James Hilton

Steve has been busy packing your orders from the weekend but we have a good problem to have, we've run out of shipping boxes! More are on the way - and he is working through dispatching your models as quickly as possible!

I did this for a customer, looked great…

NMRA RP25.110 wheels with a 14.5mm back to back.

https://www.planetindustrials.co.uk/victory The first two locomotives cabs were 4" taller, and this appears above door openings and cab windows from what I can tell. So in 4mm/ft we're talking 1.33mm, which isn't a lot but I think would be noticeable. In our tooling the cab sides, tanks bunker and roof are one moulding. This makes modification difficult (but not impossible). Strong sales means we're onto the last box of black ones now!

We've done the Lambton cab, but no plans for the taller 'original' design cab.

Thanks all! Sales continue to exceed my expectations and we're both so greatful to you all - I can't wait to see the photos of them on your layouts. Anyone wavering, don't worry, you've got until end of Thursday to take advantage of this special Christmas gift... Don't forget the wagons are also in stock, and although LRS don't have any both my books are available from all good bookshops!

I filmed a bit of a video update to go with today’s announcement…

Thank all so far - and pleased the GWR etches are welcomed!

Today's announcement... (I should add - of course as soon as I finished I realised I meant Lambton not Harton!) Buy now: https://www.lightrailwaystores.co.uk/collections/planet-industrials

Now available: https://www.lightrailwaystores.co.uk/collections/planet-industrials/products/victory-riveted-tank-overlays

Thanks for the nod Keith - and interesting read! Always good to spend longer on something like this, more like proper blogging than forum and Facebook - good luck with whatever comes next!

Jon that is very kind, it was a humble experiment, a toe dipping exercise in N. Plain track only, an excuse to try British Finescale bullhead, an opportunity to show case how good modern N ready to run models can be with just a sympathetic weathering and DG couplings. Despite its simplicity is continues to delight.

Back to the modern today… These Modelu tail lamps are simply superb little details and they’ve really added something to the Farish 08.

I’ve had some lovely messages from purchasers too, and wonderful to hear from @Not Jeremy that it’s selling well! I do hope all who get a copy enjoy it, and take the ideas and messages as they’re intended, to help us all think a little differently about this wonderful hobby.

A rare visitor to the yard, the 26 weren’t fitted with air brakes until after refurbishment so this short trip working with bonded Whisky in a pair of VEA wagons must be running as unfitted and the brake van parked beyond the bridge… I keep thinking ‘I must build a replacement’ for the layout but it’s form perfectly suits my butterfly mind and Speedlink era wagon collection! The 26 is a new arrival for Lochdubh - more on that another time, but there is a a video of that on my YouTube channel.

I believe some of you will get your copies tomorrow, and in the meantime I’ve done a short video overview… I can’t wait to see what you all think of the ideas I’ve shared, it’s been a wonderful and quite personal journey creating the content this time, seeing it all in print today for the first time felt VERY exciting. I enjoyed reading it for its own sake rather than design, editing etc etc… which of course is a good sign. Let me know what you think!

Thank you Simon, it has been another wonderful experience to bring this second book to print. Now it is soon to be in peoples hands I hope it is warmly received. I have poured a lot of my own self into the contents, and I thank those who have allowed me to feature there work alongside my own in its pages. This breadth adds to the depth of the message, if that makes sense - and I can't wait to see what people think about the ideas contained within its pages. Again, as with the first book, a landscape format (flickable, accessible) and graphically led (immersive) it is a deliberate act in both content and design. I hope it finds a home alongside my first book for many of you, and new shelves for those who have not seen 'Small Layout Design'. I didn't know if I had a second book in me this time last year - and I will say the same now, who knows if a third will follow. In the meantime, thank you to Simon for believing in me - and to many of you for buying them, engaging with the messages and getting in touch with thoughts, reflections and ideas! (A first look video overview will be published once my 'print' copies arrive later this week).

It's wonderful to have this available again alongside the new book - I know there were many who wrote to me hoping to track down a copy, I hope this new edition will satisfy that demand - as well as to those who find out about it through reading the new book.

Although these models are destined for a different N gauge layout, I'll post the photos here because they are posed on Paxton Road! The 'new' project is a current day setting inspired by the likes of AV Dawson - there is a bit more on my blog about it: https://paxton-road.blogspot.com/2023/08/prototype-parallels-two.html https://paxton-road.blogspot.com/2023/10/expansion-at-albion-yard-n-part-59.html

Good! Blue 08 back on if this evening!

Is anyone sick of Class 08 yet?

Thank you all for the continued likes… Remember one thing the layout shows, is that we all have space for a model railway - and second, that a small layout doesn’t need to compromise on a feeling of space, balance and ‘realism’. This photo shows just how small the layout looked on display a few weeks ago at the Llangollen Diesel gala:

It might be a bit boring but BR General epitomised the 1990s for me, not my favourite but mundane and a sad foreshadowing of privatisation and the debacle yet colourful railway that followed.

thank you, Morfa very much am inspiration for this project!

Thanks Ben, I will revisit the topic again I’m sure, it was a lovely little project!