Well its Christmas day, because I was a clever little boy, I put the Christmas sprouts on to boil in September, I had a little spare time today, the question was what to do with it?

After several glasses of some strange substance called alcohol, I decided see how I got along with acrylic paint, so slapped a bit on the parcel vans I had been working on a couple of weeks ago before my time had been taken up with endless house decorating.

Its the first time that I have used acrylic like this on models, and even though applied with a brush, I was quite impressed with the coverage on the models, though it will need at least a couple more coats. The paint is from the Humbrol range and is the Crimson colour, which at the time in the model shop, I thought would be good for touching up the paintwork on an old Farish compound I have, but the colour will need a lot of blending (I need a re-think).

While I was contemplating the Crimson/Maroon situation, I decided to look at my plan to convert a Std 4, 2-6-0 that I bought on Ebay to an Ivatt Class 4, I reckon with a little work to the cylinders and by removing a bit from the back of the chassis, and a new cab, and altering the front footplate and a far bit of work on the tender, I may be just able to get away with it. Like they say a nod is a good as a wink to a blind man

What this latest acquisition has shown me is the actual extent the old Farish tender chassis was over scale especially when a more to scale body was plopped on top like this one by the previous owner. Well this should keep me out of trouble for a few weeks at least, until the next time as ever Happy Modelling, and have a very Merry Christmas