Vin, 92, turns his mobility scooter into Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Vin Wardman of Craven Arms has been making models since he retired.

For the Queen's Jubilee in 2022, the retired railway worker turned his mobility scooter into a steam train.

He began making small models of Chuckie lorries and buses and later those of Lloyds of Ludlow using die-cast models and stripping them to replace with the signs of local factories.

The model maker uses all sorts of household items to make his models including bins, aluminium plates and wooden panels and at one time was a member of Craven Arms Model Railway group.

His latest creation is based on the 1968 musical film, which in turn was based on the book by Ian Fleming about a magical car that takes the family on a fantasy adventure.

On August 18, a replica of the famous car from the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was on display outside Ludlow Castle, which inspired Vin's latest masterpiece.

The father-of-two, who has one grandchild and two great-grandchildren, said: “This is my best yet. It took me months. I've made all sorts of models in the past but this one is very special.

"The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica came to Ludlow in August and I came home and thought I might be able to make one of those so I bought a scooter from eBay then sourced parts from a number of local locations.

“The windscreen was a picture frame from a hospice charity shop and the Perspex that goes inside is from a scrap merchant in Church Stretton.”

He said he had worked all day, every day on the project since September 1.

“The original chitty Chitty Bang Bang was made by two men in Oswestry and that is coming back to the town and I hope to show mine on that day.

“At 92-years of age this is the best I've ever made," added Vin.