Georgeham

This weekend I managed to get some varnish on a Dapol open wagon I have been playing about with. I wanted to try some new techniques out on this wagon and weathered this with some AK interactive washes and filters, before weathering with an airbrush. As a first attempt using the washes/filters it is not too bad, although I am sure I will get better with practice. I am thinking about placing a taup over the wagon (a job for next weekend).

I modelled in OO gauge for many years and started playing with building some O gauge kits a few years ago. Now I am completely bitten by the O gauge bug and it is the best modelling decision I made. I have been slowly selling off my OO gauge stock ever since. I also agree with Nick - O gauge is not that much more expensive - I have found I buy less items and spend more time on building/detailing the models I have. The temptation for me in O gauge was the greater detail - and after I built my first wagon kit (Parkside Grampus) - I was completely hooked. I have a 5ft micro-layout under construction and whilst small, I still get endless pleasure trundling locomotives up and down it/shunting wagons, etc. The sheer size of the O gauge models makes them look much more convincing to my eye when they are placed on the layout. My advice would give O gauge a try!! The 7mm section of RMweb is very friendly and supportive - and there is always advice when you get stuck! best Chris

Hi Julian, from memory - they have s couple of small lugs on the back of them to push fit onto the front of the bogie moulding - or at least that is what the later version has. I plan to attach mine using some standard plastic glue after painting. Chris

Probably - back to somewhen!

Hi Hal, thank you so much for the help. Exhausts now fitted - the two other small black bits - no idea! Hope this picture helps - no idea what differences there are/might between this chassis and the older version. Chris

Hi All, I am after a little help - I am sure this must have been answered on RMweb previously - but I cannot find it...... I have just opened up my new Heljan Class 33 - and I want to add the detailing parts to the locomotive. I am at a loss where these two pieces are meant to go / how they are supposed to attach to the locomotive (see photo) - and the instructions do not seem to mention them either! I believe it is somewhere on the bogies (but I might be mistaken) Its probably a very obvious answer - but any help would be most appreciated!

A little more (slow) progress. The SR pill box brake van is getting near to the transfer stage, although there is a little more weathering to go and the inside is not yet full painted. I attempted a faded olive green livery on this wagon and I think it is shaping up nicely!

Another wagon has finally been finished off this weekend - this time a Slaters Conflat A wagon has made it through the paintshop. I am pretty pleased with this one - it might end up being the runner for the class 03 that is slowly being rebuillt.

Hi Pete, yes I did see this and I thought exactly the same. However, I currently have a Class 33 and a Hymek to re-spray from green to blue - so I do not think there is anyway I can justify buying this one to languish around in my modelling boxes for ages! Maybe Heljan will release another run of the 25/3 before too long.... Chris

Hi Hal, yes I remember lots of people moaning about the cab front on the class 25 when it was released - and I saw someone did a mod of the cab front.....but I agree a lot of effort. I am leaving the class 25 on the test track to play with this week and I am warming to the overall locomotive. Like with any model we do - we only see the bits that went not so well, rather than the entire model....but I am pretty happy to have a working locomotive finally finished. Really I want a class 25/3 - but they are hard to come by! Chris

After a somewhat frustrating afternoon - I managed to finally reassemble the class 25 (getting these big diesels back together takes some doing). The overall result - I am not sure - I am happy with parts of it - but other bits less so! I am not sure the look of the loco is quite right head on - although I am warming to it. However - my first O gauge locomotive project is finally complete - so I am chuffed it is finished. It has Howes DCC sound fitted - and is quite loud after testing on the DCC test track (and annoying my partner in the process!)

Hi Pete - yes exactly - a small fiddle yard might follow - so I put in an entrance/exit now whilst building the little text track!

With our house renovation ongoing I realise that setting up my layout is not going to be possible for the next few months. This was somewhat frustrating, as I am getting to the point where I am finishing off some rolling stock (finally!) and especially with the case of the locomotives I really need somewhere to test run them. So over the last week I put together a small test track/micro layout. I had a 5ft scenic box spare (Tim Horn) and some odd bits of track lying around. The test track currently has no name and its use is primarily to test stock...however, over time I might well detail this before getting to the main layout. It is a good little side project to keep the modelling ticking over whilst waiting for the the time/space to set up the big layout again. I added a lighting unit to the box, although the points are manually operated, at least for the time being. Now having started I am thinking about adding some buildings......

Looking forward to seeing it Paul - although the weather has been awful - not ideal for outdoor spraying!

With the airbrush up and running again, I managed to get the transfers and varnish on the vanwide - glad to see it finally finished off. Great to have another wagon ready for the layout!