This Month In Fibreglass: January 2015

Welcome to 2015! Can you believe it? Neither can we.

And to truly ring in the new year in style, what better than a random selection of news stories from across the globe - all with a tenuous link to fibreglass? Nothing! Here goes...

Northern Nudes

She's being restored... but she really ain't happy about it

The town of Doncaster is buzzing this month, amidst news that a beloved sculpture is to be restored to its former glory.
The giant fibreglass artwork, The Lovers, sparked much clutching of pearls when it was first unveiled in 1968. It was originally installed in the fountain of the then Arndale Centre, and proved to become a beloved fixture over the years. It seemingly disappeared in the mid-1980s during the centre's rebranding as the Frenchdale Centre.

But! In 2006, it came to light that The Lovers had been canoodling at the bottom of someone's garden for some 20+ years. There was even a Facebook group set up in its honour.

This Month In Fibreglass: December 2014

This month's Christmas special is all about ridiculous GRP (Glass Reinforced Pressies). Let's be honest, do you really want these things? Really? ....You should all be ashamed.

Sith Gear

This car can sense your presents

What would Darth Vader choose to take Mrs Vader to the McDonalds drive-thru? How about a bespoke corvette modelled on a distorted version of the mask that covers the disgusting burned remains of his real face. Well Darth does still have an ego to maintain and that could be why Hot Wheels have had this real car made to feature their new Star Wars themed toy car range.

This Month in Fibreglass: November 2014

All the latest international fibreglass news, scraped to you directly from the bottom of the barrel and still smelling fresh. This month: Royalty, Bovinery, eroticary and property.

Charlie Views Charlie Sub

"I do agree, she has some unusually shaped ballast tanks, but lets talk about the sub."

Prince Charles of Wales and Camilla Parker-Bowels, also of Wales, have been on a four day "butchers hook" around Columbia and Mexico this month. Apparently the highlight has been the viewing of this homemade fibreglass submersible used to smuggle up-to, but not exceeding, 2 tonnes
of cocaine. That much powder in such a small space is quite an achievement. When asked about a little hold inside the sub, the coastguards respectfully declined.

A fond farewell...

The CFS Team

It was a funny sort of day in the CFS office yesterday, as we waved goodbye to one of the longest serving members of the team.

This Month in Fibreglass: October 2014

In a desperate and unashamed Halloween connection, we've compiled, or scraped, the ultimate top 3 GRP death beds. Sites where fibreglass was once made for luxury or fun, but is now decayed and creepy (and you'll see, there is a very fine line between fun and fear). Abandoned, rotting reinforced plastics for your delight and entertainment. Enjoy.

3. Grisley World

Cork-screwed

This is, or was, "Nara Dreamland Theme Park", Japan. A showcase of what can happen after just 8 years of abandonment. Brought to our attention in this article in the Mail Online Travel section.

"Ultraman, please wake up, the world needs you."

Thanks go to Michael Turtle who [maybe broke in? I'm not sure] took 150 photos of the now silent fun park, and great quotes from him include:

'Oddly, I would even look behind me sometimes [on the roller-coasters] to make sure there were no carriages coming.' and, 'It's not hard to imagine some disaster in the area which forced everyone to leave suddenly.' We really recommend viewing the article, which has many fascinating photos and plenty of amusement in the comments too.

2. Christine 2

"Well, restoration isn't cheap. But you'll make it back on the meat it brings home."

 Those of us that have seen the classic Stephen King movie "Christine" may get a chill viewing these American fibreglass sports cars waiting restoration in a secret location somewhere in Florida. Click this link to see all the photos.

This Month in Fibreglass: September 2014 - A Roundup!

This month, the world of fibreglass has been... quiet.

There ain't a lot going on.

Not much is happening, to be honest.

So what better time to have a little trip down memory lane and revisit some of our most popular posts? I can feel your excitement building already. There are puns galore!

Let's go!

This Month in Fibreglass: August 2014

As usual, a tenuous link to fibreglass with another animal special this month - including more proof that people really will steal anything.

Outrage as Cow is Stolen

If looks could kill...

Residents of the Australian town of Cowaramup (got to be Australian with a name like that) have been on the lookout for a 3 legged cow... made of fibreglass.

This Month in Fibreglass: July 2014

Something old, something new, something bouncy, something huge. The 'best' of this month's fibreglass news feeds are here. It's not easy you know.

Noahs Arc-ade

All these machines still require 2 shillings to play.

Celebrating the worlds first coin-operated video game, the wonderfully titled "Computer Space". Four are displayed at a Japanese video games museum. What's it doing here you ask?

This Month in Fibreglass: June 2014

Please send any complaints about this month's blog's terrible titles to the email address on this page.
I have no regrets, none.

The Tracks of Might, Here's

Colonel Sims has had to postpone the revolution , the factory door is too small.

One of the many great things about working at CFS is that we get to see an ecletic mix of customer projects. None more extreme than this: Jamie Sims' 15ft light tank. I think he may be considering annexing parts of Leicestershire. If you live there, it's time to bow to your new leader.

This Month in Fibreglass: May 2014

It's another month of fibreglass "not news", wrapped up in this cut-out-and-keep, witty blog. May has brought us sexy fibreglass puffins, another fibreglass house of sorts and a plastic that heals itself, deal with it.

Plastic Puffins

The look of love but the feel of plastic. The story of my life.

What do you do if your island is lacking in puffins? It's a question we have all asked ourselves at some point in our lives. If your island is Ramsey Island, and your fibreglass puffins don't do the job on their own, what you need is a puffin disco. A solar powered sound system playing the sounds of sexy

This Month in Fibreglass: March 2014

March's "This Month In Fibreglass" is a celebration of fibreglass in lifestyle. Whether it's living like a Bond villain, living la vida Buddha or a living-room sofa, it's all below. Read on.....

Bond Villain Simulator

Options include hot-tubs, en-suite bathrooms and thermo-nuclear missiles

Perhaps it's an obvious observation, but this does remind us of a lovely retirement home for the James Bond villain Stromberg. Things could have been so different - once world domination was complete, pop "Atlantis" on the market and spend the rest of your days floating about just off the Maldives, with a nice glass of brandy.

This Month in Fibreglass: February 2014

Something we would like to ask regarding these thefts is, why? Just... why? And also... How?!

Firstly, someone with a penchant for long-necked mammals has swiped a fibreglass giraffe from someone's front garden.

Trudy in her natural habitat

The 12-foot model was taken in the dead of night from the garden of an animal-loving family in Sussex. 'Trudy', as she is affectionately known, was originally saved by the Tilley family from a disastrous fate - the tip.

This Month in Fibreglass: January 2014

This month is a transport special: eaten Astons; ground Zeppelins; wood based car parts and strangely for a fibreglass blog it's 100% boat free!

Aston Martin Launches Dog Toy

What dirty mongrel did this?

The ultimate chew bone? Or possibly a dog that needs a little more "fibre" in its diet, either way it was the final straw for the guilty spaniel, who has been re-homed since this incident.
Doggy mindreader Helen Stone says, "We always say it is important that owners give their dogs

This Month in Fibreglass: December 2013

Damaged fibreglass, damage done by fibreglass, damaged reputations, it's more crazy news that "involves fibreglass" in some way.

Tank Vs Bungalow

"When you said you wouldn't mind a roller parked on the driveway......."

Set free from a nearby distillery, this fibreglass tank took a 2 mile journey across Scotland before finally being halted by a bungalow. Judging by the damage, you wouldn't have wanted to be in the way of this thing during it's journey. No news on if the tank contained any booze.

More on this story here.

Strawberry Vs Ground

Nothing says Happy New Year like a giant fibreglass strawberry being lowered from a hotel, but it helps

Customer Focus: Christmas 2013

5....4....3...etc...Thunderbirds are go! And their likenesses are being perfectly recreated in Cornwall by Vaughan Herriot. There cannot be many of us who wouldn't recognise the characters of the iconic 60's TV show.

 Yes m'lady, I am accurate in every way.

Vaughans FAB-ulous recreations are partly made using fastcast resin and everything is cast, created, cut and stitched by hand with incredible attention to detail.

So accurate are they that Vaughan has an entire set of puppets, or supermarionettes, commissioned for the London Film Museum in Covent Garden.(below pic).

Do the crew have a plan to escape their unbreakable glass prison?

Visit Vaughan's website for more on these, plus see other Gerry Anderson creations reproduced like Captain Scarlett, Fireball XL5, Stingray and much more.

This Month In Fibreglass: November 2013

We bring you the worldwide web's composite news round-up that no-one else would print. Read below for everything you need to know about sanding robots, turtle aerodynamics and placentas in resin.

North Pole Horror

Santa, no regrets

Police are no closer to finding the elf that went on a north pole rampage this week..........
Only joking kids, Santa is alive and well and his likeness is being diplayed as this wonderfully tasteful 180kg fibreglass statue. Looking over the population of Taunton Green (in the USA, of course), just standing there judging peoples behaviour, like he does.

Apologies to our regular readers, it's another statue. Source article is here.

Mech Arm Makes Dust

Jim was happy he got a promotion from drying paint supervisor

If you are anything like me you will have dreamed of owning a mechanical hand to take care of

This Month In Fibreglass: October 2013

It is statue or bust this month. An effigy special featuring Banksy's Ronald Mcdonald, a statue in the rain, naked and tied dog-humans and a devil horse, a tribute to the late Luis Jimenez.

Is This Clown Bothering You?

"Keep buffing, I'm lovin' it."

It's always nice to see top level artists using GRP, and from the man that has made so many non-fibreglass art works, it's Banksy the graffiti guy and his Ronald McDonald fibreglass statue with real life boot cleaning peasant. It (or more correct to say, they) have toured the McDonalds of New York in a "stick it to the corporation" style street art installation. No word as yet from the lawyers.

Alien Enjoys Cornish Weather

"Oh why didn't I just stay in the caravan?"

I am sure we have all felt like this chap, not only blue from cold but taking one in the face from a cloud

This Month in Fibreglass: September 2013

The lighter side of the international fibreglass news stories from around the world. This month's treats are a fake Bugatti, an old lady and some big balls. Yes, it's been a quiet month, I can't help that.

Hotel Balls Up

Isn't it nice in sphere!

Yes, you can live like Tarzan for only £90 a night according to this news. A Canadian man has invested £100,000 each (whaaa?) in these wood/fibreglass 15ft conkers to rent out to anyone who wants to

Customer Focus: October 2013

Welcome to our first customer corner. A quick look into the outside world, a place to share, and show off your projects. This month I'd like to thank David, Alec and Andrew for their feedback.

Shell Shock

"It is dangerous, but you can get the bird to lay directly into the cup"

Chicken welfare is usually the last thing on our minds when we are enjoying a bacon 'n' egg sarnie, but CFS customer Andrew Noble (ret.) has made this beauty for the Freedom Foods' campaign "Simply Ask". An egg that has now been autographed by many celebrity chefs. So this answers the question of which came first, Andrew hasn't even started on a fibreglass chicken yet.

Defending The Nation

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Yep, it's plane

Many thanks to Alec Cornish-Trestrail who has shared his DeHavilland Sea Vixen FAW2. Amazingly it is 1:8 scale, do my eyes deceive me! Powered by two 54mm diameter turbojets it can reach speeds 

This Month in Fibreglass: August 2013

August has brought us Robots, Ferraris, Big Boats, A Giant Potato and an Aston Martin. All in the news this month and none of it important.

Job-Stealing Robots

Are you winding me up?

Be afraid, according to this report (which includes a short but entrancing video) someone has created a robot that will make GRP furniture. "The custom-built contraption slowly wraps resin-soaked fibreglass thread around a simple mould, working its way up layer by layer until the whole object is covered." My dream job in a nutshell.

Kit Car Crooks Caught

"yeah mate, this is one of them rare 4 cylinder Ferraris, it's very valuable."

Some naughty lads in Spain have been caught making fake supercars. In this report, several dodgy Ferraris and Aston Martins were seized, which they were trying to pass off as the real thing.....