KNP

With the crew ordered and awaiting dispatch 2776 has moved to the coal staithe. She will sit there until here crew arrives and finished with the wardrobe department where they will be added to the cab. A loco at rest And probably my favourite angle Fore an old stager she has scrubbed up well and makes a nice addition to the LM motive fleet.

Long range shot of the viaduct with the auto train posing....

I think there is an article in the GW Modelling website on this very subject and there is some work involved to get the two to fit together.

Sitting, minding her own business, 2776 open cab Pannier sits in the afternoon sun. Waiting for her crew to turn up……unfortunately the wait will be a while as I have run out of crew so have some on order…. So, at the moment just waiting

Just a quiet day down here in the valley. Time for a quick chat, well I say quick but Aunt Edna and Mavis seem to have been there a while!!!

Thanks all for your comments on the Pannier brake rods but in the end I knocked some up from rigid wire, plastic sleeve from electrical wire and plastic strip. Here is the end result with 2776 residing alongside the LM platform whilst the first coat of varnish drys If anyone is interested I can post some pictures of the process?

Meanwhile back over on the main line some of our train spotter friends have sent in some pictures of the passing WKT. One was even hanging off the branch of a tree!!!

She was a bit sad for herself, but now looking a lot happier. Like a lot of my builds I have to get in ‘the mood’ so stuff gets parked until the interest gets triggered as happened with 2776. Now all systems go to completion….

Talking of the harbour!!! One can notice the open cab Pannier 2776 is currently taking some sea air whilst the paint dries. And before anyone comments the roof is only placed loosely as I expect if I fix it I will only break the whistles off when handing!!!! Will be last job.. Need to work out how to fix the external low slung brake rods when I decide what to build them from….. For the record another static model

Dart Castings yard lamp

Thanks I must update this as much has changed. Like: Derelict barn Farm outbuildings Boot factory offices and shop Cathcott Field cottages Unicorn PH Rose Cottage

Confirmed Express auto train has reached its destination..... Now what???

Guess what... We have arrived!

Getting closer to our destination

Whilst waiting for the WKT transfers to be sorted I am getting on with a couple of other projects. A couple of Panniers. The open cab one I got off Fishplate about 2 years ago and been one of those must get on with projects but then some else came along but now it has my full and undivided attention. The other one is a 8750 version which is in BR colours, I thought well I am going to be removing the top feed and repainting why get a GW version!! Why not get any version….! Seem to be not so sort after as the GW ones!!! So on with the next projects…

Patience is needed when travelling on LM….

Viewed from a different angle the arrival of the auto train into the station....

The distance between the buffer heads was governed, on this layout, between the main curves and the S&W coupling used on the loco end of the coach. Being mounted on the bogie it was a tight fit to actual get it mounted which is one reason why I only put one on, while the other end doesn't have one but on the plus side I was able to fit all the pipework. Normally I use the Collett 0-4-2 to pull this coach and I had fixed its coupling loop a tiny bit closer so the gap was as small as possible but the rest of the loco's have the normal loops which is why the Pannier looks a bit (I'm talking about 1mm here!!!) further away.

Not quite yet, but nearly… Last bit to go!

Just pulling in....

WKT getting there, nearly done. Just waiting for the transfers to be finalised. Need to sort out the chemical wagon but at the moment can stay black/grey and detailed with pencil graphite. Whole train just passing by on a proving run luckily caught by the Squadron Leader who was also passing by....!

There she is. An old (1998 I think) Dapol autocoach with Dart Castings detailing kit and Shawplan flush glazing added. I don't think I will be replacing this considering the time and effort I spent on it...

Onwards, past the resting sheep.....

PSST Let you into a little secret, when I took those pictures of the Toads, the Auto train was already in the station.....deliberately out of view!!! Sneaky ehhh!

After all that excitement of actually getting around the bend I thought a change would do you all a bit of good. Linked to the WKT I have been doing some tidying up works on the tenders but mainly working on their support act. The small mess coach has had some S&W couplings added and the Toad has been renovated. It's depot is now Taunton with some transfers added to confirm, S&W couplings, lamps and weathering. So I here are all my Toads having a meeting and forming what I believe is called a Knot of Toads Since I took these pictures I have found the misplaced side lamps which have now been added to the PW van. Don't be concerned more pictures will follow over the next few days of the auto train arriving at the station....!