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Saturday 6 December 2014

A 'Works' outing

Last Thursday Sue and I went to the retail outlet centre at Chatham Maritime. Whilst we were there I paid a visit to a branch of 'The Works' (this is a chain of discount book, stationery, craft, and toy shops) where I bought a cheap train set (it cost £3.00) ...


... and a boxed set of games.


The train set needs a bit of work to make it suitable for wargaming, but it was so cheap that I can afford to risk remodelling the locomotive and rolling stock ... and making a hash of it. The boxed set of games contains a number of very useful items, including a small chessboard, chessmen, draughts pieces (chequers pieces), playing cards, D6 dice, Poker dice, and dominoes ... most of which I will be able to use.

12 comments:

  1. Have you been to Regal Models? It's very close to the Dockside centre.

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  2. I once turned a very similar train into an armoured one for "Sword and the Flame " action. Have fun!
    -Steve

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  3. Nice little train set, and such a low price! Lots of potential for conversion. I'll be interested to see what you do with it.

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  4. Looks like first cousin to my train set. Should be just the thing.

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  5. Useful buy, by the look. What 'scale' are we looking at here?

    A few years ago, I got back (after 30 and more years) my old Hornby-Dublo OO scale tank engine set (no longer functioning, but I really ought to see if it's reparable. In a similar scale I bought my daughter many years ago a battery operated set that included several farm animals and machinery. It's still here but I haven't figured out a use for it yet...

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  6. Nigel Drury,

    I keep meaning to visit Regal Models, but as I usually go to Chatham Maritime with Sue, I haven't managed to do so yet. Perhaps next time ...

    All the best,

    Bob

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  7. Steven Page (Steve),

    I must admit that turning this into an armoured train is one of the options that I have in mind.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  8. Fitz-Badger,

    The train set has quite a lot of potential, and looks like the sort of equipment that was used almost everywhere in the world.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  9. Ross Mac,

    They do seem to make this sort of train set in several different sizes, and at this price I can afford to experiment with re-modelling its various components.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  10. Archduke Piccolo,

    The loco is about right for 20mm-scale figures, but the rolling stock is more 15mm-scale. They will need a bit of work done to them to make them useable, but that shouldn't be too difficult.

    I do have some OO and HO9 model railway locos and rolling stock, but they are too valuable to re-model. For the time being I am going to stick to cheap train sets that I can cut up, repaint, and re-model without risk.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  11. I always thought N gauge looked right with 15mm figures, but 'proper' train sets are too expensive. However, I have just been picking up a load of 'Lone Star' diecast N gauge train models for very little, and they look spot on for either 15 or 10 mm games. I have just used the chassis of a damaged brake wagon as the basis for a WW1 railway gun and am working on the parts for an armoured train at the moment (remember the old series in Airfix magazine on building a Boer War armoured train?)
    Ian

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  12. Ian Dury,

    The best matches I have found for 15mm-scale figures are TT-gauge and HO9-gauge model railway locos and rolling stock.

    I have some old 'Lone Star' diecast model railway stuff that used to be stored in my shed, and I suppose that I could use that. (I never thought of doing that; thanks for the suggestion.)

    I remember the series of articles about converting Airfix railway models into an armoured train. It was very inspiring. In fact I might even have a copy somewhere in my filing system.

    All the best,

    Bob

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