I sold an EXPLORER steam boat kit to my mate Bob and look how he painted it !!!! He intends to call it HUMBUG .....and i wonder why !!! I think he is fitting a WW1 gun to the front of it soon. My red and white boat is far more refined dont you think !! Video taken at TILFORD rural life center Easter Saturday ......an annual toy steam up. Les Breame

Now running with steam.. sailing today at Mary Stevens Park, Stourbridge

Westbourne is a Port of London Authority steam Tug from the Caldercraft Mini-Fleet Range - it is 1:48 scale. This model was discontinued a few years ago but I did manage to purchase a brand new boxed one via ebay a couple of years ago.

During her time Westbourne was hired by the Royal Navy as a rescue tug. She saw service with them between October 1916 and July 1919 in the HM Dockyard. Prior to that she was on general towing service duties on the Thames.
She can be found mentioned in “SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY, 1914-1919 - by TYPE & CLASS
Section 3. SUPPORT and HARBOUR VESSELS”

Following the first world war ‘Westbourne’ was one of three tugs attached to the Port of London Authority (PLA) Dredging Service, they were the "Westbourne", "Thorney" and "Brent", they were all fitted with a drag and under running gear.In 1940 during the Battle of Britain. ‘Westbourne’ and many other tugs were used in assisting the berthing of these large ships that entered the Thames.
The photos show from box to construction plus her on the water.

Small lake/large pond at Chickerell Steam Fair 30/6/18 until 1/7/18 this year.

Here is the last of the Lowestoft sailing trawlers. Model built using working drawings kindly supplied by the Sailing Trust. Model about 12 years old. I got a little carried away on detail! As expected she sails and handles well as all the old work sailors do.
Drop keel and rudder extension added when sailing. I was intrigued to discover that the deck winch was steam powered,no doubt to help with taking in the trawl net.

Scratch-built semi-scale from images of a unique vessel used for tug and recovery work on the Norfolk Broads. Was originally steam powered with a fire pump engine,now using diesel. Funnel is hinged to go under low bridges!

Experimenting with steam flash boiler and it looks promising!!! Better make a pump next instead of the syringe but I don't expect the little oscillator will cope. if it doesn't will make a small electric one. Need an ice breaker today !!! Les

We had a brilliant though exhausting day at Winterbourne house and gardens on Saturday with lots of steaming and BBQ bacon!! Here is a superb Marten Howes Balis in aluminium owned by John Esher.

We had a good day out at Ilfracombe pond on Monday with light wind so we could get steam up quite readily. Picture shows my coal fired puffer project and Duncans steam paddle boat fired by tablets.

Another fine days boating at Ilfracombe. Boats are my experimental coal fired turbine [needs more pressure !! ], Gordons Hydro and Duncans /My steam paddle boat.

Acquired as an empty hull a year ago. it measures 5'6" from stem to stern and was steam powered. it is carved out of one piece of timber. Now electric powered and using 12v invalid battery. if I can extract the picture from the computer I will include it !! if I can't you can do your own research.

About 10 years old, currently with a DC motor setup Hectoperm but complete base plate can be swapped for a 2 cylinder cheddar models Proteus boiler and steam plant. With ABC boiler control. Lovely detailed model, cruses well on 4 Lead acid batteries in parallel lots of power from the MARXX motor and 60 ~ 70mm I forget, 4 blade brass prop. Actually needs more weight in the back already 4 lumps of lead in the back and some plates of stainless steel. When it gets moving the bow wave is huge. 😁