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At last it's complete (more or less). I have to say this build has been the most complicated I have done to date. Perhaps I've been trying to be too clever in fitting a Portescap motor and gears in the loco. There's really only just enough room (and if I'm really honest there isn't)! In hindsight tender drive would have been much easier but at the time it seemed like a cop-out. The next few locos I build are even smaller so I plan to develop a little motor bogie to install inside the small four wheel tenders required for the two Rennie locos likely to be the next projects. Onwards and upwards! In the meantime I'll just leave these images here and take some time to recover from this build. It's been a roller coaster of emotions to say the least. Thanks for looking.

“No, not the perway hut, all you burn is cut up sleepers, think of the creosote” ”Goods office all you got is coal, think of the sulphur taste” “oh,..er...?” ”got it! lose some hardwood packing out of the breakdown van!” ”brilliant! oak smoked!”

Absolutely wonderful, Mikkel! I can imagine the station staff "effing and jeffing" as they struggle with the slippery little beggars and shocked young ladies having to be escorted away from the scene, having never heard such language before.

Thanks very much gents! I had never thought someone would come up with contemporary examples of very similar events - the eels in Shanghai (where else), and crabs at Gateshead! Not to mention the goose and the stationmaster. The eating was supposed to be the fictional bit, but not so far fetched then! PS: Stephen, I won't pretend that the painting effect on the coaches is deliberate, pure luck!

Lovely modelling, the philosophy behind your modelling must be very satisfying on completion. A different species for the modern image modeller https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/crabs-metro-video-posted-crabs-10081881

Brilliant, as ever. On the question of disposal of undeliverable goods, E.L. Ahrons has a tale relating to a station on the Midland's Leeds & Bradford line. A local family had gone on a yachting holiday, shutting up their house. A few days after their departure, a goose (dead) arrived at the station for them, a present from a friend. After a decent interval, 'a carefully-worded communication was despatched to Derby, giving a most harrowing description of the parcel - a bird hopelessly in the throes of incipient decomposition - with an urgent enquiry for immediate instructions as to its disposal. A wire was duly received in reply, which contained, so report said, permission to bury the bird, and Mr. Stationmaster "buried" it. I am unable to indicate definitely the exact site of its interment, but ... it was concluded by the inhabitants of the surrounding district that the bird had found a resting-place "somewhere in stationmaster".' As an aside, I notice that your method of carriage painting gives the impression of the brown line on the cream panels - in fact the angle between panel and beading.

Ha! I should have thought of that, would have made for some interesting modelling! I learnt a bit about the social history of jellied eel along the way. We also have it here, though not nearly as important as it was in Britain I think. Southwark residents buying jellied eels from a stall at the Elephant and Castle in South London, 8th January 1949. Source: Getty Images (embedding permitted). Thanks Chris, the German mountain troops are from my childhood collection (alas not the box, which I have lost). I remember very strongly the pleasure of visiting the local toy shop and going through the shelves of Airfix soldiers. I didn't have a clue about them, just selected the ones that looked interesting. It's nice to be able to use them like this, although their use is limited in this case! Thank you Kit. The topic of fish traffic is not something I know much about. Should be interesting to explore. Billingsgate Fish Market, dated 1926-27. Source: Getty Images (embedding permitted).

Wonderful storytelling and very clever modelmaking combined. Using salt as ice works well, must remember that one.

That is brilliant. Martyn

Thank you. It was a struggle this one but I learned a lot from it, mostly about my limits!

Worth all of the blood sweat and tears! Thanks for posting.

Proof (if it was needed) that you've got the eels right! https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/never-mind-tube-strike-hows-6033392 I half remembered this story from Shanghai in 2015 and it took me a little while to find it. A reminder to present day commuters to take care when carrying a bucket of live eels on the underground. Kit PW

Thanks Martyn. I have just had a look at your thatching on Pott Row, very tempting to try out though I don't have anywhere on the layouts for a thatched building. Thanks Duncan, it was fun to do as usual. I did struggle a bit with the eels though, not easy to get right! Many thanks LBRJ. The original plan was to do just one single photo. I don't know why these things always develop!

Mikkel, that is brilliant! All the best, Nick.

Well done....or is it "w'eel done"... a unique and thoroughy entertaining contribution to Railway Modelling and Fish Mongering. Kit PW

Mikkel, Just brilliant! Not just the modelling but the thought that changed the story into reality. I love the use of the mountain troops. I do spend time looking at model figures to transform them into pre-grouping railway characters but this is another level. It encourages me to redouble my efforts. I look forward to the recreating of other stories.

I can’t remember where it was, possibly New Radnor, but a customer once arrived to ask of the goods clerk the whereabouts of his new chair, only to find said employee sitting on it!

Hey, welcome to RMWeb Dan. A great place to show off your amazing work, inspire us all (and it's easier to return to these beautiful picture than trying to find them on FB)!

Thanks Nick, it has kept me amused while doing the groundcover on the new layout. Seems that distractions are often the best part of my railway modelling Thanks Dave, there must be lots of scope for modelling fish traffic on the CR! I also tried sugar but it was a bit too fine.

By the way, have you seen the views of Clevedon from 'Britain from Above'? Zooming into https://britainfromabove.org.uk/sites/all/libraries/aerofilms-images/public/580w/EPW/033/EPW033274.jpg https://britainfromabove.org.uk/sites/all/libraries/aerofilms-images/public/580w/EPW/001/EPW001030.jpg will reveal an amazing amount of detail!

My pleasure, glad they are of use!

Another trip into the enchanting and wonderfully bizarre world of Farthing! One almost forgets just how good the modelling actually is when enthralled in the story telling

Absolutely brilliant! Duncan

Duncan, this is incredibly useful. Your straightforward way of explaining things - without dumbing down - makes it all seem doable. I'll have a second and more careful read through later. And a browse of the Ultrascale site, I actually didn't know they did drop-in wheelsites. Although AG doesn't have a shopping portal I have never had problems ordering from them. PS: I now see that you posted this more than a month ago. I wonder why I (and others?) missed it.

Thanks Mikkel. Can't take credit for the pen though, Mr Bic might get upset...! :-)

Oh that's excellent. And nicely weathered too. You also made a pen I see :-)

Thanks Snitzl, I think I will make some more. Then if I resist the urge to stick them down I can play 'hunt the chairs' on the layout....you never know where they might end up!

Coming along nicely