End of an era.

 

It is with great sadness I have just read the news that Irregular Miniatures are finishing trading in March as Ian Kay is retiring . They have been running for 45 years and for most of that time I have been making orders to them and recieveing them promptly with their superb mail order service . A great loss to the hobby and I do hope somebody else steps up to continue their manufactor . I would like to wish Ian a well earned retirement and thank him for all the figures I have bought and painted from him and all the joy he has over the years brought to my hobby. I have sent a last order off to him to finish off my Franco-Prussian armies .

Wargaming Humour No. 67

 

Found on the Interweb ......

First painting of the year.

With one thing or another I haven't go around to painting anything this year so far . But this afternoon I had a bit of spare time and searching through my 'to do box' I came across these Iroquios indians for my 'Close Wars' project which have been undercoated and awaiting the brush for months . Nice figures from 'Crucible Crush' with a very muted palette which is a bit of a challenge , got the bases to do and a coat of matt varnish to finish them off.

 

Theraphy Wargaming .

 

Whilst getting over my operation wargaming was not a priority , however as a sign I'm getting better I have set up a Franco-Prussian game using AGM rules using the Grant Sawmill Village scenario. French nearest the camera .

The French High Command have based themselves at a rather nice establishment that has an very amusing wine list.

The Prussian Generals set up their command post at the Sawmill , not quite as commodious .

The French forces advance .

The Prussians have a good hand of cards and swiftly capture the village. To be continued ....

A medical update.

 

Found this old photo from years ago (with new sub-title) , my wounds seem to be healing well , visited my Surgery nurse and had a new dressing  put on one of them . Getting back to walking and my appetite has returned (huzza !) - onward and upward !

Toy Soldiers in art No. 33

 

We swap arts to the theatre this time , I had to do a Google search to come up with whats going on - It's a play of 6 acts called L' Aiglon by Edmund Rostand about the early life of Napoleon II , it premiered in 1900 with Sarah Bernhardt taking the leading role . I'm not sure what the Toy Soldiers represent and they seem pretty big , probably made just for the production (click on photo to enlarge it)

Sarah looking very fetching in her specialy designed uniform - but sadly minus toy soldiers 

And the amusingly named (well if you have a juvenile sense of humour like me) Minnie Tittell Burne in a Australian performance (1905)

The annual dose of Model Railways

So it's that time of year again and time for the local Model Railway exhibition . This year my wife dropped me off and said "remember your operation - don't do anything silly "!?, a model railway show is probably the place not to do silly things - unless she meant DON'T start a new hobby !? . On the Saturday there had been over 1000 people through the doors and there was a queue to get in on the Sunday.

This layout was for children (of all ages) to have a go at running trains.

The theme for a number of layouts this year was winter .

Brr it looks chilly !

This one is from the local club and is go through a overhaul , relaying the tracks.

I love the Limestone theme , lot of work gone into this.

A veiw of the signaling controls on a layout and with the timetable hung up.

More Limestone terrain , love that backdrop.

I do like these small layouts and the attention to small details.

This little layout was "best in show" for me .

So many little details, the chap gardening and his brasier had a flickering light in it .

The background was hand painted in oils I think and it was so atmospheric ! . I didn't take as many photos this year mainly because I stood talking to people I knew - two from my schooldays , two from the village and a couple who I used to work with . The only down thing was the miniscule sausage bun I bought at the cafeteria - it could not have been fesibly smaller ! . However a grand day out and apart from the bun I didn't do out silly !