Adrian Towner
Designer
It all started around 1968, at the age of 12 with Adrian’s interest in model making. He was avidly building Airfix kits and small models. Then moving on to model railways, he joined a local model railway club. Visiting model railway exhibitions Adrian noticed the lack of lineside models, so he decided to travel the exhibition circuit with his own range of small dioramas. However after a number of years came a decline in the railway hobby as videos and computer games became the latest boys’ toys.
Adrian felt it was time to try something new. He hit upon the idea of authentic circus and fairground models?
Subject ID: 81084
MoreIt all started around 1968, at the age of 12 with Adrian’s interest in model making. He was avidly building Airfix kits and small models. Then moving on to model railways, he joined a local model railway club. Visiting model railway exhibitions Adrian noticed the lack of lineside models, so he decided to travel the exhibition circuit with his own range of small dioramas. However after a number of years came a decline in the railway hobby as videos and computer games became the latest boys’ toys.
Adrian felt it was time to try something new. He hit upon the idea of authentic circus and fairground models?
Adrian remembered fondly Billy Smarts circus when it visited Guildford with its music, smells of sawdust and candy floss as you walked towards the big top on a Sunday afternoon. Then after the performance he would stay behind to watch the pull-down and movement of transport, Macks, Royal Windsor and of course Lord Morrison.
During the early 1970s Adrian was working for Messenger, May Baverstock in Godalming, preparing for sales and cataloguing antiques. He then realized a long held ambition to join the Fire Service, becoming a retained firefighter in 1978. This gave Adrian the opportunity to pursue his interest in building a model range.
Adrian’s first model was an Austin K6, but based on the Dinky K3, with additional brass detailing. Only four models were made as it became clear that there were insufficient models available to convert.
A significant breakthrough occurred in 1989 when Adrian met Alan Smith at a Toy Fair at Farnham Maltings, and with advice from Brian Salter as well, he set about commissioning a pattern for the Austin K6 lorry in 1:48 scale. Bill Fellows provided this, and by 1990 the pattern was finished, and resin casts were taken by CMA Moldcast. Alan Smith cast the parts and built and painted the models. At this stage Adrian was using a spare bedroom as a workshop, where he would receive the models from Alan and add transfers and further detail.
So with permission from Gary Smart, the Billy Smarts collection was started. Adrian began selling his circus models at Toy Fairs, but this was time consuming.
1991 saw a further five models added to the range, and by 1996 a full colour catalogue showed the extent of the Billy Smart range, and now there are other circus vehicles as well. Adrian now uses Bill Fellows for all pattern making, and CMA Moldcast for casting. He occasionally is asked to make a special model, and these have included a Dennis Rapier Fire Engine in 1995, by special request from Dennis Motors of Guildford. Adrian had often been encouraged by his fire service colleagues to introduce a range of fire engines but by then other makers were in the market, so he didn’t proceed with this idea.
Adrian has now built a comprehensive website, and has mail order customers from USA, Australia, Germany, France and Netherlands
There are a further 35 models of Billy Smart’s circus to be built by Adrian, and that is in addition to others such as Bertram Mills and Carters Steam Fair.
Subject ID: 81084
Subject ID: 81084
