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Steph's Pen Portrait...

Model Making Experience

Loads; I started off building plastic aircraft kits on the kitchen table with my Dad when I was five or six. This progressed through to building and converting the Airfix and Dapol plastic kits of railway locos ('Schools' to a 'Q' was an early one) and building a Ratio 2-4-0. In fact for many years plastic was my preferred medium.

At university I returned to the hobby as a way to find a little time and space for myself between lectures, tutorials, studying and the inevitable pubs, gigs, curries and parties. I'd already started my first attempt at scratchbuilding in brass; a Maunsell 'Z' in O-gauge which still isn't finished. And this use of metal in my models has continued to this day, despite odd dalliances with paper, card, and other materials my prime construction tends to be in brass. Though there are still times when I use plastic if I think it's going to be easier.

After university I found my way into employment, but when my contract expired I decided to set up my own business. So with the support of The Princes Trust I worked from my parents home for four years as a tool and patternmaker to the model trade. I hope the following won't mind me mentioning that I amongst others I made patterns for Alan Gibson, John Maidment, David Geen and Exactoscale.

I now have a 'proper job' once more, as an employee of a major multi-national. Once again the model making is a hobby (it took a long while to treat it that way again) and I find that I'm enjoying it more now than I ever have before.

And I even still build the odd aircraft kit on occasion. An Academy B-29 in 1:72 is still in it's box behind me part way through building/conversion to a Tupolev Tu-4...

Model Making Interests

Things you might eventually see on this 'site. Ha ha.

Desert Island Discs

Book

Something heavy and or 'classical' with which I can while away a year or two. Assuming the complete works of Shakespeare is supplied then I'd have to go for:

Film

Luxury

My hi-fi with my entire music collection? Oh yes; and a mains connection to plug it all in.

Indulgence

Decent coffee, or;
A freshly serviced Canon F1N, 50mm f1.2L lens, film and the name and address of a film processor who delivers processed slides to desert islands for free.

Origin or real life as it exists / who does what:
This page last updated 08/03/2006. Copyright © Euram Solutions and Steph Dale 2004,2005,2006. All Rights Reserved.
Steph Dale can be contacted through the contacts page