It has been another case of 'two steps forward, one back', spending a few days off in the garage on short tasks.  Panicked last night at realising - why only now?! - that if my track around the passenger platforms was raised on 2.5mm. cork, there would be an unrealistic step up to the coaches.  It had not dawned on me that wishing to sink the buildings into a 'scenic base' to eliminate gaps, meant they would be too low.  Next I was worried the curved platform was too close to the track, so the edge stones would soon wear a groove into the sides of passing coaching stock.  I rushed out to the garage to check this morning:

Thankfully, the former fault appears to have negated the latter, with under-frame detail safely within the loading gauge, at least on a Mk. I coach.  I will need to check the multiple units when I get the viaduct wired and powered, and can only pray their battery boxes, air tanks, etc., do not stick out any more than loco-hauled stock.

Apart from this, progress has been pleasing.  The dairy-man now has a modified Ratio lineside hut as housing for his milk-tank filling machinery.  The roof is weathered asbestos sheet, and I sunk it into the cardboard 'concrete' base after seeing the photographs:

I had a go at painting my first passenger, a free Airfix sprue with my late father's model railway mag. about fifty years ago:

... and enjoyed it so much another seven followed (please excuse the bases still attached):

The beautifully dressed ladies are Andrew Stadden, of course, and my painting does not do them justice.  From left to right: Sir Humphrey watches 1122 arrive, to form the 07.40 to London Bridge, although he requires Victoria for Whitehall.  Col. Chutney, K.C.I.E., waits with his wife Eliza - she of the Fundamentalist Victorian Wing of the 'Irrational Dress Society' - and their maid Maud (Airfix) in the long brown coat (my first attempt at using Milliput to lengthen a costume to an attractive silhouette) for a day in Town.  Meanwhile, their daughter, Harriette, harrangues young Tom, alighting at East Croydon, for his lack of hat.  Major Bloodnok gazes into the middle-distance, wondering when he will ever be able to retire from a dubious financial scheme of his that works.  'Master Stephen' is off to Head Office, to report on progress on the latest widget design by the manufacturing plant in Atherington.

I thought my first attempts at head-swapping, body-carving, and pricking-out moustaches with a pin better than expected,  and am pleased with the ties on Sir Humphrey, Tom, and Master Stephen.  It is a shame Col. Chutney's stick is not more visible, made from a bent Peco track-pin.  His fore-arm, 'donated' from a Preiser figure, is not quite right at all angles, but again I was satisfied at these first attempts.  I must pluck up the courage (and find the ability!) to supplement some of the gents with umbrellas.

Boyed up by my unexpectedly steady hand, I added name-plates to 33 025 'Sultan', bought at D.E.M.U. Show-case 2023:

... which sits on slewed and re-ballasted track to fit in the retaining wall behind without fouling the rolling-stock.  Always measure, never assume!  Another day of my life I will not get back.

I started laying down a load of chain for an OCA:

This comprises second-hand jewellery chain (mostly of the wrong link design) upon a card base painted black and reinforced underneath with long match-sticks (although it still distorted a little).  Put cling-film in the OCA and press the base in, covering it in P.V.A. glue, and slowly lay the chain into it.  After letting it dry, I brushed over Humbrol silver enamel paint.  It requires more 'layers' of chain and paint to fill in the gaps and cover that chain with the 'wrong' links, though.

I have also started re-painting a Coles crane to convert to a grab - three coats and still the logo is visible (should have rubbed it off first):

... made two-dozen brown boxes for pallet loads, and must get on with the bodged 'Inter-frigo' IIB on a Hornby VIX chassis.  But these will be for other posts.