# Oriana model kit being re-issued to celebrate 50th anniversary of her launch



## shamrock

> A KIT to make a model of the famous Barrow cruise liner Oriana, which was first produced for modellers in 1961, has been reissued.
> 
> Barrow’s Dock Museum is stocking the kits for the 20-inch long model as part of its efforts to celebrate the 50th anniversary year of the launch of the town’s most famous liner.
> 
> Other plans at the Dock Museum include a special Oriana weekend on October 31 and November 1, close to the November 3 anniversary of the launch of the ship.
> 
> The weekend will feature the showing of an old Vickers film about the building of the ship, as well as an exhibition of photos and memorabilia from people who worked on or sailed on the ship.
> 
> The kit, made by Revell, has been reissued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ship’s launch by Vickers.
> 
> ...cont../..


http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/orian...and_new_supermodel_1_591679?referrerPath=news


----------



## paull.happyhiker

Im sure revell re released the oriana model a few years ago and it was a poor quality model


----------



## wigger

Never built that one, but I bet its not one for the faint hearted, assuming people actually try and build it, its more likely to be one for the collectors. Revell like to bring out these old models every so often with flashy new box artwork, but the truth is sometimes the mouldings are so bad now that you have to be seriously skilled to get an accurate model.
To be fair though, Revell are not the worst offenders, step forward Airfix (or whoever owns the name these days), I'm truly dreading the day when my oldest brings home an Airfix kit expecting the end result to look like the real thing. Luckily I think I have a few more years to steer him in another direction. 

Note to self, NEVER visit local model ship with the boy! .


----------



## Shipbuilder

******,
If your son hasn't yet fallen under the spell of the "kit" why not get him a few tools and a few wood offcuts if he display any interest in model ships, and suggest he takes it from there? In the early 1950s, after building a kit of GOLDEN HIND, I wanted another. My parents said they couldn't afford one and if I had anything about me, I would make my own! A few days later, I was given a small box full of simple tools and another box full of pine offcuts from local joinery store and off I went. 
I still have the tool box and I still use the same vice I began building models with 57 years ago. I built them before, during and after 32 years at sea.
Click on "Miniature Merchant Ships" below to see the results of that sound advice!
Bob


----------



## wigger

Hi Bob, they are fantastic models and that is good advice - many thanks.
My oldest, Sam, has just turned 4 but he does show an interest in models of any sort so I expect he will get the bug sometime and making his own would be great.His fascination is with helicopters, but I'm not giving up hope that he'll become more interested in all things nautical.
Sadly I don't have the time to do any models anymore but I cannot walk past a model shop without browsing, the range of kits available these days is great. 
Kind regards
Craig


----------



## Griffon

Craig,
My loft insulation is made up of unbuilt kits..... however, Len Jordan 1250th ships kits are reasonably easy to build, bit of glue and then paint.
regards
Paul W


----------



## Lachlan

I haven't attempted the Oriana kit but I too felt the best approach would be to make one myself. If the attachment has attached properly, here is a pic of where my model of Oriana was up to recently. It's 1/96 scale and has taken quite a while but I only work on it for an hour or two a week. 

I'm not aware of any large scale models of Oriana but there must be builders models somewhere. She's turned out to be a challenge to model with all her different shapes and curved surfaces. I'll post more pics of the model as it comes along if anyone's interested.


----------



## Griffon

Excellent, will she "sail" or just a model for display? keep us posted. regards Paul


----------



## Shipbuilder

Lachlan,
That is a very fine model indeed. What a pleasant change to find there is still someone out there building models ships.
Bob


----------



## 6639

Bob, there are still many people "out there" building model ships..............

They just all don't build them to your prefaired method.........scratch.......and for those with less confidence, manual dexterity and cognitive and coordinateive skills, that isn't a great problem, as we have both clashed upon before.

It ISN'T a sin to build from kits, and they give just as much pleasure to those people who build from them and view them as your beautiful little scratch built minatures give to others.!!

By the way, that is ONE BEAUTIFUL model of the ORIANA.....well done.


----------



## Lachlan

Thanks for your kind comments. 

I turned to scratch building after buying a wooden New Maquettes 1/200 kit of "France" which was so inadequate in its instructions that I finished up semi-scratch building it and it turned out really well. That gave me the confidence to start scratch building; well, the purists might say semi-scratch as I don't have the skills or equipment to make all the parts myself. An example is the Oriana's propellors which are not yet fitted but which were made for me by a professional model-builder in Holland.

As for the kit versus scratch question, I happen to think any model is a good model if it makes its builder happy.

Cheers,

Lachlan


----------



## Shipbuilder

Lachlan,
I would agree that if building kits makes the builder happy, that is great for the builder. I suppose I am one of the few that found that making kits actually made me unhappy because I could never make a very good job of them! I tried one recently (HMS CAMPBELTOWN) but just couldn't cope with it - gave it away!
The added bonus of scratchbuilding for me, at least, is that not only do I make myself happy building them, but I also make others very happy when they obtain my models. Also I am not trapped into building what kit manufactuers want me to build. I have stopped putting mine on show because I grew weary of "Is it a kit?" questions - which made me very unhappy! Similarly I never enter them in competitions because I can never win when they are compared with magnificent kits productions!
I also like "winning." Playing the game for it's own sake is not really good enough for me. In sport though, I always took a pride in losing or coming last at school because I hated it - so I went to sea - no football or cricket pitches there ho ho ho! 

If I could buy small propellers for my models, I think I would do as they would probably look better than scratchbuilt ones, but they are not produced small enough. I would maybe buy small lifeboats as well, but again, nobody make them small enough!

I know I am in a minority and am therefore not prepared to argue the point beyond the simple statements above.

Bob


----------



## Fairfield

Yes, the original was very good. It was done in corn coloured plastic so you didn't have to paint the hull. It cost me 19/6 I think and 6d for the cement so that was the whole shooting match for £1.
I always remember that the cranes could move in their tracks and I'm sure there was a sort of moving track on the focsle.
It suc***bed to house moves, etc and I did see the re-release but as was said in poorer quality white plastic.


----------



## jerome morris

You have to love the box cover art work....the good old days!


----------



## Lachlan

Griffon,

I forgot to respond to your question. This is a static model. I will keep you posted. I have nearly finished the structural stuff and then it's more and more detail till it's finished. 

I should note that I have to thank BMWSimon for lots of help with detail for the Oriana model. 

If anyone else is thinking of making a model of Oriana I would be glad to share what I have learned about the various changes that were made to her over the years.


----------



## Griffon

Thanks Lachlan. Look forward to more pictures.

A note for Bob the Shipbuilder. I might have asked that question _"is it a kit?"_, but it would have been because there might be the _possibility _I could build something as _good _as what ever I was "looking at"

Do you see what I mean? I would have hoped it came across as a complement rather than being a derogatory remark? 

regards Paul


----------



## Lachlan

*Oriana model*

In the two and a half years since I last provided a pic of my Oriana model, some progress has been made. In fact she is nearly finished. More railings, more detail and lots of cleaning and tidying up but the pic gives you the general idea.


----------



## sparkie2182

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Lovely work.............Well done.


----------



## Griffon

Terrific.!!


----------



## 6639

absolutely stunning........brilliant.that would be worth a trip down under to see her launching......beautiful model.
neil.


----------



## Shipbuilder

It is quite magnificent! Do you have a room suitable to display it, or will it be going somewhere else on public view?
I wouldn't have the patience or energy to do anything that size - congratulations!
Bob


----------



## Donald McGhee

That is an absolutely superb model of the Oriana, I am gobsmacked, as they say. Well done indeed, such a joy to see.


----------



## sydney heads

An absolutely stunning model of one of my best remembered ships. I was on a Manly ferry enroute to the Quay when she come through "the heads" on her maiden visit to Sydney. We parallelled her up the harbour!
Did you ever see the manned model on Sydney Harbour back in the late seventies?


----------



## japottinger

*Scratch Built*



Shipbuilder said:


> ******,
> If your son hasn't yet fallen under the spell of the "kit" why not get him a few tools and a few wood offcuts if he display any interest in model ships, and suggest he takes it from there? In the early 1950s, after building a kit of GOLDEN HIND, I wanted another. My parents said they couldn't afford one and if I had anything about me, I would make my own! A few days later, I was given a small box full of simple tools and another box full of pine offcuts from local joinery store and off I went.
> I still have the tool box and I still use the same vice I began building models with 57 years ago. I built them before, during and after 32 years at sea.
> Click on "Miniature Merchant Ships" below to see the results of that sound advice!
> Bob


Hello Bob,
I am trying to stem the tide of kits by contributing model plans to three model magazines, I must have drawn over 160 by now over the years! Sadly I do not see many coming along to take up the baton, at 6 and 70 years later wll have to wind down sometime!
I am not decrying the fantastic amount of work in producing these, many being very accurate replicas of prototypes, some not so, but hope there is still a place for model makers who like to build from "scratch"
Jim


----------



## Shipbuilder

Jim,
Know what you mean. Often I come across people who want to build specific ships maybe that they sailed in, but failing to find a kit for them just give up on the assumption that it is beyond them! Other way round with me, and I just can't manage kits at all and the last one I tried (HMS Campbeltown), I conceded defeat pretty early on and gave it away. 
Do you know if John Bowen is still editor of Shipwright? Not heard from him for a long time now, although my MEMPHIS is in the pipeline for the October issue.
Bob


----------



## David Wilcockson

Looking forward to seeing the finished model of the Amarna.
Cheers,
David


----------



## Lachlan

Thankyou for your kind comments. I do remember seeing the manned model of Oriana moored in Rushcutters Bay during the 1980's. Don't know whose it was or what became of it. I recall being on a ferry on the Harbour one evening probably 1982ish when the QE2 was alongside at Circular Quay and Oriana appeared from under the bridge outbound. A spectacular sight indeed.

I do have a spot to display the model when finished. We went into the Melbourne Museum recently and got some ideas for a display case. This will be an exercise by itself.

I am beginning to think about what to do next. Maybe QE2 in her final incarnation. QE2 was about 960' compared to Oriana 803' - 20% longer. So I might have to scale down a bit - say to 1/200. I think QE2 would be easier as she had fewer external decks, although her boat deck would be pretty complicated. I am thinking a waterline model would be easier and quicker to make. Does anyone have any thoughts on that idea?

Cheers,

Lachlan


----------



## jerome morris

One advantage of doing a waterline model is that you can spend more time on the upper works.
Another thought is that most of the people that have seen a ship, have never seen one out of the water.


----------



## 6639

No, Lachlan........a waterline model is like a beautiful virgin that stays a maiden for life...........no good to anyone, lol

These models deserve to sail at lease once in the environment they were supposed to be in.
neil.


----------



## Lachlan

Thanks Neil, you've confirmed what I thought about going waterline. What I was tempted to try to avoid was dealing with propellors. I can't make accurately scaled propellors. QE2 has/had twin six (I think) bladed propellors that look more like naval issue than conventional propellors, probably to reduce vibration at higher speeds.

I had the propellors for my Oriana model profesionally made at quite some cost. But they are beautifully reproduced. Maybe I'll have to bite the bullet and do that again.

Do you mean you think the model should actually take to the water at least once? 

Cheers, Lachlan


----------



## 6639

Lachlan said:


> Thanks Neil, you've confirmed what I thought about going waterline. What I was tempted to try to avoid was dealing with propellors. I can't make accurately scaled propellors. QE2 has/had twin six (I think) bladed propellors that look more like naval issue than conventional propellors, probably to reduce vibration at higher speeds.
> 
> I had the propellors for my Oriana model profesionally made at quite some cost. But they are beautifully reproduced. Maybe I'll have to bite the bullet and do that again.
> 
> Do you mean you think the model should actually take to the water at least once?
> 
> Cheers, Lachlan


Most definately Lachlan they are all meant to sail at least once in their life................as for the propellers............there is a company over here in Blighty that will make them for you...........he has made all sorts of props before.......made special orders for me before.....and at no extra cost to what his others would be..........to your spec of thread and size of shaft..........look here for details............and my god they are beautiful things too...usually cast, not soldered. he can be emailed at 

[email protected] 

and their web site is 

http://www.swangroup.co.uk/

good luck, neil.


----------



## Lachlan

Thanks for the reference to the Swangroup website. They will definitely be followed up and may be the answer to the propellor question. I will find a good pic of the QE2 propellors and get some dimensions. I am not so particular that they have to be an exact scale replica, but do need to be a convincing version of the originals. 

And they have to be opposite handed of course. 

Cheers, Lachlan


----------



## DAVID ALCOCK

Revell ORIANA rereleased again or perhaps stocks found somewhere saw it last week!by the way i made it about 8 years ago YEEEEACHHHH WOST FITTING KIT I HAVE EVER MADE ,instructions dont help much


----------



## Lachlan

*Oriana model update*

Hi all,

It is now a couple of months since I let you know how my model is going. I have at last finished the railings and I am now starting to put finishing touches before cleaning up and finishing. In one of the photos it looks like the model is afloat on a sea of mess. It just about is. 

Still plenty to do before finishing - I will provide some pics when the model is installed in its case.


----------



## sparkie2182

Spectacular....................A wonderful job of work.

Well done indeed.


----------



## John Briggs

Now that is some model.
Most impressive. Really good job Lachlan.


----------



## Lachlan

Thanks for your kind comments Sparkie and John. BTW John, is the little image on your posts a reminder of you chairing a Council that we used to be on together?

Lachlan


----------



## DAVID ALCOCK

That is a LOT better than i got from the Revell kit


----------



## John Briggs

Hi Lachlan, oh boy, your comments brought the memories flooding back!
They were good times and we always managed to have a laugh.
I know I never looked or acted like my avatar.
Perfect decorum and quiet diction managed to conceal the rat cunning underneath!


----------



## Lachlan

John,
this is off-topic from Oriana, but "perfect decorum and quiet diction"? Some of the council's customers had more decorum than we did! But seriously, I think that council worked really well and that it was those who weren't involved who misunderstood its effectiveness. Still, it was overtaken by events. 

Now back to Oriana...I have a spot for this model which is 2.5 metres long and nearly finished. But what to do next? What about a 1/48 QE2 for our next project - that would be 6.1 metres long. I once saw a 1/48 model of SS France I think at the offices of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, the ship's builders. That was very spectacular, but at 6.8 metres, not too convenient.

Cheers, Lachlan


----------



## jerome morris

Beautiful model. Is she radio controled?


----------



## William Paulus

shamrock said:


> http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/orian...and_new_supermodel_1_591679?referrerPath=news


I've had my original Revell kit from days when she sported the corn colored hull! You had to paint white over the gold which was hard to do.


----------



## Lachlan

Jerome,

No, it's purely a static model. I find it hard enough just making the model let alone making it go somewhere!


----------



## William Paulus

Mine was/is static, collecting dust over fifty years. Think I assembled it in 1962 as I still have the instructions. The date of the first Revell model reproduced the "corn color" of Orient Line hulls and everything had to be painted from that. if it was white; a real job.
Wasn't she the first British liner with a bulbous bow? Enjoy chatting. Live in Ohio, USA
Regards,

Bill Paulus


----------



## John Briggs

Wow Lachlan, you are very ambitious. Six metres is a huge project.
Judging by the looks of Oriana I would love to see a 6 metre job
but it would be a few years work!


----------



## Lachlan

Bill,

I went the other way. My model started out white (P&O livery) but then I realised if I was going to model the ship in her 'as delivered' form - which is what the plans I have are, then she would need to be the Orient corn colour. I am hoping a final spray coat of satin on the hull will tone it down a bit. I think the colour I have is a bit too creamy. What is the state of your model now?

Yes she was the first British liner with a bulbous bow. From my research into Oriana, I understand she performed better than her designers envisaged. She reached thirty knots on her trials. Also, she was apparently the design model for QE2 in some ways.

Oriana demonstrated the concept of a large, fast twin-screw design as well as the aluminium superstructure, both of which were features of QE2's design. 

What I like about her is that we used to see her in Melbourne quite often and I like her form-follows-function appearance, but still with the traditional Orient Line features such as bridge amidships and her tiered after decks. 

But John I am not really that ambitious. If I do do the QE2 I might go for 1/200, a much more sensible scale but still a good size model.

Cheers,

Lachlan


----------



## sparkie2182

The pride of her home town Lachlan............

Your model has done Vickers Armstrong proud.

Thank you very much.


----------



## herky

there is a great card kit of the oriana out there and can be freely downloaded


----------



## DAVID ALCOCK

warning i have just seen the worlds largest SEAGOING model a 1/25 scale BREMEN 12 meters 10TONS at SPEYER museum IN GERMANY this wood make a 6meter model at least 1 ton!!


----------



## PJG1412

(Thumb)What a beautiful model of a beautiful ship. I remember seeing her coming under the Golden Gate Bridge, as we were leaving the Bay, didn't have a camera in those days, to expensive, but what a picture.. 
I have 7 (3 foot) models in the house on display, I not sure what the wife would say about yours, some thing like, where the hell is that going to go !!
Anyone know what happens to them once we have "crossed the bar" 
Well done, wish I could get detail like that.
Pete(Jester)


----------



## DAVID ALCOCK

to save your models either donate to an interested museum or the dreaded ebay


----------



## sailingday

it was exactly 52 years to the day (October 24th 1960) that I joined the 'Oriana' in Barrow, did the complete trip arriving back at Southampton March 1961, never thought it would end, now a pleasant memory.


----------



## sydney heads

Hi all,
I have a 1998 Lee kit of Oriana which I shall soon start playing with.
My question to anyone who has done an Oriana model is what colour have you used to match the Orient "corn" colour? It seems an awkward colour, without having done much homework yet I admit.


----------



## DAVID ALCOCK

I add a bit off yellow to a buff-light stone or similar ,the colour of corn seems to vary depending on how long the ship has been painted ,weather conditions and the film used -just like the union castle hulls!!!


----------



## William Paulus

Assembled the original Revell ORIANA kit in 1962 and the moulded "corn" color was a gold shade. Also recently acquired the Lee kit via e-Bay but will finish it in the white she carried after 1964. You might find and examine color postcards and Line-issued brochures of her as original. Agree the shade will be difficult. Good luck with the Lee kit as the instructions are Chinese.


----------



## Lachlan

The "corn" Orient Line colour is awkward. Humbrol make a gloss enamel called "light buff" which is No.7 in their range which I think is passably close to the Orient corn colour. You can see that on the funnel and the ventilation uptake on the pics of my model on an earlier page of this thread.

I've modified the colour of the hull on my model to make it less of a creamy colour since those pics were taken, as well as to hide the patches with the ship's name.

Are you going to do the dark green boot-topping and the sort-of crimson anti-fouling on the bottom? The trouble with doing those is that there's a lot of masking involved. I think when the livery changed to white they dispensed with the boot-topping and just went all red from the waterline down. 

I hope this might be helpful.


----------



## sparkie2182

"t was exactly 52 years to the day (October 24th 1960) that I joined the 'Oriana' in Barrow, did the complete trip arriving back at Southampton March 1961, never thought it would end, now a pleasant memory."

And i saw you sail out..............

I was 5.

Still a pleasant memory for me too,Sailingday.


----------



## William Paulus

Remember attempting to cover the corn color moulded plastic of the original Revell model with white, for the superstructure. Took several coats to do it. Also remember masking the red bottom, and green boot topping took a lot of effort. Will have to do research ehre as to whether the bottom of the new kit should be one or two shades of red like CANBERRA? You might try mixing colors for the original appearance of her hull. Good luck.


----------



## Lachlan

William is right, there were two shades of red below the waterline once the switch was made to P&O livery. In the attached pic of Oriana in dry-dock it is clear that there were different shades.


----------



## herky

there is link for anyone who wants to downlod the card oriana model to build.suggest printing it out as a3 size to get a decent size model.,
http://www.d9.dion.ne.jp/~senaun/oriana.html


----------



## makko

Bad link, Herky..............


----------



## William Paulus

Haven't started my "Chinese" ORIANA kit yet. Will note information gathererd here and compare it to the original Revell one I have had for 50 years.

Warm regards,

Bill Paulus


----------



## herky

http://www.d9.dion.ne.jp/~senaun/oriana.html there you go guys


----------



## sydney heads

Amazing stuff!


----------



## Lachlan

A while ago I said I would put up a photo when the model of Oriana that I have made was finished. Well it is now installed in its glass case. I have included a few detail photos as well.

So that's done.


----------



## vmr

Great Model Lachlan,She Looks Great. VMR.


----------



## donald h

That is superb, Lachlan. Well done indeed!

regards, Donald


----------



## John Briggs

Oh wow Lachlan! You have really excelled this time.
Well done. What a marvellous talent.


----------



## Arrow5

Truly a masterpiece and the glass case is superb. Re the manned model Oriana, I have been trying to trace it`s origins and eventual fate. It was owned for a while by a Sydney aerial photographer and was last known to have moved up to the Gold Coast area. It had been used in a TV commercial of some sort. Nobody Ive asked seems to know if it still exists. Lachie , how about a manned model for you QE2 or whatever you chose for your next project. There are a few manned models around the globe, there is a Yahoo group for them. I have a 9mtr HMS Invincible ( pictures in the gallery here on SN ).


----------



## Lachlan

Thank you all for your kind comments. The glass case was made by a glazier and whilst it wasn't cheap, it does look good I think. It's 10mm tempered Starphire glass which is a lot less green than normal glass. I used 8mm square section acrylic for the model to sit on attached to the base with clear double-sided tape. It's a funny feeling when the lid goes on isn't it, knowing that without a lot of effort, the model is no longer touchable. Strange after all that time fiddling with it.

I don't think I would attempt a manned model. I had manned real boats of various descriptions over the years and they were enough work. I sailed a Flying Dutchman for some time which, for those of you who know what an FD is, is called an FD because it really stands for 'Fix Daily'.

Best regards to you all.


----------



## ben27

good morning lachan.9th april.2013.15:12. reriana model kit.i have just looked at your thumbnails of your model.it is a credit to you.it must be very time comsuming.with no room for mistakes?.thank you for sharing.ben27


----------



## kiwisouth

My grand parents were on the maiden voyage, got photos of them sitting with the captain for their wedding anniversary. I was the favoured grandson and they wanted to take me on the cruise but mum wouldn't let me go. Oh well.

I have seen a model of the Oriana, the Homestay my wife and I stayed at on our wedding night was owned by two people who used to work on her and her sister ships. They had a room full of memorabilia


----------



## Jenniemcc

*Oriana Model in Rushcutters Bay*

The Oriana model in Rushcutters Bay in the 1980s was owned by Ace, the official photographer for the CYC and I think also for the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. There was a stuffed owl sitting on the bough which hooted if anyone went near it. I haven't been sailing for a long time and don't recall when it left Rushcutters Bay.


----------

