EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW
BUILD A CLASSIC ENGINE SHED KIT
HOW TO
Chris Nevard sees what he can do with an old favourite plastic kit, which dates back to the Airfix range from the 1960s.
PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS NEVARD
MODEL Dapol C007 Engine Shed kit • Price £11.83
AVAILABILITY Dapol stockists Web www.dapol.co.uk
The Dapol Engine Shed kit was originally released as part of the Airfix ‘Trackside Series’, around 1960. That’s the same year that British Railways was building its final steam locomotives, so you could say that it’s a kit from the steam age – just about!
This plastic kit is often overlooked these days, with so many other offerings in this area. Indeed, there are so many resin, card, plastic, laser-cut timber and now even 3D-printed engine sheds in 4mm scale, in kit and ready-toplant form. Sometimes though, when faced with a bewildering array of choice, it’s good to go back to one’s roots and remember the older kits from days gone by.
The Dapol kit is still freely available from model shops and Dapol stockists, now packaged under the famous old Kitmaster brand name. The moulding tools may be classed as vintage, but the kit is still definitely worth experimenting with, not least due to its bargain price, which at the time of writing was under £12 (although it’s often seen on sale for less than a tenner). Looking on eBay and similar online sites, there are also plenty of the old Airfix versions still available, too, if you fancy a full-on vintage experience.