Alec Sunderland…

I often cite my Grandpa, Alec Sunderland MBE, as an influence on the model maker I am today. My Mum’s father, an engineer his entire life, his life long interest in trains largely skipped a generation to find a home with me…

As a child I used to sit and study the models that lined the edges of book shelves (with just as fascinating books behind), protected by glass from my young enquiring fingers. A mix of kits and scratch built models from a variety of eras, this quintet recently found their way to my possession. The first pang of childhood delight was the gloss finish! All my Grandpa’s models were finished in a high gloss for some reason lost in time. The adult modeller within me looks past this to their form, of his hand and full of character, sitting well together despite their different prototypes. They appear to be largely styrene construction, hand scribed planks and plastic strip for beading and framing. The chassis are simply metal castings glued to a plastic floor, I’d put money on this being with UHU glue! 

But it is not the mechanics of their construction that appeals, it is their wholeness. The artist making decisions on which elements to include is consistent across all 5 vehicles, the result is a wonderful charm that works beautifully and an example where modern out of the box models are beginning to jar, where finesse achieved over the seas in the Far East is rarely matched by our own hand here in the UK. 

When I look at my own art making I am happy with the balance between bought and made. I feel that despite being Chinese made my locomotives and the majority of my stock have the James Hilton feel through my painting weathering and gentle modification, allowing me to enjoy practicing my neat, fine work in structures and scenery, crafting an often melancholy scene that feels consistent and allows me to loose myself in the both the art process and result. When you consider your own modelling, where is that balance point for you? Have we lost ‘the craft’ elements of building our own rolling stock and locomotives or is that a good thing? What do you think?

As I reflect on ‘progress’ in our humble hobby I think I’d suggest there is very much a place for this handmade approach, as long as it’s consistently applied through a model. Indeed, modelling obscure prototypes (often narrow gauge fits this) there is no alternative! The results can be sublime, and owning these models reminds me of my own craft and the skills I want to continue to refine and practice alongside my artistic interpretation of reality in miniature. Thanks Grandpa.

Until next time, more soon…

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