Jump to content

Lilliput Vale Heritage Park


Leakeyvale

Recommended Posts

I became fascinated with Britains Lilliput 1:76 scale when I saw a milk float and milkman on Mandy's stall at Shepton toy fair a couple of months ago.  A few weeks later I realised I had been bitten when I asked Mandy to put aside the milk cart and any other Lilliput she had. 

Lilliput Vale is the tiny sister (11 x 9 inches) of Leakey Vale (22 quare feet) and this is the first draft with only the loose items.  Not all the models are Britains, those on bases are some other manufacturer and the two horses at the rear of the milk cart could be Matchbox from their milk float according to my other half.

So Thanks Mandy, thanks Stu and thanks ebay.

Sighhhhhhhh.  I can see it getting bigger though!

post-1227-132638711795_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 64
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I like that Sue it?s a nice compact size. You may like to look at Manor Farm buildings by Metcalfe  Models. They are fun to build and look very good when built. You just need to paint the raw card edges with water colour paint. They do a range of buildings you could possibly use. Be warned they might be addictive.

www.metcalfemodels.com

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh Peter what have you suggested!

Yes, it is compact at the moment but I have three boxed sets of mixed animals and people and those buildings look wonderful and I would love to have some. Problem is I don't have  much time...

.. may be a job for best beloved by way of therapy.  Hmmm,  thinks...  ...could work.

Thanks - will have another look at that site

Link to comment
Share on other sites

P1010011.jpg

P1010010.jpg

How about these two little carts Sue, the milk float and the tumbril I think it is called. I have had these since I was a child so they are over fifty years old. They were photographed on my HO scale railway, the red brick building you can see part of in the background is a Metcalfe brewery kit. The Waterloo Boy tractor is an Athearn model. Sorry about the poor quality pictures.

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about these two little carts Sue, the milk float and the tumbril I think it is called. I have had these since I was a child so they are over fifty years old. They were photographed on my HO scale railway, the red brick building you can see part of in the background is a Metcalfe brewery kit. The Waterloo Boy tractor is an Athearn model. Sorry about the poor quality pictures.

Peter

Peter they are gorgeous.  Difficult to photograph because they are so small.  I just love the tractor.  I have the Britains Fordson courtesy of Holly Loves Toys.  It is really amazing how much detail there is on these miniscule models.

Here is Lilliput Vale with latest additions from Shepton and some hedges.  Apologies for the reflections but I put the lid on to get the backdrop in place. (View from the Roman Road near my village - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)

post-1227-132638731651_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I just KNEW it would grow so this is the start of the Mark II version.  Friends gave me the walls as a present to cheer me up (bless them) Hornby Skaledale granite walls and a gate too!

The truck behind is 1:32 so it give an idea of the difference in scale

post-1227-132638731647_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brillant layout Sue,  ;) :)may be a nuptible question but i have some small lead figuars could they be liliput?

Only the start - really just experimenting but the base is  now twice the size.  Will post pictures when I get a chance as I am fiddlng with it when I get a moment and is now filling up with animals, people and wagons.

The idea in the back of my mind was suggested by Stu - Leakey Vale has a model farm as an attraction for visitors. That way Lilliput Vale can be incorporated in the main diorama/display

Lilliput is Britains trade name but it is 1:76 scale/00 gauge/4mm = 1 foot. The figures I have are approx 20mm tall and so are the shire horses - you should see the size of the ducks!

I an beginning to learn about 1:76 and your figures could be Lilliput which are exact scaled down versions of Britains standard 1:32 (plus a few originals), or  Moko, Benbros or ???.  Some Matchbox items are approximately 1:76 but Matchbox had no fixed scale as the models were sized to fit a standard box.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They look wonderful, Sue... but stop posting up such fab pics cos otherwise I shall have buy those pieces back from you :D

I had the Tumbrel cart at one stage as well, but it went to a lady in the states - I really love these tiny, delicate little models, but you just can't collect everything :'(

Really looking forward to seeing Lilliput Vale expand. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They look wonderful, Sue... but stop posting up such fab pics cos otherwise I shall have buy those pieces back from you :D

I had the Tumbrel cart at one stage as well, but it went to a lady in the states - I really love these tiny, delicate little models, but you just can't collect everything :'(

Really looking forward to seeing Lilliput Vale expand. :)

It has expanded a little - two more views one is a bit fuzzy 'cos my hand was shaking and I did not bother with the tripod.  Nothing is fixed yet so more changes may come

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blimey they are small!!! I have missed this topic untill now Sue, apologies. What a fascinating scale, I can see you have had that bite from the 1/76 bug because it ain't half growing!!

I'll enjoy this one  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blimey they are small!!! I have missed this topic untill now Sue, apologies. What a fascinating scale, I can see you have had that bite from the 1/76 bug because it ain't half growing!!

I'll enjoy this one  :)

They are small aren't they?  It is difficult to visualise.  I have seen them pictured with 5p pieces or a finger but putting the two matching pieces side by side shows just how small they really are.  The stunning aspect is the quality - the Lilliput items are as detailed as their big cousins/sisters/brothers.  The only thing that is different is they have no movable arms

They look wonderful, Sue... but stop posting up such fab pics cos otherwise I shall have buy those pieces back from you :D

I had the Tumbrel cart at one stage as well, but it went to a lady in the states - I really love these tiny, delicate little models, but you just can't collect everything :'(

Really looking forward to seeing Lilliput Vale expand. :)

You will not get the opportunity yet to buy them back, Mandy, as I really LOOOOOOVE them.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...

I had the Tumbrel cart at one stage as well, but it went to a lady in the states - I really love these tiny, delicate little models, but you just can't collect everything :' ...

I have a Tumbrell cart (now complete with hay/straw) and a Benbros log wagon which now has two shires to help the field horse in the shafts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely layout there, it's nice to see early model farm items. There is some great detail, just looking at the photo of the 1/32 scale land girl as a comparison is amazing when you consider the manufacturers would have carved the master moulds by hand, unlike the modern model manufacturers who just work from a computer. Lovely stuff Sue looking forward to seeing your collection grow, it's money well spent  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely layout there, it's nice to see early model farm items. There is some great detail, just looking at the photo of the 1/32 scale land girl as a comparison is amazing when you consider the manufacturers would have carved the master moulds by hand, unlike the modern model manufacturers who just work from a computer. Lovely stuff Sue looking forward to seeing your collection grow, it's money well spent  :)

W Horton manufactured the Lilliput under licence.  I have been reading up and they used pantographs to scale down the original 1:32 items.  Amazing skill.  Anyone not know what a pantograph is?

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantograph for an explanation

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Lilliput Vale is undergoing a major change.

Not only has there been an influx of animals and exhibits but we have done a deal with the Silver Star Preservation Group who have been told their current site is to be sold for development.  We are allowing them to convert our big, somewhat modern, barn into a bus garage/station to house their collection of buses and coaches.  In return they have offered to run a Park and ride service into Lilliput Vale using some of their old Silver Star, Wilts and Dorset and Royal Blue coaches on open days.  They have also mentioned doing a tour as well.

All this means we can now relocate our car park to the far end of the farm where the access is better.  (Planning permission has been granted) and extend the Heritage site into the area currently used for parking.

Our task now is to concentrate on renovating the two old barns .  One is stone with, I hate to say it, a calf box.  (We think that might be a good place to inter naughty children!). The other is timber and is not in a bad condition requiring only a small amount of work. We plan to use one of the barns as a tea room for the time being.

A low-loader is due to bring in the digger so wish us well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find I need a little imaginative storyline to get going, Tris. 

I bought two card kits recently - the barns - and while sorting various bits found the bus station that Stu built for the Silver Star's.  1:76 scale all of them.  I have a 1:76 low-loader with a lovely bulldozer/digger load. Inspiration dawned!  Bus museum and old vehicles. park and ride etc...  Although like Leakey Vale it is designed to show off my collection of old Britains etc. there is still room for modern pieces as well

Spending time just laying it out and moving bits around.  Will make semi-permanent fix when I am satisfied and then I will take pics.  Bus setup will be on yet another module so Lilliput Vale is heading for 8-10 square feet!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now then Sue, the question dawns. Toytrac 09?

Your imagination is firing mine and I can imagine Lilliput now. Mum with two kids running off. The ex W&D Driver reminscing over his days driving from Salisbury to Bournemouth. The young lad taking photo's for his model farm project. A woman taking down notes from the rare breeds farmer to help when she get's back to her small holding. . . . Oooh yes, ideallic. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the comments. I think we all feed off each other. 

Tris has hit the nail on the head - I have got a couple of mums with children and a bus driver/conductor along with a few other "visitor" people.

It is coming on nicely.  I have to mount some of the animals on plastic - lambs in particular are a devil to stand up as they are less than 1 cm long and only about 3 mm wide.  They will stand but if you breathe they fall over.      Ditto geese.  Some of the shire horses have slightly bent legs so they fall over too, so this afternoon is going to be a delicate touch with the superglue.  I would use PVA but it takes too long to dry although it is excellent for those animals with a bit of missing leg as it holds them well provided you can prop them up while it dries

There will be pictures once I have a reasonable layout in place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.