Hi All!

This is my first Blog celebrating the fact that I have found the light and currently making a return to my modelling after nearly a year out.

I've got a new project on the boil atm, involving a 12'x3' roundy roundy layout based on Rhyl, North Wales.

I chose this location as it offers a masive variety of traffic passing by, interesting trackwork and a mix of signals that I hope to recreate. I'm not tryingto model Rhyl exactly, but rather use it as a source of inspiration and influence. I'm targeting the 70's and 80's so mostly BR blue traffic, but I can see a few grey locos on the roster too!

While I wait until I've finished painting the new rail room and built the boards, I've been buying some 'inspiration' in the form of Mk.I carriages and a pair of the N guage society's Inspection saloons.

Nothing like seeing a train form up to get motivated! Class 24's will be the mainstay of my early traffic, along with 47's. Freight was so varied along the North Wales line, I'll look forward to forming up my freight trains

Using that motivation, I did break out the airbrush for the first time in months! I wanted to see waht I could do about weathering carriages. Attempt one below!

Not too dissapointed with the first results, but I can certainly improve on this I reckon. Suggestions welcome! I tried spraying a couple of other wagons that were laying about.

Poor Seacow is a long way from it's original paintjob now!

Finally, I'd been playing with the Dapol magnetic couplings before my hiatus, but now that i'm back, I thought I'd try the NEM pocket conversions that have since been released.

The conversion was quite simple and the jig in the pack was rather good and easy to use. Can't say I've had better luck getting the couplings to function as they ought, but the coupling height and centerline match that of the NEM fitted wagons so I can safely say the conversion went well. Just need to figure the trick to make the couplings work properly now!

Anyway, thanks for reading my ramblings if you made it this far! Hopefully I'll have a bit more on the go soon!

Regards

Lee