I can't believe it's been yet another year on RMweb. Unfortunately, modelling wise, I've been unable to do much since late September since I managed to procure my first full time job! Which has allowed me some money to budget on certain portions of my hobby.

The one thing which has stood out for me this year is how many of the projects from last year I have failed to update on - but have in fact finished, physically if not in livery.

The Stirling Single needs to be removed from storage to be photographed - I finished that (minus painting it) in August but forgot to photograph it! I finished Connaught, my old Bachmann Jubilee, and once again failed to photograph that too. The Class 29 is another model I have finished, but not photographed, and there have been a few others, here and there, in the same boat.

One I did photograph, but fail to properly review (I will get round to it, honest) was the Hornby Railroad Tornado. Both my grey version, and the limited edition apple green versions have been terrific models. I am in no doubt that Hornby and the A1 Trust got the balance just right with this model. The chassis is exceptional, in particular.

All of the coaches which I have finished - LMS Suburbans in BR Carmine (which aggravatingly, Dapol have just announced as both kits and finished models - typical!), GCR a like Clerestories in BR Carmine, and - the ones I totally forgot to put up on the blog - a whole set of Hornby Railroad Gresley teaks I have been playing around with, painting and detailing. Don't get me wrong, I love the newer Hornby Gresley Teaks, but funds are tight and I'd like a "full" rake of Gresleys just to send the trains round with.

The main reason for missing out the "ends of these projects" (which I will address in the new year) has been the job, but secondly has been my camera, which has been playing up something awful and will be replaced as a priority early next year. It's done me good over the last three years with filming the video reviews for YouTube, and photography for my modelling here, and on the main Copley Hill blog, but it has arrived at the bufferstops: end of the line.

2011 has actually been a terrific year for me, despite what I would call a fairly grueling last three months slaving away on the 4VEP model. That particular model is currently on the shelf and will be finished early in the year, all being well. Its running qualities have been improved enormously through the use of pin-point bearings and very careful cuts in the Hornby bogies, so hopefully I can finish the aesthetics to match its improved performance.

My favourite models of the year are all Thompson designed machines. I managed, over the year, to build up a small fleet of Thompson L1s - two apple green ones and a mixed traffic black one, which will get appropriate renumbers and branding when time allows for both the research and the actual renumbering!

Then of course, the great debate - Hornby VS Bachmann - for the Thompson B1s. Having inspected both models, you have to hand it to Hornby - their model is superior, well detailed, very fine and a decent runner to boot. You won't be disappointed to buy one of those, in stark comparison to my thoughts on the 4VEP, but I won't go into that yet again...!

However it was the Bachmann B1 which has got the nod from me, on the basis of accounting (damn penny pinching!), but I'm pleased to see the new chassis is every bit as impressive as the new Hornby one, especially in terms of running quality, and the driving wheels...absolutely brilliant.

All of this pales into significance with my favourite model this year - a model I suspect will become a firm favourite for years to come. Graeme's King's conversion of a Bachmann A2 - the Thompson A2/3, number 60500 Edward Thompson. Just stunning, and once the lining out is complete, and then weathered, it will be - nay, it is - the pride of the fleet.

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone, and I'll be back up and running in the new year!

Until next time!