The sleepers workspace

I think this is a remarkable model, taking account of the methods and materials used.  Your combination of the 'silhouette' cutter and sculpting of thick card has achieved a splendid result with the rounded corners - something that i have not attempted.  The overall impression is of a 'rugged' appearance that is well suited to the prototype.

 

That last photo is very 'courageous' - I know how cruel these close-up photos are!  You can, though, also use such photos as a guide to 'fettling' the bits that need a little more attention, though I expect these things are barely visible in reality.

 

Now, how about those etched bogies and mashima motor? .....

Mike,

Thanks for the kind words they are a much valued compliment coming from you. I had to laugh at the 'rugged' look, 'ugly handsome'  is another I've heard in the past, it looks extremely 'uggied' with its filthy face. 

 

My thoughts on the thick card are, with hindsight, different now. The idea of the thick card was, as I said in the blog, to give it rigidity, as well as having some 'meat' to carve in to when shaping the roof and tumblehome etc. As it's turned out the sides could hve been thinner, particularly around the windows, I will try to work differently with the next model I do with the same medium

 

It's funny you should mention the etched bogies and Mashima motor because that's exactly what I had thought of when at the beginning, it started to look like a feasible project.