Leaderboard

One of the key missing classes of loco for Brent is the Bulldog / Bird. With the class providing the assistance on the front of many workings. Eventually I will need 4 bulldogs for assistance and a 5th for a freight turn. a chance find one Facebook resulted in a purchase of a non running unidentified etched kit built example (based on a couple of grainy photos) the model arrived today and I have set to work. Looking at the design it looks pretty old (X04 motor, lack of rivet detail on the smokebox, no detail on the fire box.). I’m thinking Jericho or Jamison maybe? Edit: having looked some more I am now tending to conclude it is a possible scratch build. This was the model as it came (all be it now separated from its chassis) While it’s not up to the standard of a potential Bachmann model, yet alone the Finney kits that I am planning to build. It lends itself nicely to some upgrading and will make a good stop gap until high spec model replaces it. To that end it will stay as it’s current identity Nightingale despite it not being a Devon loco (I have found an undated photo of Nightingale assisting 6016 at Rattery, but from the red lamps it’s clearly pre war.) If nothing else it saves £10 on a new name! Onto the model On the whole it was well built and well painted, although for some reason the black frames had been hand painted red. Due to the below work it needed stripping off anyway. This was achieved with oven cleaner and an old toothbrush. The curved front of the firebox had not been formed (just a square joint between former and wrapper). The handrails were formed from pins not handrail knobs. There is no beading on the cab cut out (or cab end handrails). The firebox is missing detail, there are no washout plugs or mud doors. These will need to be added from brass tube / rod for the former and to be purchased parts for the latter. Incidentally now Dave Geen isn’t trading, who makes the best mud door covers? the smokebox will need rivers adding, so it looks like I finally have to buy some archers transfers. There are also some minor repairs to make, one frame has come loose, as has the end of the cab roof. A tender step is missing, while the other steps are pretty basic. I’m going to check the scrap box (I am sure I have a Comet steps etch) otherwise more parts are needed. the motor slightly protrudes into the cab, which has no back head. the chassis quartering was out on one wheel (now fixed). while the tender chassis has no bearings as is pretty tight on one wheel. The plan is to fix the majority of the above over the next few weeks before repainting in post war GWR green. I am in two minds about the chassis, ideally it could do with the X04 being replaced with a decent motor / gearbox. But there is a logic which says remove it all together and have the loco unpowered. The King or Castle will have more than enough power to push it while pulling 8 coaches... The two jobs I am undecided on is replacing the crude con rods (due to no idea what I would use) and replacing the handrails with handrail knobs. The current state:

I seem to be making quicker progress on the Tau. I am currently picking-out panels and the bodysuits with Vallejo English Uniform. My original plan for the battlesuits (big dudes up front) was to use English Uniform on the visible frame. I felt that the contrast was too sharp. Painting the frame this color would have been overwhelming. Instead, I turned to picking out a fixed pattern of individual panels. There is still variance, but such is present on the model itself. Below, I have a detail shot of four of the five types of model I have in the army, and how the splits work; Most of the English Uniform was and will only painted with one layer. I am losing motivation to work on this project. This army has overwhelmed my workbench, though. I played with Silly putty as a mask on the Magister. I think it turned out well; Damn sight quicker and easier, as well. I did end up with ridges on the dark earth, though. I'll have to experiment some more. Still, I couldn't manage these hard lines freehand. Masking with tape or film is a pain. We'll see in the future.

Well, that was rather a long break. I had started preparing some old baseboards for my planned Forest of Dean inspired layout, but work ground to a halt a few years ago. The boards are still there, but I haven't got the space to work on them any more. In the intervening years, I have been to the read Forest of Dean as a working volunteer on the DFR, so have had a chance to look around and be inspired. What I've decided to do is build a few FoD inspired structures, both to get to grips with scratchbuilding and potentially to have something to use on the layout, when I get a chance to work on it again. As my modelling budget is pretty much non-existent, I've decided to use the piles of humble Packeto-Cornflacko and Backo-Ringbinder-Refillblocko that O have accumulated over the years. First up is the station building, which is a 4mm version of the original wooden S&W Lydney Junction station building. The S&W books by Ian Pope & Co have proved invaluable, as vol. 1 has a full set of 4mm scale drawings. The plan is to have full interiors and lights. The main structure is made of two layers of BRR (which is a fairly high quality card, light gray and about 1mm thick), which is coincidentally about scale thickness. The first real hurdle was how to replicate the rusticated weatherboarding on the outside. After a few experiments, I settled on strips of medium weight paper. Among my father's vintage technical drawing equipment I found a machine for drawing equally-spaced lines, which I used to mark out the strips and guidelines on the sides themselves. Next I need to cut out window and door apertures and cut the 6 internal walls (5 across, one lomgitudinal separating the gents toilets from the ladies) and the ceilings. Not sure if the original had flat ceilings, but I need them for rigidity. Unfortunately popping over to Parkend to have a look at and original building is not really an option (unless 1600km counts as "popping").

As a bit of relief from pictures of grass and hedges, I thought I'd include a few pictures of actual trains! I've also added a few images into my gallery http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/3811-train-spotting-at-sherton-abbas-september-1905/ which I hope people will like! Best wishes Dave