joe circus
Well-Known Member
I like what you've done there Jaz. Looks great! I have much respect for those who can scratch build models, especially out of non plastic materials!
Winterquarters/Car Shops for circus and showtrains
- Thread starter enjineerbill
- Start date
joe circus
Well-Known Member
We're looking at what I think is a plastic truck kit with a wooden bed swapped for whatever the kit offered. I should've taken the picture from a little higher angle to show the work details on the bed.
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Nice upgrade, plus if you desired you could age the wood,but as yours is of the time the new wood works well.
Jaz avalley
Station cat
I wanted a sideshow / funfair candy floss stall,
this looked workable
as bought
a new paint job
I had a reference picture at one time but it dissapeared
a figure
and a paint upgrade
2 thin sticks of grass sone cotton wool and paint
and candy floss
plus more candy floss in clingfilm for plastic bags and the stall
fyi the other stall were e bought as a set, I have an upgrade on one I’ll add soon.
this looked workable
as bought
a new paint job
I had a reference picture at one time but it dissapeared
a figure
and a paint upgrade
2 thin sticks of grass sone cotton wool and paint
and candy floss
plus more candy floss in clingfilm for plastic bags and the stall
fyi the other stall were e bought as a set, I have an upgrade on one I’ll add soon.
joe circus
Well-Known Member
That looks awesome! Makes we want some cotton candy!
joe circus
Well-Known Member
I have a stake driver up today. Looks like a military surplus vehicle with tracks, modified to work the big show.
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Nicely modelled machinery, looks like metal, so nicely painted too
Jaz avalley
Station cat
joe circus
Well-Known Member
I like your stalls, I have some I need to work on.
joe circus
Well-Known Member
IIRC, this is the Circus Craft Goliath Wagon.
This was likely used in 1928 by Ringling to haul Goliath, the sea elephant, around the big top and back and forth on the lot. There was another wagon, which was partially covered, used for the water pump and the canvas tank where Goliath stayed between shows.
Goliath, and his wagons, went to the Sells-Floto in 1932. This wagon went to the Hagenbeck-Wallace in 1934 and got a rebuild into the Frigidaire polar bear float.
This was likely used in 1928 by Ringling to haul Goliath, the sea elephant, around the big top and back and forth on the lot. There was another wagon, which was partially covered, used for the water pump and the canvas tank where Goliath stayed between shows.
Goliath, and his wagons, went to the Sells-Floto in 1932. This wagon went to the Hagenbeck-Wallace in 1934 and got a rebuild into the Frigidaire polar bear float.
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Jaz avalley
Station cat
FYI my work is generic, but yours , Joe Circus, has added value, as you are recording historical data, and so many people fail to preserve items that are then lost as time passes, so you are adding invaluable historical data as well as an interesting modelling scenario.
Especially in an arena where there not high interest in modelling.S your research once recorded here or elsewhere will be a good historical reference point in the future.
Especially in an arena where there not high interest in modelling.S your research once recorded here or elsewhere will be a good historical reference point in the future.
joe circus
Well-Known Member
Someone asked me once why I was continuing the wagon posting in the thread started by Johnny about about his Winterquarters build, and the answer is, there was so much historical data that Johnny had provided from an insiders view about the circus and show trains, I wanted the history I was posting about the wagons to be an extension of that and be available for those who were interested. There were a number of threads started about circus trains that went on a bit then ended, I wanted this one to last.
While your point is well taken about circus being a less modeled scenario than most, somebody is sure buying a ton of it on that auction site, maybe when they search they'll come here and get some ideas.
At this point, when you search for some of these wagons by name in Google, the first "hit" you get is this thread.
It's fun for me to do the research and write a few paragraphs here.
While your point is well taken about circus being a less modeled scenario than most, somebody is sure buying a ton of it on that auction site, maybe when they search they'll come here and get some ideas.
At this point, when you search for some of these wagons by name in Google, the first "hit" you get is this thread.
It's fun for me to do the research and write a few paragraphs here.
joe circus
Well-Known Member
Today I have a cage wagon for you. Nothing I have pix of from CWM really matches it closely, one or two do, loosely, very loosely. Nothing on my usual reference sites look similar.
joe circus
Well-Known Member
This cage seems to be from the same maker but has two levels of smaller "quarters", I'm guessing for dogs.
It is a little more decorative as well.
It is a little more decorative as well.
joe circus
Well-Known Member
I seem to have made it through the wooden wagons that have been built, I have a number of Circus Craft kits still slated for assembly, I'll pick back up with those when they are complete. I also have some wagons from another circus which I'll get out of their box soon.
For now, I'm going to continue by posting some pictures from my CWM visit in 2015. These will be of wagons that I either have not built yet or have not been able to acquire.
For now, I'm going to continue by posting some pictures from my CWM visit in 2015. These will be of wagons that I either have not built yet or have not been able to acquire.
joe circus
Well-Known Member
Do you remember back when we talked about the wagons Ringling had built in response to Barnum having wagons built for their return from Europe?
Well, at the same time they had a wagon built, by Bode of Cincinnati, for the Adam Forepaugh & Sells Bros. Circus, which was Ringling's "second unit". This was the Columbia Bandwagon.
It remained with the Forepaugh/Sells show through 1907. Ringling took the show off the "road" in 1908.
Since Ringling bought Barnum in 1907, the Columbia was sent over to the Barnum & Bailey Circus, where it was used through 1918.
The combined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey was formed in 1919 and she was used in the new show and again in 1920.
As with so many wagons before, then it was off to the winter quarters in Bridgeport, CT until George Christy bought it in 1927 for his Christy Bros. Circus. The Columbia was used from '27 through '30, again, off to winter quarters in South Houston, TX, from '31 to '34.
A multi wagon sale occurred, including the Columbia to Jess Adkins and Zach Terrell for their their all new Cole Bros. Circus. She went out in 1935 wearing #62 and was a 21 foot ticket wagon for the show. Of course, it did parade duty as well. The parades lasted until 1939 and it was taken to the Rochester winter quarters.
In 1940 the alterations began, and by 1950 she looked quite different. Doors had been added, multiple different paint schemes, a canopy was even added.
The Cole Bros. closed and the entire show made it's way to the Arthur Wirtz farm outside of Peru, Indiana. ( previously the Terrell Jacobs farm )
The Columbia was purchased from Cole by William Brinley of Meridian, CT in 1952.
John M. Kelley, Circus World Museum founder, bought the Columbia Bandwagon from Mr. Brinley in 1954.
She became the FIRST wagon in the collection at Circus World Museum! It was there that the Columbia was restored to her original glory.
Well, at the same time they had a wagon built, by Bode of Cincinnati, for the Adam Forepaugh & Sells Bros. Circus, which was Ringling's "second unit". This was the Columbia Bandwagon.
It remained with the Forepaugh/Sells show through 1907. Ringling took the show off the "road" in 1908.
Since Ringling bought Barnum in 1907, the Columbia was sent over to the Barnum & Bailey Circus, where it was used through 1918.
The combined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey was formed in 1919 and she was used in the new show and again in 1920.
As with so many wagons before, then it was off to the winter quarters in Bridgeport, CT until George Christy bought it in 1927 for his Christy Bros. Circus. The Columbia was used from '27 through '30, again, off to winter quarters in South Houston, TX, from '31 to '34.
A multi wagon sale occurred, including the Columbia to Jess Adkins and Zach Terrell for their their all new Cole Bros. Circus. She went out in 1935 wearing #62 and was a 21 foot ticket wagon for the show. Of course, it did parade duty as well. The parades lasted until 1939 and it was taken to the Rochester winter quarters.
In 1940 the alterations began, and by 1950 she looked quite different. Doors had been added, multiple different paint schemes, a canopy was even added.
The Cole Bros. closed and the entire show made it's way to the Arthur Wirtz farm outside of Peru, Indiana. ( previously the Terrell Jacobs farm )
The Columbia was purchased from Cole by William Brinley of Meridian, CT in 1952.
John M. Kelley, Circus World Museum founder, bought the Columbia Bandwagon from Mr. Brinley in 1954.
She became the FIRST wagon in the collection at Circus World Museum! It was there that the Columbia was restored to her original glory.
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Oooh ooh cocktail sticks a piece of paper and some dress making scissors like the ones I show in the build your own caravan, and you could add the canopy, size the trailer drawer a rectangular shaper for size then fold the four sides then cut the edging with the dress makers scissors glue on cut cocktail stick paint orange and add the paper top.
Even if you don’t nice piece
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Now I have nothing to move forward with I will have to go backwards through the post,so expect posts like my last one as I take in the sights lol.i
Jaz avalley
Station cat
This stall, has an added skirt I used paper from a train box, the lid is pkastic not paper but might help explain my previous idea, plastercine could be used to make its like the three bottles people throw hoops at, I added little price tags as well. it is not circus persay but you can see how it could be updated for just that purpose. I’ll leave it as little pictures as it is not ‘proper’ circus.
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joe circus
Well-Known Member
Nice work again Jaz!
