DalaGStanator's Customs, Mods and Experiments

In two months from the time of writing, this year will mark the tenth anniversary of our trip to London. That, combined with a certain someone's recent state visit 'and' a film I watched with scenes filmed there, has given me an incentive to take on two world famous icons linked with the English capital (and other places in the UK).



It was about time I made a new structure that's not transport related (Doctor Who notwithstanding): a K6 telephone box made to fit - you guessed it - the two firefighters. Rather than cardboard, a big portion of it was made of matchsticks, toothpicks and plastic panes, with the only cardboard parts being the base, bottom sides, phone panel and roof. The handset is a paper tube folded at one end and glued to the console. After painting, additional matchsticks were added to make the corners thicker and all the panes look thinner. The door is not hinged and only glued to one side, which made it surprisingly robust.



To get the distinct shape on the top surface of the roof, I only had to fold a piece of paper over the corners after making the sides the usual way. In part due to the width of the fireman's base (not the figure itself), the final model is much bigger than it was meant to be. In fact, it looks more proportionate next to a LEGO Minifigure (which it also has enough room for). I nearly thought about making the signs translucent and adding a small light with a button battery. If I'll ever make several of them, they would be more appropriately sized and have printed details to look identical.



After an unsuccessful attempt to build an AEC Routemaster (not pictured), I had another go and designed it a bit differently. One of the trickiest parts for me was the spiral staircase to the upper deck, which I've found a better way to build. I forgot exactly what I did the first time, but the new version uses matchsticks with cardboard treads glued at each other's ends at different angles. They aren't supported by anything but one post from the floor to the last stair. The eighth stair was later removed to match the height of the side walls. In larger scales, they would likely be cut into triangles and mounted directly around a post.



Real life interior photos were a bit unclear to me (those of the lower deck were a bit harder to find), so I relied on images of LEGO #10258 for seating reference. However, the first four front facing seats were omitted due to length constraints and I only had room for six of them. Due to their placement making them hard to paint, certain red parts were painted with a marker before the acrylic red was added, mainly the two matchsticks under the cab windows.



Like the first time, the upper deck was made separately and glued on after being painted. Unlike the bottom, I managed to cram 14 seats into it since there was no cab, rear entrance or stairs in the way. Even then, three of them are still missing. It was initially not going to have the yellow stripe, but I added it after getting the notion most of the real units have it.



Oddly, I ran into the same problem I had with some earlier vehicle bodies I made for this wheel type (silver rims): they rolled perfectly when I was building it, but now have too much friction and can barely move (if at all). I assume all I'd have to do to use them would be to make lower and thinner bearings. Luckily, the smaller ones (black rims) make it roll even better than it did before it was finished. Even without the bases, the firefighters would be too tall for the entrance. Compared to a Take 'n Play Bertie:


(Second image from an eBay listing)

If I had a Take Along Bulgy, his roof would end right where the destination blinds are. The lower deck is the same height as Bertie.



That facade of the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) is from 2014 and predates everything shown in this thread. It was made from a whole bag of air drying clay and used a real watch for the clock, albeit painted over with white to look a bit more accurate. If I made one nowadays, it would (of course) be made of matchsticks and skewers and have the clock on the other three sides as well.