Layout
All bar one of the points have power now. The last set is giving me some problems as the point motor is only firing in one direction.. grr
I had to re-lay a section of track as it was causing one of the twins to derail. Now just need to order a lot of ballast!!
Commissions
The next two are done for my client, just 8 more to go (plus others no doubt) They are Original Battle of Britain 34064 Fighter Command heavy weathered in pre-April 1962 conditon only slight deviation i
... well almost. Wiring, scenics still to do - hell I've still got to finish the main layout yet. I think I've created a monster, the layout now stands at 26' 6' x 11'! Comprising:
Phase 1 - the original twin loop and sidings and terminus station
Phase 2 - the return loop, underpass and overpass loops, turntable, terminus became through station and station halt at end of the return loop
Phase 3 - was tweaking the original layout from lessons learned on Phase 2, basically repositioni
My latest two commissions are with a very satisfied client (he took one of them down the pub to show his mates!!)
Before she departed I took some hi-res pictures of rebuilt Merchant Navy 35030 Elder Dempster Lines.
Before I start on this months pair (34064 Fighter Command and 35015 Rotterdam Lloyd), I've got Schools 30914 Eastbourne to complete (waiting on shedcode plate (75B Redhill) from Fox Transfers and cabside number transfers from Modelmaster). I've also acquired another
Yes I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything on my blog, nearly 3 months in fact.
I've been busy with work, life and my commission work. I've finally got myself a new camera (Canon EOS 1000D to be precise).
So some fun was had this afternoon taking a few pics of my latest commission 34057 Biggin Hill Not as dirty as some I've done in the past, but a pleasant patina of grime, rust/grease/limescale streaks, overflowing coal and ash residue after a clean out of the smoke
A quick update, two finished Original Battle of Britains, one depicted as the early BR Livery of Malachite Green, the other (well somewhere under all that dirt) is Brunswick Green
First up is 34049 Anti-Aircraft Command as requested by my client to be heavy weathered. This used a Winston Churchill as a Donor
Next up is 34050 Royal Observer Corps as early BR with Wedge Cab and standard BR font and slightly workstained appearance. I used a Sir Archie as the donor and swapped the smok
.... just in a different shade of green!!!
I took advantage of a "Volcano Day" , (well it is dead at the Airport at the moment). I plowed on with the Bullieds. 34049 Anti-Aircraft Command is all bar done for my client and my personal project 34050 Royal Observer Corps - this time in its original form and in Malachite!
She still has a way to go, light weathering varnishing and coaling. Here is a sneak peak...
While Volcanic ash has stopped air travel and caused mayhem at the airports and the wife to be is busy with business and family issues up North. I've been beavering away with Bulleids as usual
34001 Exeter is on the final stretch and will be finished shortly.
34049 Anti-Aircraft Command is currently being tweaked.
And for a change work has finally commenced on a Malachite Green B of B, using a donor 21C159 (Sir Archie) I'm recreating 34050 Royal Observer Corps in it's original guise
It's finished at last!!!
Well the 5,250gl tender destined for for Matt's (Bluebell Railway's) OO version of 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair is at least. After a slight technical issue, Vallejo's Satin Varnish is glossy compared to Railmatch's. After giving the sides a light rub down with 1200 grit wet and dry, I've oversprayed with Railmatch Satin Varnish. Still after that I've ordered some Vallejo Matt Varnish as I have an interesting idea....
Here is the aforementioned 5,250gl tender
As promised some photo's..
First up is my slightly dirty Class 31 D5512, no chassis issues with it either as yet.
Here are some comparision shots of an unmodified Wrenn 5,250gl tender and the nearly complete one I've done for Matt (Mr Bluebell Railway)
Front View
Side View
Rear View
Should add since taking these I've lined and crested the otherside, once the transfers have dried, it will be on with the final top coats of satin varnish and final assembl
No photos tonight, batteries for the camera are being recharged. So it'll be a brief update.
Rebuilt West Country 34001 Exeter is well on it's way to be truely filthy.
A re-gluing of an errant grill turned into a weathering job of sorts on my sole class 31 it's now a slightly weathered shade of Brunswick Green! It's also given me a chance to try out a different brand of aerosol Varnish, I'm really, really impressed with this stuff. I've used railmatch for quite sometime and usually
It's been a while since I've updated my blog. Not a lot has been happening apart from commission work namely 4 of my Bulleid fleet have gone North to there new home (Eddystone, 249 Squadron, 603 Squadron and Saunton) in various states of dirtiness
Below is a picture of 603 in works minus tender and lurking behind is Bionic Bulleid 3 (more on that later):
My current spate of T9's is complete with both 30288 & a reworked 30726 Here's a quick snap I took of the finished 228 in th
Well another week or so down the road in 2010 and my current spate of T9's are nearly all complete. 30718 and 30288 are finished, just 30726 remains on the workbench, just needing a few final tweaks to her weathering. I have got to photograph 30288 in natural light as I ran out of time yesterday. Here's the finished 30718
On the Bulleid front the 'Bionic One' 34014 is ready for the paintshop now and some serious weathering
Well after a brief check I have realised that my fleet of T9's is growing at an alarming rate, I'll be be turning into a T9-nutter before long....
My roster of T9's is as follows:
30120 a TMC renumbered edition, recrested by me to represent 30120 in it's twilight years in BR service, rather than preserved. Real coal in tender (R2712 was the donor loco).
30288 on the workbench currently awaiting transfers, lightly weathered and awaiting coal (R2830 is the donor loco).
30310 as acq
Well Christmas has been and gone and here is an update of sorts:
City Of Truro
Virtually all of the detail parts have been fitted as have the etched plates.
It's currently being run in on my layout.
30865 Sir John Hawkins
Finish and filthy
T9 30718
Should have some numbers & crests on to go with it's etched numberplate, then it will have a trip to the paintshop or maybe prior to that.
34014 Budleigh Salterton
Bionic Bulleid has been rebuilt, just
I'm afraid it is. A very nice one at that, NRM's City of Truro to be precise and no I'm not going to weather it!!! First impressions are that she certainly has as presence about her and looks stunning in her GWR livery. A bit surprising to see that she's not fitted with sprung buffers and a slightly naff looking coal load, but it doesn't detract from a superb model.
Still got to add the details to her and give her a good run in, she'll keep me amused until the other-half finally gets he
Finally finished 34028 Eddystone for a client whose exact words were 'just like I remember her in the 60's'
Bet you didn't realise that washing machines have a Dirty Cycle
Currently in the paint shop is LN 30865 Sir John Hawkins having a coat or two of varnish applied. Just coaling to do on her and she'll be finished.
On the workbench as I type this is another T9, a non-running 30724 brought off ebay that took less than 15 minutes to fix. Basically the screw that holds the moto
Where once there was a sole Lord Nelson, now there are two...
30865 Sir John Hawkins has joined it's sister LN 30850 Lord Nelson on my workbench.
Currently being prepped for weathering (there's a bit of queue in the paintshop more on that later in the blog). I've drilled out the chimney and fitted most of the details. Here it is straight out of the box:
And as promised here's a picture of Lord Nelson taken under natural light:
My three kit built pieces of rolling stock are
...30850 Lord Nelson that is
Due to the weather I was unable to photograph her outside (did it in the conservatory instead), but here she is in slightly workstained condition, with a tender overflowing with coal and a little bit of limescale and oil thrown in.
That's all for now...
From previous blog entries, my fellow RMWebbers will know that I've been building a few van kits. Up first are my Parkside Dundas duo of PMV and Plywood sided CCT.
This just need transfers and weathering to complete
Up next is a fantastic, if slightly fiddly kit to build Ratio's SR 28 Ton Bogie B Passenger Van. This needs the glazing and roof fitted, along with Transfers and weathering.
Also there has been a surprise arrival in the shape a Bachmann LN 30850 Lord Nelson. Run
With some help from my fellow RMWebbers a name has finally been decided on for Bionic Bulleid 3. Though not the clear winner in number of times it was suggested, I liked the sound of it (besides they will all get done eventually ) and that's what matters.
Drum Roll Please....
....Bionic Bulleid 3 is going to be...
34014 Budleigh Salterton
Ok folks, sorry for the lack of updates, but have been busy with modelling and returning to work after a long layoff.
As I have said a few times (not in these exact words though ), there is no such thing as a dead Bulleid.. Yes I'm talking Appledore 1.0 here, last seen festering on my layout in scrap condition. The loco body is completely U/S, but the rest is ok (tender top needs repairing though). So I'm talking about another Bionic Bulleid, I have the parts (another shop soiled rebuilt a
Another week flies by and another dirty Bulleid rolls off the production line. In this case 34093 Saunton
Also another kit build is nearly finished, in this case a Parkside Dundas SR Plywood sided CCT van will post some photos once it is finally assembled. Had a slight problem with the floor being twisted, but have sorted it out, using a bit of creative thinking
Shock of shocks though I've ordered another kit to build....
After the tragedy of losing Appledore off the paint stand, she's well and truly risen from the ashes. Here in all her grubby glory, may I present 34100 Appledore 2.0
As the pictures are now back here's T9 30717 in all her grubby glory
I'll post a few pictures of Appledore 2.0 a bit later today along with an updated pic of the PMV I've built.
I've also got another renaming project on the bench, yes it's another rebuilt West Country - 34093 Saunton..
