I do hope you've missed me! Sorry I've not been here.

Some of you know that family commitments over the last year have been much higher than is desirable, and why. If that does not include you then don't worry about it. The fact is that I have been released from much of the commitment and slowly, very slowly, I'm re-organising my life.

One result of this up-heavle is that I have started to dabble with 16mm scale, 32mm gauge; or SM32 as it is known. Radio controlled live steam and a very long way from S4 finescale. A lot to learn and a tendency toward 'toy train' compared to my hobby over the last 30-40 years. May put something on here when I've moved on a bit.

Note I've no intention of dropping S4 or EM, at least not at this stage; so 'Birch Vale'; 'Wheegram Sidings' and Bowton's Yard will at very least be maintained.

Mean while I've just about finished that signal cabin for 'Bowton's Yard'. Remember this is based on the Scalescenes kit plus Brassmasters etched windows etc. Because it is to have sound effects and a fully fitted interior, I have taken precaution against 'Sod's Law' and the model is constructed of three sections which 'plug/unplug fairly easily; the roof lifts off and the wooden cabin section will lift off the brick-built locking room.

Here's a few pics:-

picsABC
R-H side; full frontal and L-H side views; I really must do something about that tatty lower window!

pics DEF
The roof is held by inner, false gables which fit tight against the real gable ends of the cabin proper; this shows the right side of the roof unit
The left inner gable shows here, as too does the tight fitting slot which clips around the chimney stack. The kit's two-part roof is fitted to my scratch built framework rather than to the cabin body as per the kit's instructions..

t

pics GH
These show the interior. The gussets at floor level allowed dowel fixing of cabin to locking room, and you can just make out three of the dowels. The booking desk was bodged up from plasticard and the easy chair is moulded in
milliput. The personnel are each Slaters 'huminiatures', heat-treated to mould them into suitable positions. - How many of you remember George Slater doing this on his exhibition stand? Heat source was his glowing cigarette end!
How did he live so long? chain smoking over an open bottle of MEK; modern health and safety would have killed him off before he'd time to introduce us to this hobby-changing material. Thanks George.

That's all for now; I hope to be back!
Dave