Waiting for the Scalextric Lola Aston Martin

As modern Le Mans prototypes are among my primary collecting and racing interests, I have been anticipating getting my hands on the new Lola Aston Martin LMP1 from Scalextric. This is the car that ran at La Sarthe in 2010, and it was initially announced that it would first be only available in a special 2-car collectors set, along with the DBR9 GT1. While I wouldn't mind having another Aston Martin DBR9 (especially since the Ninco one I recently bought is such a dog) I was glad to hear that the LMP will eventually be available by itself later this year.

PHOTO CREDITS: Scalextric

It's a great looking car - especially in the Gulf livery, and if it runs anything like the other Scalextric cars I've purchased over the years, it's bound to be a favorite.

Progress on The Schweizering Continues...

Still filling in bits and pieces...one of the items I wanted to include in the "mountain" area of the track is a (non-operable) cable car, which will go from the lower portion of the track near the grandstands up to the highest point of the track. At this lower end is a chalet-type structure which has a platform for the car; at the upper end, I will build a landing/observation platform onto the side of the "mountain" - with a line strung between the two and the car placed somewhere in-between. Yes - it would be neat to have something that actually travels between the two - but that is beyond the scope of my skills right now, and I want to focus on getting the track running again.

The upper platform will be on the "mountain on the right - on the left, I've just finished up adding a coat of Sculptamold on the last bit of hill at the turn. There's a concrete pad upon which a marshall's tower will sit later.

I tend to buy or re-use bits and pieces if it will save me time and scratch-build what I cannot find or what I need custom -- like pits or this building. This is covered in plaster stucco - I've added some bits of stained wood, some shutters I made - and a door from another toy castle I found.


Above the car platform, I added some coats of arms for some of the Swiss Cantons as decoration - the last square on the right is just a hole - the line for the cable car will exit the building through here. In any case, the building is now set into place with plaster cloth and more Sculptamold.

The clear plastic box to the right of the building is an empty chocolate box that will eventually become the cable car...