A Reading Vardo

[JohnM]

Dunno if anyone can make anything of this ...



It's a recolour I did of the FG Burton Vardo a year or two back, along with a re-work into a Bow-Top. I got as far as building both vans, so I know they're plausible, but my damaged fingers couldn't (and still can't) hold a knife properly, so cutting out the wheel spokes defeated me.

They will still be hiding wheel-less in a drawer somewhere, but I can't put a finger on them just yet. Here's a rough job of the FG design though, with a 1960s Concorde that I designed to go with Pete Chandler's 00 scale Fairground Models. Another large diorama that I hope get around to building one day.



Of course if true to scale, the Burton would be much bigger than this.

[Vermin_King]

Johnny, do you have photos of your vardo in the museum?

[JohnM]

Originally Posted by Vermin_King

Johnny, do you have photos of your vardo in the museum?

Only this thumbnail that was lifted from it's registration papers I'm afraid. It's more an Open Lot than a proper Vardo although it has been boxed in. More of an olde worlde SUV than a mobile home. ;-) I have not actually seen it myself for over 30 years now, I must make the effort one day I guess, but if I do I'll only go getting grand ideas about putting it in my garden. Best it's left where it is I guess.

"We did NOT inherit this green earth from our ancestors ... we are borrowing it from our children." Y'all take good care of it now.

[Vermin_King]

On older Open Lots and Bow Tops, what material was used for the roof?

[JohnM]

Tarred paper on the pre-war ones but most have roofing felt on them now.

The original idea of the bowtop was to make a fast lightweight "expedition" cart that could be pulled by just one pony. ie: in modern parlance it was a fast get away car.

This site may be of interest you .. cianty's Tabletop Wargames Blog: Gypsy Caravans from Sarissa Precision

Some nice models there, but the wooden cladding on the Bowtop would have made it very heavy for a single pony, and, as I mentioned in my earlier diorama, A Burton vardo would be substantially bigger than any Bowtop.

[Rubenandres77]

Looks nice. An unusual subject and a fine execution!

[Vermin_King]

Ruben, I am glad you dropped by. I use Gimp and have been playing with recoloring this guy for my next test build, but I think I may have a solution. If I don't get it done tonight, it will have to wait until Monday night. Threshold to uncolor left things too blurry, even in small segments. But a very light Cartoon filter gives me an image that I think I can work with. Some of your recent posts have helped me to be more successful in my experiments with this tool

[Thumb Dog]

Hi All,

And hi, VK. Fine looking vardo you're building there. Lately, I've been building a few models that needed stout, paper, spoked wheels, so I feel your pain.

In Tod Browning's film, Freaks, the traveling performers live in similar, but "Hollywoodized" vehicles. Much of the film takes place inside these romanticized wagons, with their colorful decor. (Yes, I know it's a B/W film).

I'm occasionally drawn to the idea of hitching up my pony to my tricked-out vardo, and leading 'ol Pokey to new, verdant pastures...but then I realize I need a house with a foundation so I can have a basement where I can keep all my tools and cool stuff, out of sight from S.W.M.B.O. It's always a trade-off, isn't it?

Looking forward to more pictures.

Score and fold,

Thumb Dog

[Vermin_King]

John Lennon owned a vardo decorated in Sgt. Pepper livery. I wonder how tricked out it was on the inside

[lukke49]

Lovely, I like it. Keep going!
Luc