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Railway song of the week
Modeller Bob Tame suggested "Train Time" by the Graham Bond Organization, a pioneering British rhythm and blues band active in the 1960s. The group, led by Graham Bond, is credited with blending blues, jazz, and early rock elements, often regarded as a precursor to British progressive rock.
The song "Train Time" is an energetic instrumental showcasing the band's jazz and blues influences. It's notable for its use of the harmonica, played by Jack Bruce, who would later gain fame as the bassist and vocalist for Cream. The track demonstrates the band's ability to fuse different genres, creating a dynamic and engaging sound.
The Graham Bond Organization, which included notable members like Ginger Baker (drums who also co-founded Cream) and Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophone), was integral to the British music scene of the era. "Train Time" remains a standout piece for its raw energy and technical proficiency, reflecting the band's innovative approach to music.
Click on the picture to listen to the track.
This week in history
As radar stations pinpointed Flight 19 north of the Bahamas and east of the Florida coast, a search-and-rescue Mariner aircraft with 13 crew members was dispatched at 7:27 p.m. Tragically, the Mariner itself disappeared minutes later, with a tanker off the Florida coast reporting a visible explosion at 7:50 p.m. This double disappearance prompted an extensive air and sea search, involving hundreds of ships and aircraft combing the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and even inland areas of Florida. Despite these efforts, no trace of the 27 men or the six aircraft was ever found. While naval officials attributed the losses to stormy weather, the mystery of Flight 19 and the Mariner cemented the legend of the Bermuda Triangle, a region stretching from the southern U.S. coast to Bermuda and down to Cuba, infamous for unexplained disappearances of ships and aircraft.
First up, let's talk about those pesky weeds that always seem to pop up where they're least wanted. Busch's Dandelions kit is perfect for adding a touch of realism to your unkempt areas. It comes with 60 flowering dandelions and 60 seed clocks, plus a grass surface to create a small meadow. For that late summer look, the Late Summer Undergrowth Kit is just the ticket. It'll give you that weedy, unkept appearance often seen by railway tracks and roads. And if you're after something a bit more exotic, why not try the Fern & Mushrooms kit? It's ideal for creek beds, forests, or even as ornamental shrubs in gardens.
Now, let's move on to some more impressive flora. The 18 Giant Sun Flowers kit will add a real splash of colour to your scene. These beauties stand between 2 and 3 meters tall in real life, so they'll make quite an impact on your layout. For a more practical touch, why not add some veggies to your allotments or kitchen gardens with the Vegetable & Salad kit? And if you're modelling farmland, you can't go wrong with the Corn Field kit. It covers about a square metre and contains 400 plants standing 25mm tall - that's some serious crop!
Finally, for those of you modelling industrial or urban scenes, Vallejo has some great options for adding realistic exhaust effects. Their Jet Exhaust paint is perfect for aircraft models, while the Exhaust Manifold colour will give your locomotives and vehicles that authentic, slightly sooty look. And to protect your hard work and give it a professional finish, don't forget the Gloss Metal Varnish. It dries fast and resists oils, glazes and even turpentine washes.
With these Busch plant kits and Vallejo paints, you'll be well on your way to creating a lush, realistic landscape for your OO gauge layout.
- What is Plastic Weld?
- What is a superglue activator?
- What is HOf?
- How do I add smoke to a model building?
- What is a railway crossover?
- How do I clean super glue (cyanoacrylate)?
- What are my curved platform options in model railways?
- What were water cranes used for?
- What is the best paint to use on a metal locomotive kit?
Do you need to order?
Send us an email or give us a call to check availability or to reserve anything, whatever scale you model in. As usual, if we do not have in stock what you are looking for, we will order it for you and you will get it fast (usually within a week if the manufacturer has it in stock). We place weekly orders with most suppliers.
Remember, you can park for free for one hour on the High Street. So no excuse not to come and visit us!
Upstairs Downstairs is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am till 4.30pm. Obviously, our website is open 24h a day and we can post to most locations, including Europe, USA and Australia.
Upstairs Downstairs
3 Pier Street
Sandown, PO36 8JR
Isle of Wight
Tel: 01983 406 616
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