Entry posted by MinerChris
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Circumstance is a funny thing. Everything that you see in this post has travelled westwards across the Atlantic to my residence for the year in Canada. Whilst this makes some things easier, like not wanting to venture outside during winter, it makes the logistics of most things much harder. I’m afraid that I’m not going to give a blow by blow account of the kits that have been put together, as instructions for the things worth repeating are mostly available elsewhere.
The Ugly (the Scenics)
Firstly I should explain, the ugly isn’t a reflection of the quality kits or even (possibly) my ability to build them, more the fact that nothing is painted and is likely to remain so for some time.
Finally, after much procrastination, I have finally decided on where my stupidly small layout would be based. Hingston Down Quarry backed onto the Callington branch and was originally rail served but was disconnected some time before the 50’s. Under my slightly dis-orientated time lime and geography, the quarry doesn’t lose its siding, exporting granite to Plymouth and beyond. Some passenger services will be provided for via the halt platform adjacent to the siding, with much of the infrastructure “borrowed,” from the adjacent Chilsworthy Halt and Luckett Station. I had originally chosen Chilsworthy for my dual boxfile layout, although I decided against it for Congdon’s shop, due to the impressive views over the Tamar towards Dartmoor. Hopefully the mock ups with views from google earth give some impression of the effect that I’m hoping for.
One thing that I had been meaning to get around to before I left was the fiddleyard cassettes and adaptors, which of course were started when I finished the move and are still yet to finish. For this I took a lead from D869's layout’s and went for brass strip cassettes. It will just be my luck to ensure that they won’t be compatible…
The cornflake packets mock up how big the bridge and platform will be, a purely temporary measure… Mark 2 of each is currently being drawn up in CAD. Also on view is the Higg’s Bufferstop constructed at the end of the siding, once I had finally made up my mind that this was to be a siding.
The Coaches
Several kits arrived from the trip in my hold luggage, with only slight damage, to reduce the gloatage sitting in the UK, under the premise that if they were here, there would be a marginally better chance of them being built.
The first thing out of the box was one of Mr Higg’s replacement underframes for the autocoach. Whilst I haven’t gone to the same level of detail as Missy, it is a vast improvement on the moulded efforts of Dapol. With four left to start, and one still to finish, I doubt if I would get the chance to start on the auto gear if I have any hope of finishing all of these in the next year. Eventually I hope to recreate the auto-trains formed of 4 coaches which went up to Tavistock from Plymouth, if I have remembered correctly.
In addition to this, I have been making progress with my first Higg’s coach proper, with an early CK Collett. These are really well thought out and the building of this was only hampered by my inability to read the instructions, which led to having to unsolder most of the underframe in order to put the V hangers on. Eventually this should be paired up with a Hawksworth behind a 45xx, in a scene reminiscent from the Launceston Branch.
The sides and roof are only held in place with bluetac for demonstration purposes and to test the fit of the sides, the bending of which was a most nerve-racking experience.
The Goods
Naturally, once I got to my temporary residence abroad and had kitted myself out with a soldering iron, which could cope with less volts out of the wall, I felt the need to try it out. I had picked up a Midland Van many moons ago with the incorrect premise of trying to change it into an LSWR van. Again this is of a Higgs origin and went together well, with copious amounts of flux applied during the sweating.
Also out of the time period, albeit no so far out, is the V14 Mink inspired by Rich Brummit’s build (on a Higg’s DC braked underframe)
The Lowfit’s have a parentage from the parkwood range of kits on BR standard 4 shoe and 8 shoe underframes. The long term plan for these and the three more to follow will be revealed at a later date… although they do keep the bogies for the next autocoach underframe, from rolling away in the meantime.
Perhaps I would have been better calling this entry “The Higg’s Boson,” given the parentage of the majority of the etched metal I’ve been working on.
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