We meet on the second Wednesday of every month at The Den, Cunningham Road, Westhoughton, BL5 2AN. 7:30pm until 10:00 pm.
Paul first joined the Club around 2015, although his interest in model-making dates back to when he was just a wee boy.
He accepted the role of Chairman in 2025, following the departure of his predecessor, David Swift, after serving 10 years. The timing coincided perfectly with Paul’s retirement.
Paul has always been drawn to construction in one form or another, from his early days building with Lego, to assembling plastic model kits, and eventually into his professional career as a civil engineer; he worked on some of the world’s largest infrastructure projects. Despite working in the 1:1 scale world, his passion for detail in miniature never faded.
Over the years, Paul has collected a wide variety of kits and brands, proudly describing himself as a “Jack of all genres”. He enjoys the challenge of vintage kits and, in more recent years, has taken a keen interest in diorama building. His current personal challenge is to scratch-build the warship HMS Hermes as a 1:72 diorama, complete with a squadron of his favourite aircraft, the Sea Harrier.
Outside the Club, Paul is married to his supportive wife, Anna, and they have two grown-up children and a golden retriever who, ironically, chooses not to retrieve. Alongside his love for dim sum, Paul is also a member of the Beyond the Box Art podcast team, where listeners can enjoy his contribution, “Wongy’s Wisdom”, and his grammatically questionable catchphrase, “Sixty parts or less”.
Rob’s introduction to scale modelling came in 1974 on a visit to Father Christmas in Debenhams at Cabot Circus in Bristol. Santa thought he deserved an Airfix 1/72 Douglas Dauntless that year and Rob never looked back.
Early modelling memories also include building a Revell Hawker Tempest (the wing of which melted due to use of too much tube cement) and a Royal Navy Phantom (accompanied by a set of enamel paints in glass bottles).
The following year he discovered a Matchbox Starfighter at his local Post Office along with a rack of Airfix paints! As the Matchbox range expanded, so did Rob’s enthusiasm for the hobby and aviation in general. Each Saturday, new arrivals at the Post Office were purchased with pocket money, constructed in hours and were usually missing propeller blades or undercarriage legs by teatime. Yet he persisted and even dabbled in 1/76 armour on occasion, although wheels and tracks were ‘fiddly’!
After the usual break from the hobby in his twenties, Rob started modelling again in the early 1990s and joined IPMS (UK) shortly after moving to Preston in 2000. These days his subject interests include RAF Aircraft, Flight Test and Evaluation Aircraft, Small Warships and Submarines, Sci-Fi (particularly Star Wars kits old and new) and of course Training Aeroplanes (Hawk in particular).
Rob is also the leader of the IPMS (UK) Training Aircraft Special Interest Group and is one of the Hall Managers at Scale Model World – The largest scale model show in the world.
In addition to Scale Modelling, Rob is also a keen Aviation Photographer and a regular at the Royal International Air Tattoo.
Mike first joined the Club in 2015 and has been an active member ever since. He’s a dedicated and versatile modeller with a keen interest in many subjects that include 1/32 scale aircraft to 1/200 scale ships and anything else that captures his eye!
His 35 year journey began with a memorable first build of a Matchbox 1/72 P-70 Night Fighter where he used so much glue on the wheels, that they ended up with flat tyres!
His love of model making was sparked in childhood, inspired by his father who also built kits and hung them on Mike’s bedroom ceiling. That early exposure set the foundation for a lifelong passion.
As a teenager, Mike joined the Royal Airforce Cadets, where he was soon competing in model building competitions and won several awards. These experiences helped shaped his commitment to improving with every build.
In 2023, Mike took on the role of Show Manager for Bolton IPMS, a position that he embraced with enthusiasm. He shares, “It’s incredibly rewarding to see how all the hard work pays off each year when the show comes together so successfully.”
For Mike, model building is more than a hobby, it’s a creative pursuit that blends craftsmanship, patience and community. He’s proud to share his enthusiasm and inspire others in the modelling world and is an member of the Beyond the Box Art podcast team.
Ian has been our treasurer since 2015, but his scale modelling journey started much earlier. As a child he built his first kit, a Frog Hawker Sea Fury alongside his father. This sparked a lifelong passion for kits, paints and creativity in the golden age of Airfix, experimenting with detailing and conversions using plastic sheet, balsa wood and whatever materials he could find.
After a long break to raise a family, Ian returned to the hobby with a small kit and a tray in the corner of his room. A visit to Scale Model World in Telford reignited his enthusiasm that ultimately led him to Bolton IPMS, where he found a welcoming and knowledgeable community. Since then, he has served as the club’s Treasurer and continues to refine his skills and tackle ever more challenging builds, especially with his De Havilland Chipmunks!