As college is nearly finished for the year I will be able to go to my local model railway club for a couple of weeks.
With this I hope to try and get some of my locomotives chipped (at least 4) ready for the layout which may have to wait until the weather warms up to begin any sort of construction. So I'd thought that I would give you a glimpse into some of my collection that I am planning to run on my first layout.

<Hornby R3354 0-4-0 DIESEL "BARABEL" SENTINEL LOCOMOTIVE>

When I first saw the first batch of these little diesels I thought they looked quite quirky and was considering getting one but when I heard Hornby were releasing a second batch (with outer crank) I decided to wait for them to hit the shops. Why it's not the best detailed model out there, I believe for the price the detail is still very good. When testing it on DC on the club test track, after being run in, I wondered how slow it would go and I was amazed that when I thought it was not moving that it was so slow that it looked like it! I have yet to test it on points but if I plan to make the points electrofrog it shouldn't be to much of a problem.

<32-106K CLASS 08 601 "SPECTRE" LMS BLACK EXCLUSIVE TO THE Bachmann COLLECTORS CLUB>

Shortly after Christmas I was browsing the Bachmann Collectors Club site out of curiosity of what it was about and I saw this beauty on the the front page and shortly after signed up and purchased this model. I had been after a class 08 for a while but could never seem to find one in a livery I liked or I would find one but already spent my model budget on other items. As well as incredible detail the model is a smooth runner under DC and is more than capable of hauling any train I will run on my layout.

<Bachmann 32-129A CLASS 46XX PRAIRIE TANK 4545 BR BLACK EARLY EMBLEM>

One of my favorite locomotives in my collection. Getting one of these was a pain to get at the time as everywhere I looked at the time had sold out of this model and this version was being discontinued until I went to my local-ish model shop in Addlestone and they had one left. It hasn't had a good run for a while but as far as I'm aware it is a good runner as well although it's slow speeds aren't the best under DC but should improve after being chipped. I am thinking of getting another prairie tank in the future but for now i am happy with just one of these lovely locos.

(This is an older image due to reasons explained later)
<Bachmann 64XX BR BLACK EARLY EMBLEM>

As my username suggests I have a certain soft spot for Panniers and this was my first 1. I wanted a Pannier since I first got back into the hobby but could not find one that was brand new (I was a bit cautious with second hand locos at the time) then one day after picking up a modeling magazine I saw that Bachmann had released these amazing models and picked one up when I went on a mini spending spree at Alton. Even the shop keeper was amazed by how smoothly it ran out the box. Sadly I have seem to somehow misplaced this model (my room is a tip to be honest!) and if I can't find it soon I will have to get another of my 6 pin locos chipped in it's place.

As for the layout itself the design currently remains unchanged but when I go to the club in a couple of weeks for our "show and tell" evening I try and get a print of the layout (not to scale) and have them give me tips on it's design and how best to start (once the garage or another similar sized room has sufficient space).

Thank you for reading and I will update as much as I can on the progress and if much doesn't happen I'll make another "introducing the fleet" blog.

PTM