I came across the Steve Barber Models range of resin buildings at the 1996 Model Showcase, held at Plinston Hall, Letchworth on 9 June. This show is predominately a modelling event, and is organised by the British Model Soldier Soctety. There is a small wargames presence however, but unfortunately it is hidden away in a back room, and virtually ignored by the model makers. Which is rather a shame, since this year there were quite a large number of traders - Gladiator Games, Awesome Enterprises, Kennington Miniatures, and Steve Barber Models.

Steve Barber Models offer a figure painting service, examples of which looked to be very nicely done, but more interestingly (to my mind) were a quite large range of resin buildings and scenery accessories, mainly in 1/300th and 15mm scales, with a few 1/200th and 25mm items. In 1/300th there is a range of Spanish/Mediterranean brick, covered in plaster, houses with tiled roofs in various sizes; a range of 4 Middle East flat roofed buildings, one of which is a useful ruin; and some European buildings : two Dutch/Belgian style, a thatched cottage and a Tudor Inn. Lastly a Dark Ages range of thatched Celtic dwellings - a round house, a timber A frame house (3 for 99p!), and two styles of storage buildings. The 1/300th items range in price from 33p (the A frame house) to £1.99 for a Spanish church. For users of 6mm figures there is almost certainly something here to add variety to a terrain layout.

The 1/200th range consists of American Civil War buildings, clapboard houses, barns etc, all fairly useful for 10mm figure users, a scale in which there isn't an aweful lot of scenery at the moment.

So far the 25mm range consists of stone walls and a nice set of 6 barrels (3 variants) for £1.35. By far the most interesting ranges are those for 15mm. There are some general purpose items - walls, hedges, sandbags etc, all nicely done and not expensive , but, the best of all, is the Dark Ages range. This consists of 13 items, all based on real buildings. There is a larger version of the A frame house; a wonderful Scandinavian farmhouse - a long rough stone hall (150mm by 75mm) with a thatch roof; a 7th century Anglo-Saxon church; an assortment of smaller buildings - storage buildings and an Irish Oratory; a section of Roman wall with seperate steps and a matching turret section; and a pair of mix and match Roman houses - two different bases and two different roof styles. If only I gamed the Romans in 15mm !! Prices range from £2.60 for a grain store to £7.99 for the church, which, considering its size is a bargain. All items can also be bought painted, at roughly three times the price.

I'd say that the range is well worth a look - a current price list can be had from Steve Barber Models, 1 Avon Place, Hawkslade, Aylesbury, Bucks HP21 9LR.

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