Some of my model ships

Thank you. They often turn up on Ebay and various auction rooms, and it is surprising to see what they go for these days, This one, Bidston Hill, turned up on Ebay several years ago with no reserve, starting at 99p. It sold for about £400 to someone in the USA, so transport costs would have gone on top of that. I sold it for £16 over 50 years ago, I was still taking private orders at the time, and I contacted the buyer with an image of a recently completed model, (Donna Francisca - See below) to let him see how much I had improved and much to my surprise he came back and said both models were excellent, and the 50-year old one was in no way inferior to my latest, and they were both as good as each other. I was quite dismayed at that, and wondered why I had spent all those years improving if he could not see any difference in quality. Since then, I have come across the same comments on a regular basis when comparing my early models with later ones These are the two models in question -

Bidston Hill.jpg

Donna Francisca.JPG
 
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You've been building these models until you were 81 years old. How are your eyesight? Do you use magnifying glasses?
Diabetes is damaging my vision and I fear that one day I will not be able to build any more models. It seems incredible to me to build these wonderful models on such a small scale.
 
Lorenzo said:
You've been building these models until you were 81 years old. How are your eyesight? Do you use magnifying glasses?
Diabetes is damaging my vision and I fear that one day I will not be able to build any more models. It seems incredible to me to build these wonderful models on such a small scale.
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I only wore normal reading glasses. I have glaucoma in both eyes and wet macular degeneration in the left eye, and require an injection in the eye every few weeks to keep it going. Distance vision is generally OK, but left eye will not focus close up. Right one is still very good. Main reason I stopped building them is a non-malignent lung condition thast makes me breathless after very little effort (walking 20 feet or more), and an allergy to glue fumes. I have not missed model building, because selling them brought about the worry of delivering them safely all over the world and instances of damage was increasing, with couriers reluctant to pay out, hiding behing the excuse "inadequate packing!"
By UK law, the seller must make good any damage and refund the buyer in full. I lost several hundred pounds on this one.
Since stopping building models, I have taken up ship plan drawing , and find it very rewarding, non toxic and not requiring much energy. Again - merchant ships only!

13 Gulf Stream damaged copy.jpg

14 Gulf Stream Restored.jpg

Gulf Stream With lettering (Large).jpg
 
I wish you the best possible health, and I am glad that you now enjoy drawing plans.
 
thanks so much for sharing. especially admire your commercial ship models. were you a ships master?
 
shipbuilder said:
Thanks, No - I was radio officer, moving over the years from colliers to some of the finest passenger liners afloat - the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co.
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thanks, i was a maritime pilot and was thinking perhaps we had met. remember when radio officers said " they will never get rid of us "
 
Senorbob said:
thanks, i was a maritime pilot and was thinking perhaps we had met. remember when radio officers said " they will never get rid of us "
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Itdidn't affect me, because I left in late 1992 several years beforeour services were dispensed with.
But my wife and I visited the ship later, and I was amused to hear that all the work that radio officers normally did, was shared out between those left. Heads of departments had to type out and send their own messages, repairs of all communication equipment, public address systems, fire alarms, HF and satellite teleprinters, auto pilot,videos, computers, etc was passed on to the electrcian. (All for no more money).
Then they phased out UK crews, and nowadays, a lot of the officers have been replaced by low-paid foreign nationals. Even the accommodation was downgraded, with the captain ending up in my old cabin.
My new career of model shipbuilding and writing was chosen because it was non-technical, and I was my own boss. I timed everything just right - at sea early 1961 to late 1992. Model building and writing 1992 to 2024 -
 
shipbuilder said:
Itdidn't affect me, because I left in late 1992 several years beforeour services were dispensed with.
But my wife and I visited the ship later, and I was amused to hear that all the work that radio officers normally did, was shared out between those left. Heads of departments had to type out and send their own messages, repairs of all communication equipment, public address systems, fire alarms, HF and satellite teleprinters, auto pilot,videos, computers, etc was passed on to the electrcian. (All for no more money).
Then they phased out UK crews, and nowadays, a lot of the officers have been replaced by low-paid foreign nationals. Even the accommodation was downgraded, with the captain ending up in my old cabin.
My new career of model shipbuilding and writing was chosen because it was non-technical, and I was my own boss. I timed everything just right - at sea early 1961 to late 1992. Model building and writing 1992 to 2024 -
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i miss the wonderful well managed ships
 
Preussen, the ultimate sailing ship. These are two different models built by myself, both at 25 feet to 1 inch. The second image was photographed from a low angle, with an image of the real sea superimposed over the lower part. The one at anchor shows the second model, again photographed from a low angle, and the sea with refections was added by a photo programme.

Preussen (Large).JPGPreussen under full sail (Large).jpgPreussen in sea (Large).jpg
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My favorite is the Dartford and the Coal Hulk. I just finished reading The Watch Below, a book about life aboard a British Trap Steamer in the 1920’s. The author describes bunkering from one of these cut down sailing ships.

Roger
 
Roger Pellett said:
My favorite is the Dartford and the Coal Hulk. I just finished reading The Watch Below, a book about life aboard a British Trap Steamer in the 1920’s. The author describes bunkering from one of these cut down sailing ships.

Roger
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Yes, an interesting diorama, although Dartford was an ugly little vessel with an unusually heavy stern. I have always found merchant ships far more interesting than naval vessels. They come in all colours and sizes from a few tons to quarter of a million or more. I am well aware that very few ship modellers build them though, apart from small coasters, but collectors really love them, especially the obscure ones. I never tire of reading about the lives and adventures of the crews in times gone by. Here is the coal hulk on its own -


Coal hulk 2 white - Copy.jpg
 
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