Grytviken whaling station (2023)

Henk Wust

The whaling station was built in an old instrument case, the scene being based on Grytviken on the isle of South Georgia in the Southern Ocean. The pre-1950 prototype photos I used give an idea of, on one hand, the industry (which included a temporary narrow gauge railway), and on the other hand the desolate beauty of the island. Photos pre-dating the Falkland war show a decayed industrial setting and the wreck of a whale hunting vessel alongside the remains of a pier. These two images together were the basis of the diorama. The first photos in the album don’t yet show the final condition of this project.

The main focus of the diorama is the wrecks and the pier. The entire scene measures 30 x 70cms. The clear scenic height of the model is only 10cms (8cms in the bottom and 2cms in the lid). The vessel must be removed and the diorama and backscene can be sunk into the case to enable it to be closed and transported.

For those who wonder about the narrow gauge: the first 8 inches of the railway can be used for a short train. I still have to collect enough courage to build a Decauville loco present in old photos, with chimney stays to counter the high winds prevalent in this area.

photo album: