toboldlygo

Layout All bar one of the points have power now. The last set is giving me some problems as the point motor is only firing in one direction.. grr I had to re-lay a section of track as it was causing one of the twins to derail. Now just need to order a lot of ballast!! Commissions The next two are done for my client, just 8 more to go (plus others no doubt) They are Original Battle of Britain 34064 Fighter Command heavy weathered in pre-April 1962 conditon only slight deviation is that my client has requested Late Crests on every Bulleid I do for him (regardless of whether it actually received it on a unmodified tender) and Rebuilt Merchant Navy 35015 Rotterdam Lloyd also heavy weathered. My Loco Roster There have been a few new acquistions, most notably King Arthur 30452 Sir Meliagrance and Original BOB 34090 Sir Eustace Missenden Several of my renumberings are on a backburner while I wait for cabside numbers, though I have managed to get on with my Q1 33040 at long last (still waiting on an etch smokebox numberplate - transfer version in place for the moment) Here's a sneak peak at 33040 still more grot to add That's all for now, another update next month or sooner

... well almost. Wiring, scenics still to do - hell I've still got to finish the main layout yet. I think I've created a monster, the layout now stands at 26' 6' x 11'! Comprising: Phase 1 - the original twin loop and sidings and terminus station Phase 2 - the return loop, underpass and overpass loops, turntable, terminus became through station and station halt at end of the return loop Phase 3 - was tweaking the original layout from lessons learned on Phase 2, basically repositioning point motors underneath the track (where possible) and changing the entry point to the overpass to give a smoother entry for trains. Phase 4 - the BBL or Bulleid Branchline, a new loop consisting of radius 4 curves and long radius points, connected to both Phase 1 and Phase 2. Designed and tested with my FIATrains LMS Twins to ensure smooth running and no derailments. It also has a removable section to allow access to the remaining loft space!! These are composite photo's of the new construction, so they aren't perfectly aligned! That's all for now, I'll have a loco update late

My latest two commissions are with a very satisfied client (he took one of them down the pub to show his mates!!) Before she departed I took some hi-res pictures of rebuilt Merchant Navy 35030 Elder Dempster Lines. Before I start on this months pair (34064 Fighter Command and 35015 Rotterdam Lloyd), I've got Schools 30914 Eastbourne to complete (waiting on shedcode plate (75B Redhill) from Fox Transfers and cabside number transfers from Modelmaster). I've also acquired another Schools which will become 30919 Harrow. That's to add to a Lord Nelson and Q1 both of which are to have new identities (not saying what at the moment ) Plus my client wants me to do 35003 Royal Mail for him with a 5,250 gl tender. I've got the tender top, he's going to source me a donor loco. This all means I'm pretty busy, but doesn't mean I haven't found time to recommence work on the BBL, it's now grown by another baseboard and track has been laid and yes one of the Twins has been out testing it.. for those who don't know I have both FIA Trains LMS Twins 10000 & 10001. I've started installing point motors - two today, need to acquire 3 more plus the switches to finish the motorisation of the BBL part of the layout. I'm coming to the complicated part where I need to make removeable section which will enable access to part of the loft. Also at some point I'm going to have to do a bit of camera trickery and take a panoramic shot of the layout as it stands.

Yes I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything on my blog, nearly 3 months in fact. I've been busy with work, life and my commission work. I've finally got myself a new camera (Canon EOS 1000D to be precise). So some fun was had this afternoon taking a few pics of my latest commission 34057 Biggin Hill Not as dirty as some I've done in the past, but a pleasant patina of grime, rust/grease/limescale streaks, overflowing coal and ash residue after a clean out of the smokebox (a first for me) Next on the commission front is 35030 Elder Dempster Lines to be weathered in a similar vein. Also this weekend after nearly a year of inactivity, I framed out another base-board for the BBL (Bulleid-Branchline) though had to stop as it wsa getting way too painful to clamber up and down a ladder (I've got tendinitis at the moment!!) I've also got a few personal loco projects waiting to start, which are: Schools 30914 Eastbourne - donor/plates are here, just waiting to start on it. Lord Nelson (Identity not yet chosen) - donor acquired though. Q1 33006 as acquired, just to be weathered up some more. Plus I've got etched plates to fit to my other 2 Lord Nelsons (Lord Nelson and Sir John Hawkins) Well that's all for now..

A quick update, two finished Original Battle of Britains, one depicted as the early BR Livery of Malachite Green, the other (well somewhere under all that dirt) is Brunswick Green First up is 34049 Anti-Aircraft Command as requested by my client to be heavy weathered. This used a Winston Churchill as a Donor Next up is 34050 Royal Observer Corps as early BR with Wedge Cab and standard BR font and slightly workstained appearance. I used a Sir Archie as the donor and swapped the smokebox door

Damn I surpassed myself , that tender looks superb behind Sir Archie.

.... just in a different shade of green!!! I took advantage of a "Volcano Day" , (well it is dead at the Airport at the moment). I plowed on with the Bullieds. 34049 Anti-Aircraft Command is all bar done for my client and my personal project 34050 Royal Observer Corps - this time in its original form and in Malachite! She still has a way to go, light weathering varnishing and coaling. Here is a sneak peak...

While Volcanic ash has stopped air travel and caused mayhem at the airports and the wife to be is busy with business and family issues up North. I've been beavering away with Bulleids as usual 34001 Exeter is on the final stretch and will be finished shortly. 34049 Anti-Aircraft Command is currently being tweaked. And for a change work has finally commenced on a Malachite Green B of B, using a donor 21C159 (Sir Archie) I'm recreating 34050 Royal Observer Corps in it's original guise (as I've done it in Rebuilt form). It's currently in bits, with a new smokebox door (courtesy of BB1 spares) The etched smokebox numberplate has been fitted and it has lost it's Sunshine lettering and numbering, ready for renumbering and naming once it's had a bit of spraying done As I mentioned at the beginning of the post the volcanic ash, here's a photo of Thursday's Sunset taken with my phone (at a certain Airport )

Thanks I was debating what to do as I'm always nervous about rubbing things down once I've lined them. So I had to let the varnish completely harden before I attempted it. I'll PM you shortly

It's finished at last!!! Well the 5,250gl tender destined for for Matt's (Bluebell Railway's) OO version of 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair is at least. After a slight technical issue, Vallejo's Satin Varnish is glossy compared to Railmatch's. After giving the sides a light rub down with 1200 grit wet and dry, I've oversprayed with Railmatch Satin Varnish. Still after that I've ordered some Vallejo Matt Varnish as I have an interesting idea.... Here is the aforementioned 5,250gl tender in all it's glory basking in the sunshine... Also basking in the sunshine, before she goes back into the paintshop to have her final coats of varnish and to be coaled up, is rebuilt West Country 34001 Exeter

As promised some photo's.. First up is my slightly dirty Class 31 D5512, no chassis issues with it either as yet. Here are some comparision shots of an unmodified Wrenn 5,250gl tender and the nearly complete one I've done for Matt (Mr Bluebell Railway) Front View Side View Rear View Should add since taking these I've lined and crested the otherside, once the transfers have dried, it will be on with the final top coats of satin varnish and final assembly Not forgetting 34001 Exeter she's inbetween coats of dirt

That's the beauty of using Acrylic varnish over enamel, hardens in a fraction of the time Yes I spotted that one, it's got the correct facing one on the side that's completely lined the otherside will be done tomorrow all being well.

No photos tonight, batteries for the camera are being recharged. So it'll be a brief update. Rebuilt West Country 34001 Exeter is well on it's way to be truely filthy. A re-gluing of an errant grill turned into a weathering job of sorts on my sole class 31 it's now a slightly weathered shade of Brunswick Green! It's also given me a chance to try out a different brand of aerosol Varnish, I'm really, really impressed with this stuff. I've used railmatch for quite sometime and usually had good results after a number of coats. I'm using Vallejo, it doesn't need as many coats and gives a very smooth finish and as it's Acrylic it dries a lot faster too (may be a problem when it's warmer). The lining and late crest are done on oneside of the 5,250gl tender. I've just given it a quick flash over with Vallejo Satin Varnish to protect the lining when I do the otherside Hopefully I'll do an update tommorrow, with some photo's. Now where did I put that sonic screwdriver?

Time for a Bulleid nutter to hijack your thread so to speak As I've done a few 5,250 gallon tender conversions for my own fleet of Bulleids, Matt asked me if I would do his one for Sir Archibald Sinclair. I'm only to happy to help RMWebbers in their hour of need, so I've taken the commission on. It differs from the three previous ones I've done by having twin ladders as per the newly built tender fitted to the real Sir Archibald. Here's a sneak peak, before it re-enters the paint shop.

It's been a while since I've updated my blog. Not a lot has been happening apart from commission work namely 4 of my Bulleid fleet have gone North to there new home (Eddystone, 249 Squadron, 603 Squadron and Saunton) in various states of dirtiness Below is a picture of 603 in works minus tender and lurking behind is Bionic Bulleid 3 (more on that later): My current spate of T9's is complete with both 30288 & a reworked 30726 Here's a quick snap I took of the finished 228 in the fresh air: Bionic Bulleid 3 alias 34014 Budleigh Salterton is finally finished, looking more heading for the scrapyard condition here! With this one out of the way it allows me to get on with some more commissions - couple more really dirty Bulleids (Exeter & Anti-Aircraft Command) and a 5,250 gl Tender destined for Mr Bluebell Railways - Sir Archibald Sinclair. All the mods I've done on previous 5,250gl tenders have been done on this one, as well as being equipped with twin ladders It is currently in the paintshop in between coats of Brunswick (should progress over the Easter weekend) I have a couple more personal projects which are waiting to get underway, firstly is 34050 Anti-Aircraft Command in malachite green and secondly another 5,250 gl tender destined for I'm not sure yet either 34031 Torrington or one of the Rebuilt Merchant Navies...

Well another week or so down the road in 2010 and my current spate of T9's are nearly all complete. 30718 and 30288 are finished, just 30726 remains on the workbench, just needing a few final tweaks to her weathering. I have got to photograph 30288 in natural light as I ran out of time yesterday. Here's the finished 30718 On the Bulleid front the 'Bionic One' 34014 is ready for the paintshop now and some serious weathering

Well after a brief check I have realised that my fleet of T9's is growing at an alarming rate, I'll be be turning into a T9-nutter before long.... My roster of T9's is as follows: 30120 a TMC renumbered edition, recrested by me to represent 30120 in it's twilight years in BR service, rather than preserved. Real coal in tender (R2712 was the donor loco). 30288 on the workbench currently awaiting transfers, lightly weathered and awaiting coal (R2830 is the donor loco). 30310 as acquired, except for real coal in tender 30338 renumbered and recrested by me, light weathering and real coal in tender (R2713 is donor loco). 30717 renumbered and recrested, medium to heavy weathering and real coal in tender (R2712 is donor loco). 30718 renumbered and recrested, medium weathering, currently in paintshop, will need coaling to complete (R2712 is donor loco). 30726 6 wheel tender frames swapped round and currently having it's factory weathering tweaked. 30228, 718 & 726 have also had their front NEM coupling pockets removed.

When I first saw the title, I thought - Simon what are you up to . However a fascinating review of three prototypes, though I'm a bit surprised that 25 Bachy Mk 1's behaved themselves on a tail chaser and didn't derail at the initial acceleration due to the coaches shere weight. Be interesting to see how they would compare to one of the Twins...

Well Christmas has been and gone and here is an update of sorts: City Of Truro Virtually all of the detail parts have been fitted as have the etched plates. It's currently being run in on my layout. 30865 Sir John Hawkins Finish and filthy T9 30718 Should have some numbers & crests on to go with it's etched numberplate, then it will have a trip to the paintshop or maybe prior to that. 34014 Budleigh Salterton Bionic Bulleid has been rebuilt, just waiting for parts and me to order the nameplates (can't do that till the new year) T9 - tbc I have acquired another bargin Narrow cab T9 off ebay this morning, now I've got my T9 book I'll shall decide on a appropriate identity for it.

Not me, got too many other loco's to weather

I'm afraid it is. A very nice one at that, NRM's City of Truro to be precise and no I'm not going to weather it!!! First impressions are that she certainly has as presence about her and looks stunning in her GWR livery. A bit surprising to see that she's not fitted with sprung buffers and a slightly naff looking coal load, but it doesn't detract from a superb model. Still got to add the details to her and give her a good run in, she'll keep me amused until the other-half finally gets here from Leeds and then I'll be seriously distracted for sometime

Ring at the door bell 5 minutes ago. I'm in the process of unwrapping COT as I type this!!!

Finally finished 34028 Eddystone for a client whose exact words were 'just like I remember her in the 60's' Bet you didn't realise that washing machines have a Dirty Cycle Currently in the paint shop is LN 30865 Sir John Hawkins having a coat or two of varnish applied. Just coaling to do on her and she'll be finished. On the workbench as I type this is another T9, a non-running 30724 brought off ebay that took less than 15 minutes to fix. Basically the screw that holds the motor assembly was loose!!! Runs beautifully now, had the necessary modifications and has been denumbered, it will become 30718 on a late crest and will of course be subjected to the dirty cycle.

Well if it was that dirty as preserved, we know who to blame