Geoff’s labour of love sails off with top prize

A model maker’s dedication paid off as he scooped the top prize at one of the region’s top shows for his 5,000-piece warship – which was more than 20 years in the making.

Geoff Taylor, 60, won best in class and best overall model for his replica of the Type 42 destroyer HMS Manchester at the Shropshire Model Show – his first ever exhibition.

The event, organised by the Shropshire Scale Modellers, was held at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, last Sunday.

• See more pictures in our gallery to your right

The replica ship, which took 23 years to build, is made from 4,000 to 5,000 individual pieces all created by Mr Taylor himself.

He said: “I have to say it was very satisfying to win. I won first place in the ships class and won best overall model.

“It was the first time I have ever exhibited something so I’m delighted to have won. It’s very pleasing to know that other modellers, all of whom are very talented, were able to cast an eye over my model and vote it the best.”

The father-of-two said his wife Lin,60, who has put up with his hobby for the past two decades, was equally delighted that he won. He said: “Given the amount of time it has taken to build, she is very pleased.

“I’ve shut myself away from the family from time to time to work on it.

“But one the reasons it has been such a lengthy project is that I’ve had always fitted it in around my wife and two daughters.”

Mr Taylor said the model was made mainly from plastic, polystyrene, brass and other metals.

“It all started in 1989,” he said. “The first thing I did was take photos of the particular vessel so I could build it exactly the way it was on that day.

“The ship was what we call scratch-built. It was not out of a box and I had to make the pieces individually. I painted it with off the shelf paint and finished it with an airbrush.

“The sea is made from polystyrene with several layers of toilet tissue and some woodwork glue. I know one part is made up of 500 pieces alone.”

The Navy vessel is believed to be the only one of its kind in the country after Mr Taylor spent hours taking photographs of the real ship before taking on the labour of love.

Mr Taylor added: “The idea came when I was a kid – I used to make them out of cardboard.

“The first thing I did was go down and take photos of that particular vessel so I could build it exactly the way it was on that particular day.”

She was laid down in 1978 at Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, Cumbria, launched in 1980, commissioned in 1982, and decommissioned in February last year.

Her nickname was the ‘Busy Bee’, in reference to the Manchester bee emblem on the ship’s crest.

The Ministry of Defence has said it is expected the last two Type 42 destroyers, HMS Edinburgh and HMS Liverpool, will also be withdrawn by next year.

All the Type 42 destroyers are based at Portsmouth.

While it was out at sea, the real ship was armed with a medium-range air defence missile system and was equipped with the latest communication and sensor equipment.

It also carried the high-speed multi-purpose Lynx helicopter armed with anti-submarine weapons and an anti-ship missile, which was controlled by a radar.

In addition to its air defence role, the Type 42 vessel had an extensive general role as a patrol vessel, capable of a wide range of maritime enforcement and humanitarian assistance.

Other Type 42s include HMS Exeter, HMS Southampton, HMS Nottingham, HMS Gloucester and HMS York. Replacing the giant of the seas will be the Type 45 destroyer, which is more than 3,000 tonnes heavier than the Type 42 weighing in at 7,350 tonnes when fully loaded.

The MoD has said the Type 45 is one of the largest and most powerful warships in the world. As well as providing air defence over a wide area, including for the future aircraft carriers, the Type 45s are highly versatile and able to conduct a variety of operations.

The first one came into service in 2009, called the HMS Daring, and three others have since taken to the water.

The final two Type 45s, called HMS Defender and HMS Duncan, will come into service this year.