Teaching young lads about military history
Beags - they were there around the mid- late 80s in one of the old Ilton Farm cottages - now have a palatial B&B in E Devon. No doubt that like many rural villages it will have sprawled. The vision of "pigs in the officers mess", or was it wardroom. hmm..............................., or "hummm......."
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If I may add to the list of "formative" childhood experiences recalled by other Members ... for me the Philips Electronic Engineer Kit has to be in the Top 10 
If only because I probably thought you could build a radio transmitter that could talk to military aircraft (see box lid artwork).
Germanium Transistors Type AC126 ... High Tech stuff back then ... and expensive to replace with just pocket money if you got the polarity wrong
Did anyone else have one along with the "sister" Philips Mechanical Engineer Kit ... Learnt a lot
If only because I probably thought you could build a radio transmitter that could talk to military aircraft (see box lid artwork).
Germanium Transistors Type AC126 ... High Tech stuff back then ... and expensive to replace with just pocket money if you got the polarity wrong
Did anyone else have one along with the "sister" Philips Mechanical Engineer Kit ... Learnt a lot
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 26th Aug 2014 at 07:23.
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Hi BEags
Ye, I well remember the 'aroma' of the pigs, although I don't remember it being restricted to the alleged one day of the Planning Officer's visit. I could tell you a story of another such ocifer's visit to an airstrip 'very close' to the Huntshaw mast at Torrington. All I can say in public is these Planning Officers must have an exciting life!
Trains on the Ilminster line? That takes it back a bit. And interesting Westland types at Merryfield? Sadly I never saw those, but also learned to drive on the old grey Fergie and Fordson Major. Happy, simpler days back then!
Ye, I well remember the 'aroma' of the pigs, although I don't remember it being restricted to the alleged one day of the Planning Officer's visit. I could tell you a story of another such ocifer's visit to an airstrip 'very close' to the Huntshaw mast at Torrington. All I can say in public is these Planning Officers must have an exciting life!
Trains on the Ilminster line? That takes it back a bit. And interesting Westland types at Merryfield? Sadly I never saw those, but also learned to drive on the old grey Fergie and Fordson Major. Happy, simpler days back then!
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Apart from Airfix etc, my young life was definitely Majoring in Hornby, Dinky , Meccano, Bayko, and Brickplayer which is also here. Links to the latter provided for the young ones here 
Strange I ended up in the RAF - I should have been a builder or an architect, but I guess they looked like too much work
Strange I ended up in the RAF - I should have been a builder or an architect, but I guess they looked like too much work
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MPN11 ...
Instead of Bayko I had Betta Bilda ... with all those green roof tiles ... some of which I found when clearing out my parents loft some years ago
Hornby ... It was Tri-ang for me before the Lines Brothers bought the Hornby brand ... never did like that 3rd rail system ... it didn't look right
Instead of Bayko I had Betta Bilda ... with all those green roof tiles ... some of which I found when clearing out my parents loft some years ago
Hornby ... It was Tri-ang for me before the Lines Brothers bought the Hornby brand ... never did like that 3rd rail system ... it didn't look right
Bayco - now there was a construction kit - was trying to explain it to someone only the other day - bet H & S would not approve all those spiky rods these days. Probably need hard hat, safety specs and hi-vis jacket! Great construction system though
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@ Wander00 ... The joy of Bayko was when you went to install the roof on the protruding rod ends, and discovered you had screwed up the ground plan ... and had to start all over again. Early introduction to "PPPPP" 
Sheesh, looking at the Wiki pictures brings it all flooding back!
Come on, where's another Brickplayer? I'm surely not the only one here?
@ Coffman Starter ... yeah, I hated that Hornby 3rd rail too, and the horrible tin track-bed arrangement. I was very envious of the Tri-ang people, who got so much more realism. Especially as I started with the flat-sided tin Hornby rolling stock.
Sheesh, looking at the Wiki pictures brings it all flooding back!
Come on, where's another Brickplayer? I'm surely not the only one here?
@ Coffman Starter ... yeah, I hated that Hornby 3rd rail too, and the horrible tin track-bed arrangement. I was very envious of the Tri-ang people, who got so much more realism. Especially as I started with the flat-sided tin Hornby rolling stock.
I was about 8 and my brother 6 when we were presented with a Christmas present in a large leatherette covered chest. We opened it to find a Triang clockwork train set - with a difference. Dad had made everything but the engine and carriages. Trackbed was green painted ply, cardboard sleepers, proper rails in chairs, fishplates to join the sections. He had made buildings, trucks, guards van. Uncoupling hooks were modified tiny water-colour type paint brushes. He had even made from scratch working station luggage scales. We played with it for a few years until other interests took over, but I know we never fully appreciated the hours and patience that had gone into its construction. So belatedly (about 62 years late) "Thanks, Dad. it was a work of love" (Lot of dust about this morning) Guess that is what happened when someone opens the Pandora's Box of memories - you never know what will pop out . and MPN - you are so right about the roofs of Bayco projects!
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Excellent post
