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Thinking a long way ahead towards making a small LMS layout project, I thought it might make a change if I ignored having a stationary goods yard hand crane. It might be more interesting if I had a mobile hand crane , so I searched the web for ideas and information and came up with this photo. Strictly speaking I think this is an ex LNWR version but there are similar Midland examples and I took a chance on a Meteor Models hand crane truck kit in 7mm , which is based on Midland Railway practice. Rather than bore you all with blow by blow construction I will start by saying that the kit is very much a mixed bag of both reasonable and poor white metal castings. The buffers are supposedly sprung but you have to drill the solid cast buffer housings first. The etched truck had fold up W irons which were badly drawn before being etched. These were replaced with Slaters compensated MR W irons that also had better axlebox castings. The kit had an atrocious piece of tatty wood for the jib, so this was replaced by a suitable size of square plastic, which I sanded to shape. The crane castings, however, were reasonably good. After cleaning up the crank wheel castings and painting all the parts prior to construction, the hand crane actually works!!! The crane truck finally turned out quite well. It has been difficult to establish what colour these cranes and trucks were painted. The preserved example at the Chasewater railway centre is red-brown with a black truck..... It took four evenings to complete and paint so not a huge project and I`m pleased with the model. Still needs more painting to be done and a suitable match truck to be added..........

The Caprotti Black 5 has been making steady progress over the past few weeks. I started the chassis ages ago but only since (almost) finishing the Crab have I really concentrated on finishing off the Caprotti. The rear sand boxes and all the sand pipes are still to do, along with the front guard irons on the bogie. I joined the Leamingtom MR Society earlier this year and have been able to try the loco out on Clarendon (a bit out of place on an early 1900's LNWR layout!). This has shown up some issues regarding the front bogie wheels rubbing behind the cylinder drain cocks and motion brackets/front brake hangers on tightish curves and some points. I've filed various bits away to try yo solve this but only another running trial will tell if I've succeeded. Here a a few photos of the current state: A couple of overall views, side on and front three-quarters, Rhe front platform height on Stanier tenders was adjusted to suit the class of loco they were attached to. The Comet kit platform is too low to match the cab height of the loco, so a 1 mm thick piece of plastic card has been added to get somewhere nearer the correct arrangement. Dave.

You'll have noticed from the frequency of blogs that a lot of projects are getting completed while I'm on summer leave. Apparently one's quality of life is increased by doing lots of things you like. In which case I'm right on it. Here's another long term project brought to completion. The side tipping wagons are from the splendid RT Models etched kit. The Hunslet 50t 325hp diesel hydraulic is from the Judith Edge Kit, which I bought at an exhibition in Burton some years ago. I designed and built my own chassis and gearbox for this in order to get a P4 compensated chassis with the drive line completely out of the cab. I can just see this lot storming the tip road. Lurching and swaying on the shonky track with a plume of black diesel exhaust trailing behind. Although for storming you really need a steam loco. Couldn't help noticing that Judith Edge do a 16" Hunslet as well. Another new project?