Leaderboard

The Mag is out now (even in Litchfield where magazines are only delivered on Tuesdays!), so if you haven't seen it there is a brief taster below. Really rather pleased with how it turned out - even the video (although the trains do seem to be running much faster than in reality). I was a bit worried about how it would all stand up to cruel close up but needn't have worried. A few mistakes did creep in though but nothing too serious, but just for the record; The layout is set in 1918 not 1915 Width is 18 not 9 inches There were only a 1000 (!) not many 1000's of sandbags Coffee stirers were £4 for 1000 not 100 Dates for exhibitions are wrong Burton is 13th June and Weshpool 24th October But perhaps the worst, and that is because it is all my own fault, on the video I call a Dick Kerr a Kerr Stuart - criminal! My to do list for things before Burton now consists of more things crossed off than left to do so am looking forward to a complete lack of blind panic in the week before this time. Maybe, just maybe, I might just managed to start the Joffre kit. Am afraid I did sort of promise I would have it ready for Burton but with another half term looming that could be a bit optimistic.

Been very busy with work and looking after my daughter- have made some slow slow progress. Awaiting funds to finish it all off!!! I got a Peco Lk-55 turntable which is awesome- just need to build it! I have been working on the main station area. Enjoy! Dan

Today I have well and truly been brought kicking and screaming into the 21st century!! I've been playing with static grass - the last time I did any scenery on a model railway I used surgical lint a'la Barry Norman. So having purchased a couple of bags of Heki grass (a green and a beige, both 2-3mm long), borrowed a friends static grass applicator and inspired by Gordon Gravett's book on grass etc I had a go. Mr Gravett seems to advocate blending his static grasses, so that is precisely what I've done too (a mix of about 3 green to 1 beige). The area I decided to experiment on is the Up end embankment (this is the area that all of my experiments take place - point rodding, signalling, ballasting). A layer of Green Scene's "Flock Cement" was spread along a portion of the embankment (a few pieces of flock were immersed in the glue to hopefully provide a clumpy effect for small areas of the grass), and the first layer of grass fibres deployed. After a couple of minutes I had what looked a good coverage, so the area was vacuumed over and the loose fibres collected in a hanky over the end of the pipe. These fibres were popped back in the applicator and a second coverage deployed to hopefully fill up any glue that hadn't been covered first time. Once the whole section of embankment I had earmarked for this experiment had received these two applications, some PVA was put on randomly and Woodland Scenics foliage was pressed into the wet glue. After all this had dried reasonably, I then kind of "dry brushed" PVA to the tips of some of the previously laid grass fibres, and a further deployment of just beige fibres applied to these PVA patches. Only small areas (no more than 2" square) were done at a time as I felt that the small amount of glue would dry very quickly. After each patch had been treated, the residue was vacuumed off and used on the next section. For a first attempt, I'm fairly satisfied with the results (photo's below). I probably need to attack little areas with a pair of scissors and/or tweezers to thin out some of the clumps though. 3 photos showing the grassy embankment which also show the Baulk Road and Point Rodding along the embankment Having taken the above photos, I couldn't resist the opportunity to show my Metro tank and 4 wheel coaches in their natural environment Ian

I had a bit of a fit with the steam pipes, the cast and etched ones in the kit are no good at all. I took me a couple of goes to get ones that I could use. I think they look OK just need to do some more cleaning up around them. The wheels which were blackened a little while ago, have had the crank pins fitted and have been refitted in the frames. I have also added a plate on which the cab steps have been mounted. I have done it this way as there is also the balance pipe and injectors to be fitted to it. I felt it was better than some on the body and some on the frames. Now let the fight begin. I am having more trouble with the valve gear on this than with the inside motion on my G6 project. I have had to laminate some to get forked joints. Then some parts have been re drilled to get the holes in a more correct position, then a couple needed remaking completely. And then some twit thought it might be nice to have the other end of the valve rod moving. Well we are getting there slowly, one step forward and two back. You will see there are bits of wire and tube holding parts on this is just to aid lining parts up while the joints are made. I need to do a little more work on the front crank pin and crosshead they are catching a little. I will also sort the return cranks to set the up the other half of the valve gear. Then just repeat everything on the other side. The quality of the frames is very poor against the body. Everything with them is a fight. It is quite poorly designed and reworked. I will be sending William an email to mention some of the short comings, but I expect they will be ignored the is a Gazette review which mentions some of the problems I have had.

Just a quickie. Have been experimenting with Artex, PVA glue, paint, fixative and coloured foam. The results are shown below. Not quite to the standards of Gordon Gravett ( in fact nowhere near them), but happy with my first attempts. I shall have these, along with one of Clevedon's boards at Expo EM this weekend. Come and say hello. I'll be the one covered in flock.