once again, the variety of forms on the prototype is almost bewildering, and the only common features were that they had to be set square off the hull frames, and were generally (but not always) fitted in pairs!



I am fairly satisfied with the final, guesswork, appearance.

Still lots of awkward, curved mouldings to cut, shape and fit to the fore and aft hull runs and whales yet!

I may be a while?!

Pete.

 

[oldravendale]

Hi Pete. You're doing it again! Creating something amazing out of sheets of plastic. Us lesser mortals benefit from the masterclass.

Thanks for sharing this.

(Love the reflections of the Christmas lights in the last photo and those peaking over the top of the penultimate photo).

Have a great Christmas. And to every member of WT keep well, have a good time and start a thread about your Christmas benefits.

Brian

 

[Peter Insole]

Thank you Brian.

I too would like to wish all such good friends and fellow WT'ers a very happy Christmas, and best wishes for the new year!

Pete.

 

[Pencarrow]

Hi Pete, superb work from you again. Inspirational as usual.

Wishing you and the family a very happy Christmas and a Covid-free 2022.

 

[Eastsidepilot]

I've been enjoying your build thread Pete, nearly one down and another thirty to go, you'll be pullin' a jet fighter to get 'em finished.
Have you seen this ? Tales from the Thames: An Oral History of the Lightermen.
Hopefully we'll catch up in the New Year further up the Lea in Hert's mate at some point.
Atb, Col.

 

[Peter Insole]

Thanks Chris and Col!

So it's both sides of the creek now Col?? But th..thirty?! Oh mate, that'll be enough to reach all the way to the locks at Bow !!

Thanks for the link. There are some super clips and fantastic old boys and their anecdotes on that film!

Best wishes,

Pete.