A LOOK AT SMALLSPACE 9

 Here's a few more photos from Smallspace 9, that took place last Sunday in the village of Hanslope, Bucks.

There was plenty of excellent models on display and just six hours to capture as many images of them as I could, as well as meet up and chat with old friends and make a few new ones too!

There was also some special guests from the special effects industry:

Steve Begg brought a couple of original props: A spacecraft from Space Precinct, and a truck from Casino Royale.

Lee Stringer brought along a model of the Narcissus from Alien.

Here's a snapshot of what each guest has worked on:

Steve Begg, who started out on Terrahawks, and has gone on to work on several James Bond films, Aliens, Batman, Lost in Space, and Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Chrissie Overs, who's worked on Aliens, Flash Gordon, Dune, Goldeneye, Lost in Space, Prometheus, and Krull.

Lee Stringer, who's worked on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Iron Sky, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, The New Captain Scarlet, and Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future.

Chris Trice, who's worked on Doctor Who, Wizards vs Aliens, Red Dwarf, Casino Royale, The Martian, Lost in Space, Aliens vs Predator, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

From left to right: Steve Begg; Chris Trice; Chrissie Overs

From left to right: Lee Stringer; Chrissie Overs; Steve Begg

A large impressive,and highly detailed model of a Rebel Dreadnought, built and brought along by Gary and Jan of Model Behaviour model store won an award for best model on display.

It spite of still recovering from a major operation, mega modeller, Mamas Pitsillis brought along his huge Skydiver model, as well as his studio scale Markers Universal transporter complete with an  emerging Shadomobile. Stingray and one of Titan's Mechanical Fish shared  the display. 

Wishing Mamas a speedy recovery.

Another master modeller, Richard 'It's an Ashton' Ashton attended, and had a few items on display.

Puppet re-creations from Gerry & Sylvia Anderson's TV series:

Some movie monster kits

You couldn't have a Smallspace without a few Blake's 7 items on display:

This model of the Space Princess built by Bill Pearson was particularly impressive.  

The infamous hairdryer spaceship, with added R2-D2! 

The Atlay Shuttle.

Federation Pursuit ship.

There was something for fans of the Netflix drama series, Stranger Things: Police chief Jim Hopper's Chevrolet was parked outside the hall.

Another original prop on display brought along by collector and restorer, Alan Stephenson is this puppet used during an underwater sequence for the James Bond film, 'For Your Eyes Only' 

With time against me, there was a lot more displays and models that I just didn't get to; apologies for that, but here's one final look at some more of these fine miniatures.  

The day went very well. It was great to meet up in person with on-line friends like Chris Rogerson, Tony Freeman, Richard Ashton and to some degree, Steve Begg, Being collared by Rocky Marshall was certainly a highlight too. 

I should also add my thanks to the main organisers,  Paul Fitzmaurice and Mat Irvine 

GO FIGURE!

 A couple of excellent resin figurines from First Men in the Moon, and Quatermass and the Pit, on sale at Smallspace.

DON'T FORCE IT!

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/toy-rocket-royalty-free-image/5988-042240 

Nice rear shot picture of the Task Force 2 on Getty Images but I wouldn't want to pay those prices! You?

BLOOD ON TALKING PICTURES

Tonight's UK Talking Pictures' Cellar Club offerings are fine fayre indeed.

8pm The Outer Limits : A Feasibility Study: a city block is abducted by aliens

9pm Blood on Satan's Claw - along with The Wicker Man and Witchfinder General, this is the part of the unholy Trinity of British folk horror from the late Sixties/ Early Seventies. From its opening scene of a strange furry skull found in a field to full-on manifestations of Satan himself, Satan's Claw is that rare thing which showcases the beautiful British countryside, in this case the Chilterns, juxtaposed with despicable village cults and witchcraft. A true Tigon gem.

11.05pm Carnival of Souls - a real American gothic postcard from an abandoned fun fair, Carnival is a wonderful swirling black and white swish of strangeness and alienation by director and chief ghoul Herk Harvey [What a name! Do you know a Herk?]. Made in 1962 and despite a shoestring budget it's now seen as one of the greatest horror films of all time.

12.45am The Screaming Skull - a film from 1958 set in the Southern States. There are lots of flying ghostly skulls in this black and white shocker, not to be confused with The Skull starring Peter Cushing.

There's more horror classics on Legend on Sunday night too.

What will you be watching?

CRATER SKATER

 

There's just something about this Kellog's cereal toy, the Captain Rik Crater Skater.

For a different generation than me, it recalls my beloved Joe 90 Macs car from the 60's. It must be the chunky positioning tyres and the overall shape. Those big engines too.

I loved my Mac's car. Captain Ric is an 80's character I imagine. 

Does he ring any bells with you?

RENTABUG!

Another excellent model displayed at Smallspace; the Moon Fargo buggy  from Moon Zero Two, scratch built by James Murphy.

I'd love to do a proper diorama photoshoot with this little beauty!

THE SANITARIUM TOY SOLDIER

 

Hi

         In 1962 the Sanitarium Health Food Company, of New Zealand, maker of various breakfast cereals, released a set of eight plastic figures. These depicted four European and four Maori figures from 19th Century New Zealand. Each figure came in several different colours. I only had one of these, the miner from the Otago gold rush, in orange.

MOONBASE CENTRAL: Sanitarium Miner (projectswordtoys.blogspot.com)

I recently visited a model shop that I seldom get to, and they had a 50 cent (25p) bin full of various plastic animals. Having a look through this, I discovered a second figure from this set, and snapped it up - it was the only such figure in the bin. It is a 19th Century British soldier or member of a local militia. This is the same figure that you found back in 2020, but yours was brown.

MOONBASE CENTRAL: WHAT A FIGURE! (projectswordtoys.blogspot.com)

My example is red. He stands 64 mm high, but is only half-round. Dressed in jacket, trousers, and boots, with cross-belts, and a small pill-box hat. He is holding a rifle or musket across his chest. This figure is actually in better condition than my original orange Miner.

These figures came in at least six different colours; blue, green, pink, orange, red, and brown.

Here are some more examples of NZ cereal toys, from the Museum of New Zealand.

Sanitarium | Collections Online - Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Given that it has taken me over 50 years to add this second figure to my collection, at this rate it will take at least another 300 years to complete the set.

Paul Adams from New Zealand