Fire (Ambulance?) Station

[motorman]

Can we see more of that Mustang custom Dave?

Unfortunately the Mustang was sold a long time ago. Here is the picture used to list it.

Thanks for showing Dave, it looks superb and i bet it didn't take long to sell!!

[CrazyDave]

Thanks for the photo. I think if I were to try and replicate this, I would jaz it up a little. Looks a little too plain for my taste.

[matchboxkiwi]

I think this is the model I was referring to in my earlier post.
Well done Bert for locating a photo of it.

Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

[Tinman]

More pics of that "home made" ambulance station.

[Tito]

Wow, very nice work on the Ambulance Depot. Thank you for all the photos, which are a great guide and help to my project. What is that insignia? Anyone know?

Tito

[Tinman]

Looks to be some variation of the rod of Asclepius or cadeceus.

[Tito]

My house is becoming a home for misfit Matchbox Fire Stations -- here are only two of about five that I have. The one on the right just arrived from E-Bay. It looks like someone enjoyed it for many years -- knowing that always warms my heart. I bought it as a door donor for the one on the left, the future Ambulance Depot. Then I had a great thought why not cast my own doors in resin from the donor station and then put them back and make some other fun building from the structure -- a bus garage perhaps. (Do you know that there is template for a card stock version of the Fire Station somewhere on the internet?)

Pictured are two Matchbox Ford Fairlane fire chiefs 59b (also with much play wear) and an Oxford Diecasts Bedford fire engine for the Stanley Fire Brigade, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War.

Any tips on ungluing and safe sticker removal would be most welcome.

Enjoy,
Tito

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi Tito, its good to know there is somebody out there rescuing old 'Fire Stations'...

I do not know of any method for un-gluing in respect of plastic parts, unless during the manufacture of them not a lot of glue was used and it may be possible to gently separate them with hand tools causing minimal damage.

Sticky labels if they are still in pretty good condition can be tempted to come off surfaces by the application of heat from a Ladies (or Gents if you use one!), hair drier, but you must be careful with this around delicate plastic components as you know what heat can do to plastics.

If you want to remove damaged sticky labels and throw them away, use a modeler's paint brush and soak the label with 'White Spirits' liquid, then you can peel them off. Depending on the type of adhesive used on the labels, you may have to then repeat the process on any residue left on the surface where the label was until you have cleaned away all the mucky stuff.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[matchboxkiwi]

A bus garage would be a good idea. I was going to make one up out of an old fire station and use the blue Lesney double decker buses that came out a few years ago. I collected about 17 buses. One day I'll get around to it.

Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

[toysnz]

If you want to remove damaged sticky labels and throw them away, use a modeler's paint brush and soak the label with 'White Spirits' liquid, then you can peel them off. Depending on the type of adhesive used on the labels, you may have to then repeat the process on any residue left on the surface where the label was until you have cleaned away all the mucky stuff.

GHOSTHUNTER.

I've always found eucalyptus oil or plain old canola oil lifts old no-longer-required labels - avoids the need to use white spirits which I assume is either solvent based or alcohol based...

Ian