The completed 33" model. The hull is constructed from lime planks, painted and finely polished. The upperworks are pearwood with contrasts of lime and mahogany, and the metalwork is brass and copper.

How 'Project X 0.67' came to be.

In the autumn of 2023 I was seeking inspiration for my next model boat kit, something small and not too difficult, but interesting. Google came up with some thumbnail images - all the usual suspects I'd seen many times before - BUT there was a new one that immediately caught my eye...

What on earth was it? It led to the website of Marten & Howes, a company that designs and produces model boat kits for the miniature steam engines of Martin Baylis. The design that had caught my eye was called 'Project X'. I rang the phone number - and to my surprise it was answered by Brian Marten himself. We had a very interesting conversation. Their kit was 50" long, too big for easy home display, but he very kindly sent me plans and photographs of his finished 50" model and the engine. These were to prove essential references for the forthcoming task.

The official kit comes with a ready-made GRP hull. But my model was going to be 2/3rds the size, 33" long, so I decided to build the hull using the POB (plank on bulkhead) method. Together with the metalwork needed to complete the boiler and engine, this would be my most ambitious build ever. My previous hardest-ever model was also scratch-built from plans, a Thornycroft 40' Coastal Motor Boat.

Let us begin >>