F201S Free Enterprise II

[Mjwomack]

For me this was THE kit:

 

 

Not mega expensive so that you needed birthday money, just super rare, as in I never even saw one except in the catalogue.

 

No shooting sticks, just so completely off-piste as to be enticing. Turns out though that this wasn't just any cross-channel ferry, but used in San Ferry Ann a 'comedy'- no I'd never heard of it either but then it was a complete flop even with the likes of Barbara Windsor and Joan Simms in the cast.

 

The received wisdom is 'be nice to your children because they'll choose your nursing home', but in this case I've been nice enough to them that they clubbed together to pay the excessive collector price for this. So finally I have one albeit it at birthday money prices.

 

Fortunately it all seems to be present

 

 

 

Though maybe not 'and correct' as there's quite a bit of gentle warpage going on, especially with the decks. But I've seen worse, such a the decals that are very discoloured. Fortunately the fonts all look simple enough so I expect that I'll be making my own.

 

Instructions with words!

 

 

Though the surprise was when I turned them over...

 

 

 

Never saw a set of instruction where painting wasn't until stage 4, so these instructions are in a hurry with 79 parts fitted in 2 steps. There is the advice to use Airfix paints (of course), but then we come a cropper because Airfix never did a Townsend green, nor is there any suggestion of a mix ration. Still, it's what the internet is for- first colour photo I found was a LOT lighter than I expected for starters.

 

Got a couple of other builds to sort out before starting on this one, unless I get impatient!!!

[Pete in Lincs]

2 minutes ago, Mjwomack said:

but used in San Ferry Ann a 'comedy'

It was a parody of a Carry on film and quite dreadful. I think the actors must have been waiting for the next Carry on to start filming.

[Mjwomack]

7 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

It was a parody of a Carry on film and quite dreadful. I think the actors must have been waiting for the next Carry on to start filming.

From what I can make out, it sounds like a fore-runner on National Vacation, but don't feel I've missed out on anything

[Pig of the Week]

Ah.. Another ship eh..

Shame airfix didn't do Barbara Windsor in their figures series.. 😁

[Mjwomack]

15 minutes ago, Pig of the Week said:

Ah.. Another ship eh..

Shame airfix didn't do Barbara Windsor in their figures series.. 😁

I'm sure it would've sold well, certainly at my school. They did do James bond and odd job as well as the Aston Martin 

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=All&q=Airfix+odd+job

 

 

[Ray S]

I remember building this one way back in the early 70's and enjoyed it. I know you will have fun with it

 

Ray

[Mjwomack]

10 minutes ago, Ray S said:

I remember building this one way back in the early 70's and enjoyed it. I know you will have fun with it

 

Ray

Wow- hero status for being someone who not only saw it but built it!

It looks a bit of fun, and I won't be taking it too seriously; it would have been mid 70s before we went cross-channel and I think it had been pensioned off yo the sunny of climes in the Greek Islands, not that I'd have fancied getting it across the Bay of Biscay on the transit move.

[stevej60]

I'm with Ray on this one built it probably early seventies in fact also the QE 2 Mauritania and Canberra!

[Mjwomack]

1 minute ago, stevej60 said:

I'm with Ray on this one built it probably early seventies in fact also the QE 2 Mauritania and Canberra!

No wonder it never turned up in the  shops round here😁

[stevej60]

1 minute ago, Mjwomack said:

No wonder it never turned up in the  shops round here😁

Dare I say my favourite maritime subject I built was the Moskva MJ,now there's a kit I'd love to do but as mentioned in Ray's thread mega prices now.

[Paul Thompson]

I built it when it came out (IIRC bought from the barber shop on the way back from school). Knowing no better, I used the only light green I had at the time, which was a lime green which, had it been pink, would have been shocking. Looked more like toxic waste, but I do at least remember it being very enjoyable to make (long gone to that firework shop in the sky, I'm afraid).

 

Paul.

[Mjwomack]

16 minutes ago, Paul Thompson said:

I built it when it came out (IIRC bought from the barber shop on the way back from school). Knowing no better, I used the only light green I had at the time, which was a lime green which, had it been pink, would have been shocking. Looked more like toxic waste, but I do at least remember it being very enjoyable to make (long gone to that firework shop in the sky, I'm afraid).

 

Paul.

Off to see if I've got any lime green; when i said I was going to have fun, I wasn't planning on going that far

[Paul Thompson]

Just now, Mjwomack said:

Off to see if I've got any lime green; when i said I was going to have fun, I wasn't planning on going that far

There are, or so I am told, limits..............

 

Paul.

[John]

I do remember seeing the kit, up there on the wall of kits in Woolworths. The box art is quite striking. 

I never bought one though, and I didn't see inside the box until many years later when my cousin revealed that he had one and I could have a look! That's as close as I've been to the plastic. 

Got to be a contender for a Vintage Classic, surely. They'd sell one or two... 😀

John 

[Mjwomack]

45 minutes ago, John said:

Got to be a contender for a Vintage Classic, surely. They'd sell one or two...

Let's agree not to tell my children if that happens!

I imagine at the time it should've been a good seller (even though they never reached East Anglia)- few of us would go on QE2 but a cross-ferry hop was realistic and what a great momento, canny marketing. a bit like those clip together planes they flogged on package holidays.

[Black Knight]

That type of ship was used on the Larne to Stranraer route. The kit was sold in the on-board shop. I had a nice wee earner building the ships for the crew or their friends or relatives who bought it. I built over 30 of them. Some with lights inside - an extra cost though

[Ray S]

4 hours ago, Mjwomack said:

Wow- hero status for being someone who not only saw it but built it!

 

I had done the SS France too around about that time. I would love to do both again but I would probably need a time machine!

 

Ray 

[CliffB]

I so want one of these kits now!

Just need to decide which kidney to sell.

[Mjwomack]

3 hours ago, CliffB said:

I so want one of these kits now!

Just need to decide which kidney to sell.

So much for rare- I'm starting to think that we're the only two people never to get one!!!

[Paul821]

Although this is Herald 1 and the picture quality is poor, this might help with the colour and weathering and allows mention of a great film.

 

 

Ps. Yes I was another one who built it when it first came out .

[Mjwomack]

Is it too early to ask for an extension🫣

Having got the cattle wagon out of the way, I 'cleared the decks', ready to start the main event; but it was not too be. On Monday evening I had a mild stroke, just the one night in hospital which was more than enough. So you'd think I'd have plenty of convalescent time to work on this, but neither my eyesight or concentration are up to it.

 

So far I've read the instructions, and despite expecting to lay the keel first (aka glue the hull halves together) it actually starts with the stern (aka blunt end) doors. Which is too fiddly for now. Have managed to rattelcan some primer, because I couldn't really go wrong with that.

 

Now just got to wait for things to calm down in my head a bit. Really hope to be under way long before November though, otherwise the boredom will kill me.

[Heather Kay]

Ooer! Glad to hear you’re at home and recuperating. I think it’s probably more important you take the time to recover and not fret about group builds.

[Paul821]

There are many life events that put GB's and modelling into perspective and sorry to hear that one such has come your way. Hopefully you are getting the support you require to enable a  full recovery. A bit like asking a doctor "will  be able to play the violin?" after being in hospital my question would be "will I be able to complete vac form models?" (For those not aware this is an old joke).

 

Just follow Doctor's orders and hopefully you will be back to lead us in the Railways 200 GB next year.

[Jinxman]

Take it easy, kit plastic will still be there once you've had a good rest.

[CliffB]

What a shocker!  I hope you get back to 'normal' before too long 

Take care.