This is a scratch build from a plan designed by Basil Hardy and purchased last year. Its inspiration is from a photograph of Charles Fildes 'Fairy Queen' in the archives of the Windermere Nautical Trust.
I chose it following a gift of a Meccano steam engine which was the power for Basil Hardy's paddle steamer. These lakeland steamers were very much family possessions. The plans include a design for the drive unit as well as the hull.
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This is a scratch build from a plan designed by Basil Hardy and purchased last year. Its inspiration is from a photograph of Charles Fildes 'Fairy Queen' in the archives of the Windermere Nautical Trust.
I chose it following a gift of a Meccano steam engine which was the power for Basil Hardy's paddle steamer. These lakeland steamers were very much family possessions. The plans include a design for the drive unit as well as the hull.
Hi Chug
It isn't a replica of any but the hull and steam powered paddles is like the 3rd picture, which I see is called the 'Fairy Queen'. But this has a cabin on the fore deck but retains the simple tiller.
It is definitely 'in the spirit of' and not a replica.
Neither is it likely to be exactly to the plans when I have completed the build.
Colin
That makes perfect sense—and to be honest, I think that’s what makes a build like this even more interesting.
Working “in the spirit of” rather than chasing an exact replica gives you the freedom to create something truly your own.
You’re clearly grounding it in a real prototype, but still allowing room for interpretation and personal input—and that usually leads to a much more characterful model.
I like that approach a lot.
It becomes less about copying and more about capturing the essence of those Lakeland steamers.
Looking forward to seeing how your version evolves.
😎
I have been slowly building the parts for the paddle boxes. Nothing ever seems to go to plan but I am getting there.
The sponsons have been fun! So fragile in themselves so I have decided that they need strengthening with metal brackets, on the real thing of course the paddle boxes would not have required lifting out so this fragility wouldn't have existed. So what I have made is a small strip of tin-can with 0•5 mm holes for the pins (peco track pins) to secure them in place. The paddle boxes are 1/16 ply with balsa beams and they will need to be covered, the plans suggest double thickness of card or tin plate from a can. I still have time to experiment. They are held together by two lengths of wire and the engine room cover will go on to them to complete this.
The cabin door is a piece of 1/16 ply with detail using some mahogany veneer I have been given. It gives the appearance of a dark wood panel door, typical of Edwardian times.
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I have been slowly building the parts for the paddle boxes. Nothing ever seems to go to plan but I am getting there.
The sponsons have been fun! So fragile in themselves so I have decided that they need strengthening with metal brackets, on the real thing of course the paddle boxes would not have required lifting out so this fragility wouldn't have existed. So what I have made is a small strip of tin-can with 0•5 mm holes for the pins (peco track pins) to secure them in place. The paddle boxes are 1/16 ply with balsa beams and they will need to be covered, the plans suggest double thickness of card or tin plate from a can. I still have time to experiment. They are held together by two lengths of wire and the engine room cover will go on to them to complete this.
The cabin door is a piece of 1/16 ply with detail using some mahogany veneer I have been given. It gives the appearance of a dark wood panel door, typical of Edwardian times.
It isn't a replica of any but the hull and steam powered paddles is like the 3rd picture, which I see is called the 'Fairy Queen'. But this has a cabin on the fore deck but retains the simple tiller.
It is definitely 'in the spirit of' and not a replica.
Neither is it likely to be exactly to the plans when I have completed the build.
Colin
That makes perfect sense—and to be honest, I think that’s what makes a build like this even more interesting.
Working “in the spirit of” rather than chasing an exact replica gives you the freedom to create something truly your own.
You’re clearly grounding it in a real prototype, but still allowing room for interpretation and personal input—and that usually leads to a much more characterful model.
I like that approach a lot.
It becomes less about copying and more about capturing the essence of those Lakeland steamers.
Looking forward to seeing how your version evolves.
😎