News

18-08-15 This is an odd time of year for us resin model manufacturers. Everyone in Europe is on holiday, in fact everyone who buys resin model slot cars seems to be swanning off somewhere. Why is it when you say you are going on holiday people invariably say "Anywhere nice?" Of course its somewhere nice I would hardly be going to a shithole unless I was some sort of nob. Actually I have been to some dodgy places but you dont know until you get there. My good lady Lynda and her daughter have just had a week in Italy and they had a lovely time. Now if I had gone I doubt somehow they would have enjoyed it quite as much (waiting for women to get ready is never good). I am not a moany person but I can be a tad grumpy and the thought of going on Ryanair would not fill me with joy. I havnt had a holiday for a couple of years but I must admit I like it when you get through to the departure lounge at an airport. It can be 8 in the morning, it doesnt matter, time doest exist. So it is straight to the bar. I can honestly say I have never flown sober in my entire life. It is not that I am scared of flying, I wouldnt know as I am pissed. Then spending the next few hours at a constant level of pissedness. On long haul most airlines are pretty good apart from Virgin, who are undoubtedly the most tight fisted lot. "Please may I have another drink, please." "What another one? You had one two hours ago." And that was in upper class, god knows what Virgin economy is like. Heres the stupid bit, Ive flown Virgin on three occasions and none were good. British Airways on the other hand I think are very good. Much more professional, better trained and not tight bastards. I suppose the fact that Lynda was a stewardess on BA Jumbos in the 70s might sway my opinion. She does look the part, tall, slim, blonde. And so you know I am being unbias I did live with a Virgin Air hostess for five years. So I have flown a few airlines over the years and never once sober. So lets get this holiday bit over with and get down to buying slot cars, if you have any money left that is. I have actually had to take on a subcontract, re painting Vanguard 1.43 diecast models, for a bit of cash as sales this time of year are so thin. We have been doing a few more experiments with PU tyres with very good results. On our track they are out performing Slot It and NSR tyres, they last longer and you dont have to clean them every five minutes. Still some work to do but we are getting there. The Bentley has slowed up a bit while the photoetching is being sorted, but it has given me a bit of time to do the LM Talbot. The LM Chap 2D has been remoulded and now can be made with a Slot It sidewinder pod as well as a standard inline job. The king cobra has had the same treatment. I dont know why I bothered with the King Cobra, no one buys it but I love it, such an unusual shape. These two cars really do fly now, especially with PU tyres. This means we have the Mclaren M1A, M6A, M8A, M8B, Chap 2D and King Cobra as sidewinders and very raceable and the Chap 2 is still to come. I am looking forward to getting back to doing some 50s GP cars, the Cooper Bristol especially. I will have to make a new Mike Hawthorn figure for this one.