Matchbox model of old boro

xxlshirts_fit_all

xxlshirts_fit_all

Well-known member
Just watched the bbc news article of a guy who’s built an extensive model of what the boro looked like ‘over the border’ looked quite impressive...

hopefully it will be going on public display... a fitting tribute to the guy who has dedicated 9 years to building it...
 
xxlshirts_fit_all said:
Just watched the bbc news article of a guy who’s built an extensive model of what the boro looked like ‘over the border’ looked quite impressive...

hopefully it will be going on public display... a fitting tribute to the guy who has dedicated 9 years to building it...
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It’s a ’the sun‘ link but still worth a look...

www.thesun.co.uk

Model artist spends nine years recreating Middlesbrough's streets

A MODEL-maker has become the Michelangelo of Middlesbrough by re-creating his home town — in his bedroom. Steve Waller, 61, has spent nine years and 27,000 hours on the project and is still going. …
www.thesun.co.uk www.thesun.co.uk
 
That is fantastic - Steve used to have a motorcycle repair shop and general store where the Good Food Joint is now, opposite Dr Browns. He is a top guy, really knowledgeable and very witty indeed.
He has previously completed a scale model of Ayresome Gardens and Forbes buildings and surround. During his research he discovered where all the graves were/are beneath the park and school field and that a really high percentage are for children (I think a third, by memory). Thanks to Steve we now know that walking across that park you are crossing a really crowded burial ground from the old town (family vaults used up to the early 1960s).
The Ayresome Gardens model has been displayed before, I wonder if he still has it.
His St Hildas model looks amazing. What perseverance he has. I would love to see it.
 
Great use of a colour palette that brings it to life. Well observed. I hope no-one moans if it costs public money to re-home it. (y)
 
It was also in the Mail on Saturday. Almost a full page was devoted to it with the headline "It's Tiddlesbrough" The article was generally positive - it showed an aerial photo of St Hilda's now - which has in very large part has turned back to vegetation with the exception of the Old Town Hall and compared it was the highly urbanised heyday model. It said Steve is spending up to 15 hours a day on his model. He has made around one million tiny roof tiles and cobles.

I think the bloke deserves a gold medal.

I never remembered much around St Hilda's except the 1960s flats and then some later houses the replace them. For people who did not live there it felt a dodgy place to visit and sort of abandonned and seperate from Middlesbrough Town centre. The Dock Authority had a nice building on the road to the Transporter, those Victorian buildings are still there.

I agree with BlindBoyGrunt eventually for it to go in the Old Town Hall.
 
Redwurzel said:
I agree with BlindBoyGrunt eventually for it to go in the Old Town Hall.
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I actually suggested that on Andy Preston's Tees Matters facebook page and he liked it so who knows? The town Hall has been earmarked for the centrepiece of an indoor/outdoor market but I guess it would be large enough to house a permanent installation, especially one that features the Old Town Hall itself.
 
The DM article says its 8 foot by 8 foot.

I think it would be perfect to show people what the area was like. (at the old Town Hall)

I say a similar one of old Berlin in a museum there that the staff were really proud of, but this Boro one is much more detailed. Strangely the development of Berlin up to 1914 reminded me of Middlesbrough's development with very quick industrialisation from 1850-1900.

Steve's model I notice has the Talbot Hotel wasn't that where the Tripe Supper was to form MFC? The Riverside Stadium is closer to the Talbot then Ayresome Park.
 
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Looks fantastic but journos really need to learn to listen properly...

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I guess he is using the 1830's maps to get the street layout correct but that the model is based in 1950-60 period?
 
What a talent and what a fantastic thing to do with it! Would love to see it displayed somewhere public.
 
BlindBoyGrunt said:
I actually suggested that on Andy Preston's Tees Matters facebook page and he liked it so who knows? The town Hall has been earmarked for the centrepiece of an indoor/outdoor market but I guess it would be large enough to house a permanent installation, especially one that features the Old Town Hall itself.
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He mentioned this morning on the bbc that Andy Preston has been fundamental in getting it to its next stage of being displayed in some public format...
 
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