Seems I have been slacking off a bit with my blog entries of late.

I blame the weather. Now that it's warming up, I'm spending more time outside and less in the train room but that doesn't mean I have been slacking off in the room altogether.

The ongoing project of the grounded coach body continues and seems to be slowly turning into a diorama of its own. After my last entry, I have added a window box, outdoor seat and "resident" as well as giving it a coat of paint. The painting was unintentional but I wanted to try out an acrylic wash and a 1/2" wash brush that was given to me by my wife as part of a set last Christmas. As the coach body was really only ever intended as a learning tool, it seemed the most obvious choice for this trial. I must admit that I am rather pleased with the result and the coach has taken on a whole new character to what it was in white.

Speaking of paint, I have made a couple of purchases recently which have really helped eliminate the various storage containers that have been the home of my paints and brushes for many years now. The first one was a steel pencil case with a tray in it which I use to store my brushes, stirrers and mixing pipettes, The other (and more important) is a small 2 draw organiser which is just the right height to hold my numerous 15ML Humbrol paint tins along with the aforementioned pencil case and other paraphernalia. The whole lot is now one tidy unit that fits nicely into the draw that used to have 3 different boxes and various bits and pieces in it. Unfortunately, the draws aren't high enough for paint jars from the likes of Tamiya and Model Master so they are still in a separate box. All up, it cost me about $40 AU at "Officeworks" which is a large stationery chain of this shire. I'm not sure what the UK equivalent would be but I'm sure someone from this forum will have that answer.

Unlike the paints, another collection I have is more by design than accident. For about 10 or so years now, I have been collecting Tri ang / Triang Hornby trains. For the main part, these have been kept in various boxes and parcels in cupboards until a couple of weeks ago when I decided to pull them out and see just what I had. Three hours later, I'd managed to cover a 17'x2' bench with no room left. Think it's time I got a display case on the wall.

A little side project (I know, there are many) that I currently have is a scratch built shed that I started a great long time ago (When the train room was still the garage). This was built using plastic rod and "timber" from an Atlas "Mill lumber" kit. Not sure why I started this but I think it had something to do with the plan of a men's facility that was published in one of the Volumes on the SEVERN & WYE railway. Somewhere along the way though, it morphed into becoming the basis of a small, slightly run down, garden shed. At this time, it is still a work in progress but it may end up joining the grounded coach body at some time.

A new trick this old dog has learned recently is making trees. I know many of you are saying "But that's easy, I've been doing it for years," but I really only knew the basic concept of tree construction and not the technique. However, thanks to a video on You Tube (isn't the internet wonderful?) I finally cracked the mystery of tree making. My first attempt was not so flash as I used the wrong gauge wire and ended up with something that looked not unlike a very sick weeping willow and so that was consigned to the "I might need that one day" box. At this point, Mrs Milkman came to the rescue once more with some florist wire that she no longer needed. Attempt number two was a vast improvement as far as the frame went but I feel I was a little to gung ho with the latex (First time I've used it) so it looks just a little chunky although still very passable as a tree. As I type this, I am waiting for the adhesive to dry so I can add more foliage. Attempt three, at this time, is looking the goods and I am quite pleased with it. Of course, practice makes perfect and I will be practicing a bit as time goes on although nature is not perfect so you could almost say near enough is good enough when it comes to trees.

For now though, I must leave you dear reader until next time. If I don't manage another entry before then, have yourselves a merry little Christmas and I hope that the big guy in the red suit brings you much joy on the day.

The grounded coach with it's "new" paint, window box and the resident reading the latest copy of his favourite railway modelling magazine

The organiser that now holds all of my enamel paints and painting paraphernalia.

General overview of my Tri ang collection.

Trees! The one on the right is attempt 2 with attempt 3 on the left.

The scratch built "shed" and the Atlas kit used to build it.