Another long overdue update and to be honest not a great deal has happened with the layout itself it remains in store at home. I did get round to removing the legs and intended to rework these to make them longer by adding extention pieces to raise the overall height of the layout nearer to the 40 inch mark. Just need to make that trip to the local wood shop...

I have been fortunate to have inherited an old kitchen table to use as a workbench that my partner wants me to use. This has allowed me to do more work on the existing buildings and newly acquired Walthers kits to expand the quarry structures as needed and bash the kit parts around. So progress has been made on that front.. photos to follow.

On the rolling stock front I made a decision to standardise on Bachmann 37s and to this end have acquired some additional models to enable me to model all of the Buxton allocated 37/5 fleet with some visiting classmates. I still need to source a sector grey Hornby 60 to enable 60011 to be modelled in Construction livery. Sadly some of my Hornby 31s have perished due to that damm mazak rot $#!+ grrr!! I've said it on the thread surely some 3d whizz could knock up a replacement chassis so you could swop them over??

Although freight stock dominates the layout I have managed to acquire a Bachmann BR blue grey class 101 to run with my class 108 on a proposed railtour rambler... oh and a Dapol 122 bubblecar for route learning. A short railtour rake of Mk1s and 2s will follow..

As for the wagons.. still no progress on doing my PGAs need to get going on the Portrait cutter for those to make the bodies.

The Hatton's/Oxford Rail I.C.I. Hoppers have been well received and I have a happy quantity of these for use on the layout. I am tinkering with these to add in missing detail on them to make them suitable for my 1989-1991 time period. They seem to have had a lot of stick over the weathered versions and yes it wasn't what had been shown but me being me I have put my money where my mouth is and brought a good quantity of them. I don't know what will happen next given that the last 2 models of the planned 20 were cancelled/not produced and no proper explanation from Hatton's on that which is a shame. I have a hunch that OR will release them again at a higher price soon. Having waited a long time since the old solid resin models for a decent model to be produced there was no way I was going to let these pass.

I have a liking for oddball wagons so have some MEAs to backdate to the trio of SJAs.. yes I know they never made it to the real Buxton area but it is my layout so rule one and all that. I am mulling over getting a pair of Kernow PRA models again for a what if scenario once they had finished in clay traffic a pair were trialled in lime traffic..
Likewise the Accurascale PCAs are very tempting as well.. especially the STS grey ones they would look rather nice under the powdered cement silo loader I have built..

So lots to do. Yes my modelling mojo isn't quite on full throttle so I will just have to do what I can. If anyone knows of a secure rent free well lit dust free workshop in Hazel Grove or Northwich let me know min 20 ft long lol. No planned outings for the layout it needs a lot more scenic work doing on it to get it anywhere exhibition standards.

Cheers for now Paul