Pillbox!

 Here is a box, a cardboard box , painted and ready to play…

The interior of the pillbox complete with artillery piece and crew.

Revealing the interior of the box…

The external aspect of the pillbox with one of Mark’s Little Soldiers for scale.

The origin of the idea, a picture from an interwar Elastolin catalogue. 

More Elastolin fortifications from the same catalogue.

Barred wire from the above source.

I found this cardboard box lying about and immediately thought it was idea for the project. I feel it has a suitable toy soldier vibe as an idea to fit in perfectly with MLS figures and game aesthetic. Might try it anon in 54mm scale, availability of box permitting.

Fife Riviera

 A most enjoyable trip to Aberdour yesterday.

Sun shining over the bay .

Passer by offered to take our photo.

Aberdour castle, we passed through the grounds but didn’t venture in.

Interesting signage with a great story attached.

Memo to self, find out a little more about this…

Walking to the beach

Walk from the station to the sea, happy memories of this in past years , good to be back. Scratching my Cornish itch, a bit.

Lovely coffee shop The Curator, five minutes from the train station.

Time afterwards to try out the new garden bench for the first time.

And also to work on these fellows…

Lovely day hopefully promising a great summer ahead…

Eastertide

We had the house cheered with lots of daffodils, always a joy en masse.

Saturday saw Penedredfel station suffering the effects of winds and rain. All survived.

Number two daughter has started growing her seeds in the extension which are fun to look at each morning. She has been doing wonders with the garden this year.

Sunday saw the Duchy lashed by wind hail, rain and sleet. Fortunately we walked to church during a dry spell and got lifts at other points , just getting into the car as the skies poured down once or twice…

My youngest and her fiancé hosted and an excellent lunch it was indeed.

Finally cleared the permanent table/potting bench yesterday and set up a game.

It is an attempted river crossing by Imperium forces . I will play it out over the coming days…

River by Warbases and I am pleased to see an aircraft taking part in my interwar imagination games.

 

Finally , when l was browsing l found this photo from ten years ago . It occurred during a visit from Mr Tim Gow. For further info read on -

http://tradgardland.blogspot.com/2016/03/easter-gaming-and-visit-from-forbodian.html

Happy Easter !

 Happy Easter from all at the Duchy of Tradgardland!

And some not Easter bunnies on the painting table for rebasing and some painting 

The figures are based on medieval marginalia such as the ones you see in these illustrations.

Too good to be true

 I  really enjoy this, hope you will too-

http://vintagewargaming.blogspot.com/2010/04/secret-war-gaming-history-of-literary.html

The chances of anything coming from Mars….but still they come.

 

Martian Cylinder or the results of the wind blowing these pots across the garden? You decide!

Further to Mythical Earth

 I followed the lead in the Lost Miniature Wiki footnote and found this article in the magazine online

Hope you can enlarge the photo and read. I found it a very moving origin story for the range of figures that l hold in highest esteem.

Mythical Earth

 

Bought these in Lockdown, had a wee look yesterday and their big battle option might serve my needs. 

Yesterday saw me rebasing the baddies from the Mythical Earth range from Minifigs. The Nazgûl is finally flying by means of an old model aeroplane stand. The dragon is happy on terra firma, for now. As well as the bad guys l worked on some ents and the trees they herd.

Beside the dragon on the left l have some Haradrim mounted on a rather fierce Garrison mumakil. Back in the day, first time round , my Haradrim used a rather sedate Minifigs elephant encased in cloth armour. This time the old school elephant is a tad more angry looking and fits the bill better l feel. The crew is Minifigs Haradrim btw.

These poor chaps have been on individual bases, textured bases , on and off card and mdf as my ideas changed. Now In hopefully their final basing l have gone for simple goblin green painted bases best reflecting the flimsy green card used by me in the 1970s.

Haradrim spearmen on foot to finish plus another creature and that’s the baddies done next onto the goodies. Can I recommend these splendid dbm army lists found here-

http://lukeuedasarson.com/MiddleEarthintro.html

Obviously a labour of love they are pretty comprehensive and useful , not to mention interesting.

As much as I fancy using WRG 4th edition for these armies or the splendid Middle Earth rules from SESWC in Edinburgh l am probably kidding myself. DBM for all its faults gives me enjoyment with my ancients and l know them well, well well ish,  So they will probably be used in conjunction with the aforementioned army lists for some fun games.

Model Rail Scotland

 Yesterday l traveled to Glasgow for Model Rail Scotland’s 60 th Anniversary show. It is a big event both in the sense of it being eagerly anticipated and also in its size. It is on all weekend if you fancy going along. Held in the SEC it has something for everyone. I like to go early Friday before it gets very, very busy .It is so big one hardly knows where to begin. Anyway now for the pictures

This was worth the admission price alone , for me . P D Hancock’s Dundreich in the flesh, sorry card etc.  This is the only bit surviving and what a joy to see. PDH is the Featherstone, Young and Grant of model railways , a pioneer and a true artist. His is an imagination railway set in an extended East Lothian.

Spent ages just taking it all in . I have his 1975 book , b and w illustrations only so it was lovely to see in colour.

The man himself and some info. The exhibit was very busy .

Utterly charming rail bus in a bigger scale on a GW line . 

Interesting stuff from Japan , as ever. Kato have great family friendly ideas, full of fun.

Another highlight for me Lego trains and scenery. The Forth Bridge and other uk landmarks. Made by LUKR Lego UK Railway club.

Such fun, lovely modelling and charm. Lego has come such a long way since my childhood. I recall l had an early Lego trains and then, it was fun.

More Lego, loved the sea, sand and wild swimming.

The Forth Rail Bridge, a masterpiece.

Swiss scenery caught my eye.

An interesting display of vintage trains that was new to me, they went really fast round a loop.

Loved the smoke and tenement blocks plus the garden.

Immersive modelling talking us back in time , beautiful details.

More of the same layout in this photo and the one below. Gardens and beehives magnificent.

Just really taken with this street scene…

Brr chilly Swiss trains in snowy landscape.

Back to PD Hancock for another look…

And again 

Info about his layout. The bit coloured on the plan is the only bit surviving and represents the part we see displayed.

Dorset railway, modelled well with much information.

More info for the above layout.

I am a sucker for a winter scene, this was one of the best l have seen

All in all it was terrific, lots to see and be tempted by, to day dream about. Open 10:30 to 18:00 today and 10:30 to 17:00 tomorrow. Well worth a day out or brief pop in.

My haul, exhibition guide ( included in entrance cost) a Peco catalogue, Kato catalogue, leaflets and a magazine. Lots to read and ponder over. Really would like a very small indoor layout , to do come autumn winter , but what ? We shall see , the planning should be fun.