SS GREAT BRITAIN c.1860

rwiederrich said:
Found this image of Great Britain , hope you like it.

Rob

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Great photo, have the same but in reverse and some yards moved. As you can see the photo gives you a rough idea but no details, what does the new Weather Deck look like, very important as it's a major difference, what's the colours? etc etc etc this is the problem and I spent ages looking for data, even emailed Australian Maritime museums and got no replies.
So I just went ahead and what's amazing so far nobody has proved me wrong and maybe never will. I'm living in my own world!
Keep in touch
Paul
 
This is a fantastic build of a great subject from an interesting time of her life. Always had a soft spot for this old girl.
My father and I visited the great ship a day or two after it returned to Bristol (1970).
I'm going to check my loft to see if i still have the original guide from that time.
The next time I visited her was 2011 its fair to say there was a bit of a difference.
 
Resoian said:
This is a fantastic build of a great subject from an interesting time of her life. Always had a soft spot for this old girl.
My father and I visited the great ship a day or two after it returned to Bristol (1970).
I'm going to check my loft to see if i still have the original guide from that time.
The next time I visited her was 2011 its fair to say there was a bit of a differenc
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Resoian said:
This is a fantastic build of a great subject from an interesting time of her life. Always had a soft spot for this old girl.
My father and I visited the great ship a day or two after it returned to Bristol (1970).
I'm going to check my loft to see if i still have the original guide from that time.
The next time I visited her was 2011 its fair to say there was a bit of a difference.
Click to expand...
Thank you
There is a great documentary on You tube the BBC SS Great Britain about getting it ready to bring it back to Bristol from the Falklands. Enjoy your hobby and hear from you in the future.
Keep Healthy
Paul
 
Uwek said:
Several paintings of the Great Britain you can find also here at the NMM:

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Hi Uwi (I hope this is right)
Thanks for the website, had a look but most things I look at contradict each other so now I have decided that I have one reasonable original photo of the the ship in Melbourne and some drawings made by talented passengers, also the Hull's built and I have built the masts and now working on the deadeyes for the lanyards etc.
So what I do will have to do!
Keep well my Friend
Paul
 
WOW nice build, love the part where it can show the interior! I live in Bristol right now, been to the museum for a few times, very lovely ship, especially love the figure head. There also a replica of Matthew in bristol which is also a nice looking ship.
 
Modelship Dockyard said:
WOW nice build, love the part where it can show the interior! I live in Bristol right now, been to the museum for a few times, very lovely ship, especially love the figure head. There also a replica of Matthew in bristol which is also a nice looking ship.
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Thanks for that Mr Dockyard
Also been to Bristol a few times and got my idea from the Museum Brochure you can buy. Built many ships with the last lot from Scratch, got fed up with kits, and this SS GB has given me more problems then all the others put together! from the hull which I changed the planking, built Bunks etc for the interior and drowned all the passengers as I had to rub all the paint of with wet and dry, so that was a waste of time and then etc etc etc
I will not bore you with the rest, made the 3 masts and working on the deadeyes and dreading doing the rigging.
At least the model is different (if it gets finished)
You keep well
Paul
 
Now the three masts and bowsprit have been fitted, the lower masts were a bit complicated and I have never seen the same before, had to fit many fittings before placing the masts as my next stage is to fit the Shrouds and forestays using wire rigging cable.
Also metal ratlines hoping that it's true for the period. So it's something I have never done before and let's hope I have the patience to fit them (wish me luck)
All keep well
Paul20220604_093004.jpg20220604_093036.jpg20220604_093329.jpg20220604_093353.jpg20220604_093409.jpg
 
A couple of days ago I showed pictures of my finished 3 masts and bowsprit.
I also said the next thing was to make the shrouds etc in Wire Rigging Cables not rigging thread, well I found it impossible for me to do, working with connecting .5mm cable into to a 3mm deep hole and connecting the other end into the same using superglue, so I have decided it's back to Rigging Thread!
At least I tried
Keep Healthy
Paul
 
Well I carried on my nightmare build, could not use the wire rigging and bought some nice Mantura 1mm .75 .50 and .25 black rigging thread which I think looked a bit like wire.
Used it for the shrouds, fore stays etc and used superglue to finish the ends to give a somehow wire affect. The Lanyards come out the worst I've ever made! I thought I would use black wire with a plastic coating for the ratlines and off course I had to tie of with .25 rigging thread hole in position with more superglue so it slowly held the ratline to the shroud line.
Superglue is not the easiest glue to use and when your gluing hundreds of places it sometimes spills out to much and ruins other things as its like steel.
Totally fed up in the end and just think that will have to do and let's finish it!! It has not been a pleasant Voyage.
Next it's yards, blocks and rigging
Wish me luck
Paul20220824_170346.jpg20220824_170255.jpg20220824_170310.jpg20220824_170332.jpg20220824_170242.jpg
 
SS GREAT BRITAIN circa 1860 RIP !!!!!!!!

Today I had had enough of 2 years building this model and all I built was awful, from cutting bulkheads to the
last item fitting the Yards to the masts.
Just had enough, smashed it up and threw it in the dustbin, maybe my most enjoyable time!
I had the ideas but not the skills!
So I will have a rest and think what to do next, sorry about the moans I have had over the time but it's very frustrating.
A Forum on model boat disasters would be a good subject for honest modelers.
All keep well
Paul
 
I see the Amerigo Vespucci in the background. You must have the skills and patience. Perhaps the imaginative pictures were a step too far?
The overall model isn't too bad - the seemingly simple subject highlights imperfections. Don't despair. We all have times and efforts that we wish could be forgotten- just learn the "negative" lessons.
 
stuglo said:
I see the Amerigo Vespucci in the background. You must have the skills and patience. Perhaps the imaginative pictures were a step too far?
The overall model isn't too bad - the seemingly simple subject highlights imperfections. Don't despair. We all have times and efforts that we wish could be forgotten- just learn the "negative" lessons.
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Thank you for your kind words.
I'm 80 years old and maybe built about 20 ships, the last 5 without plans etc only photos having visited the ships.
I work with very few tools and it's just a hobby to do and know I could never be a craftsman (or Woman) as some of our members are and know my capabilities and patience.
This SS Great Britain was without plans, decent photos etc nothing! From the beginning it went wrong the hull, paint etc the diamond shape railings was new to me, tried using wire rigging thread, no good.
You should read the moans I had!
Very important to know THAT'S ENOUGH and get on with something else.
Keep Healthy
Paul
 
pauls models said:
....
Just had enough, smashed it up and threw it in the dustbin, maybe my most enjoyable time!
....
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Sorry to hear this, but I know very well how you feel.
At some point everybody has to think about wokring longer on the project or stop and do something else.
I hope to see your upcoming project in some time......

pauls models said:
....
A Forum on model boat disasters would be a good subject for honest modelers.
......
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Paul,
this could be a good idea - I will keep this in mind.
Often the perfect shown models are producing the feeling, especially for beginners, that experienced or "master"-modelers are making only perfect models.
But the oposite is the truth (I am convinced about it)
We all are making mistakes, sometimes ending in a disaster or ugly or wrong model ......

"Model Boat Disasters" - Thumbsup Thumbsup
 
Uwek said:
Sorry to hear this, but I know very well how you feel.
At some point everybody has to think about wokring longer on the project or stop and do something else.
I hope to see your upcoming project in some time......


Paul,
this could be a good idea - I will keep this in mind.
Often the perfect shown models are producing the feeling, especially for beginners, that experienced or "master"-modelers are making only perfect models.
But the oposite is the truth (I am convinced about it)
We all are making mistakes, sometimes ending in a disaster or ugly or wrong model ......

"Model Boat Disasters" - Thumbsup Thumbsup
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply
Yes we just build model ships for our own pleasure and at different degrees of skills, it's not important as long as you enjoy it.
I know I can think and build to a certain degree and do the hardest work, scratch build! The trouble with the SS Great Britain was everything was not up to my usual skill (maybe in the middle range) the planking needed doing twice, the painting was useless, and the small things, lanyards, shrouds, ratlines, yards etc etc.
I think I enjoyed the cursing more then the build, never mind, everyone work to your capability.
Next will be another scratchbuild challenge!
Keep well my Friend
Paul
 
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