Just before I pile into my main hobby modelling project, I want to add a subsection about model road vehicles.

The range and quality of 1/43rd scale model vehicles, suitable for model railway use, has improved a lot in the past few years. It wasn’t always so.

I have built a few 1/43rd scale vehicles over the years. Without a layout to place them on, I have generally donated them to other modellers of my acquaintance.

The most recent build was of a Dennis F8 Pump Tender. My maternal grandfather worked for Dennis, and I like to think he may have built vehicles like this. As a sort of tribute, I made up a fire station near where he lived, and gave the model a Surrey registration plate.