cornamuse

Finally some movement on the layout! A good tidy up in the railway room, and the base layer on the hillside glued on. Largely used peppermint and chamomile tea with cheap scatter mixed in. also ballast laid. I’m leaving that dry if I can get away with it - to allow me to move the track and plant buildings - this area will be the engine shed - hence the cinder and ash ballast (pumice). Aiming to have a small shed, a covered area and a coal stage/water tank, I need a lot more trees. The large pines are 12”-18” mini Christmas trees, there are fake bonsai, all sorts. Will take a while to afford the forest I’m planning for this end. The churches and village will be just visible through the trees. I love the degree of perspective you can get on here…

Carriage finished, bar crest. I’ve lowered the wagon on its bogies, too, as it was too high to couple properly with the new magnetic things. Looks much better, and wobbles less! Our posh lady passenger is slumming it a bit in 3rd, but as the only other choice is to hop in the guards van…

With the WWI Pechot… Personally, it seems strangely convincing, for a very flexible definition of convincing. ooooh, handrails, too!

Lining looks ok from 6’ away, like most of my lining. The carriage is on its 4th repaint so not a good surface to line any more

The van needs handrails, more clutter and a guard. Cauldron waggons are absolutely on the cards, too. Because, well, wouldn’t be the North East without them.

Ok guys… if you are a purist, back away slowly… Still here? On your own head be it! Soooooooooooo imagine that there was an island off Saltburn - like Lindisfarne. It has a narrow gauge railway that is taken over by the NER, like the GWR did with the Corris. More history will be developed, but, pertinent to this… NER style stock started being produced…. I give you these rather handsome abominations. Plateway models brake van, IP engineering bogie open with plateway’s very sexy roller bearing 2’ bogies. NER style compartment coach to follow, as well as the second Pechot in NER goods black. I know, I’m going to Hell.

That looks incredible.

One more time, with feeling… I was given two lovely turned funnels by a friend. The day after I had just built two, obviously… so what else to do, but to build a variant of the first locomotive. This time in green, with fewer embellishments and hopefully fewer design alterations. The hole for the motor is the right way round this time, and I have built in the access holes for the wiring. Window frame detail went on when flat, not as an afterthought. Almost a pleasure this time! also in the works are a pair of 2ft wheelbase bogies from plateway models. I’m thinking a shortened hospital truck, perhaps. Nice kit, I’m not used to ball race bearings, usually just ‘oles in the wood!

Finally, a finished one… Should be briquettes, but I liked the look of coal more. I do need a wheel for the smoke box doors, but it will keep. Next to start on a green one.

Getting there: mostly finishing off details, then I’m going to build a green one, as a friend has made me two more funnels on his lathe, and I can’t miss an opportunity like that!

Now in colour… with a change in headwear for Jean-Claude, who now sports a French army helmet. Bloody awful shape to make, glad it’s mostly out of sight… Bead eyes are a new idea. They look a little startled…

I have based the uniforms on photos, with a couple of caps- one has kepi vibes. The French helmets looked a bit awful as a shape, but I really want a couple as bits on the tanks, with water bottles and tools and stuff. Thanks for the information, I’ll go dig out the paints; the gents on the photo I used looked like they had been sleeping in their clothes for a year or two. Given the circumstances, they probably had.

A busy day procrastinating over and avoiding paperwork… Firstly, the tops of the tanks got an inside lip. Then I realised the lack of boiler was rather glaring, so I’ve attempted to put a hint of the top using fimo (set with superglue- works ok). Note to self: suck it up and make a boiler first next time, it’s easier… Then, as you can see, I decided to make the crew, as the fimo was out. Driver Jean-Claude (in the posh flared jodhpurs) and fireman Pierre need painting, but are ready to report for duty. Once I find out what colour the French military wore in the trenches. On a positive note, there is no need to add detail to the cabs, you can barely see in past the crew. Even more so if I add the curtains that I assume were for working in the dark.

Behold! The Great Vole! because every model railway needs a rodent high priest wielding a magical staff in their own henge, right? edit: apparently not all mushrooms growing in the garden are exactly edible 😛

Yup, something fluffy and daft. Kind of suits the loco really