M.I.B

I wish: Tea, coffee, apple juice, or Coca-cola..........? Hmmmm a tough choice here.......

Another week whizzes by..........and the rockets came whizzing in........... Valentines Day has been and gone. i bought 'Er Indoors a new belt and a new bag. After all, the Hoover isn't going to fix itself is it? I also bought a tenderless Bachmann Hall, which will be paired with my Hawksworth tender. I have a Castle and Hawksworth, so time for a Hall. It will be painted in unlined WW2 Green, and the tender will remain lined. I have seen enough pairings of this to think it was a routine occurrence in my time period. Just need a name for it - I liked the idea of St Martin, the Hall with the Saint name, but the visual difference between prototype St Martin and the other Halls is too much to try and bluff with a "pure" early type Hall. Name suggestions welcome. (other than Albert, any of the preseved ones, or Nobby ......) I am considering the one which they are turning backwards into a Saint - Maindy Hall as it was never "preserved/restored" back to running order. The County and the Grange are being rebuilt from the later modified Halls, so they are out as choices. 4942 was either a Newton Abbott engine, or Bristol Bath Road in my time frame. Will investigate. This move just after my period may indicate a re-allocation after a works visit- which would explain why it is still unlined in my time. I hope you are all happy and healthy, and neither flooded out or snowed in.

I have plenty of HMRS pressfix garter logos for carriages and engines - 4mm. PM me your address and I'll stick em in the post when I get Home. Got Shirtbutons too needing a home......

Perfect apart from the white roofs. Pass the masking tape........aerosol time..... Thanks for sharing.

John, What would you do about the backscenes if you did G Mk4? I am interested because I am in a quandry what to do about urban 1930s-50s back scenes for NC when it gets built. My only thought so far would be to do a blue sky/wash and then smother the edges of the layout in differing structures and low relief buildings to cut out the amount of back scene needed. That's great for the "short sides" but I have the "long Side" to finish, and the view is over and past the coal drop ramp and behind the turntable. (The coal drop ramp and drop is along the far right of this mock up) I guess I won't need much behind the coal drop ramp, but the part that concerns me is at the right foreground - the end of the coal drop, behind the turntable and off to the front left of this view. I really don't want a "cartoon drawing", and most of the photo scenes are modern.

***PRO Weathering L@@@@K ***

Dust storm out there, but it's all OK here in my shipping container....... May have to break into the emergency foodstocks and not go out for meals. A tender top for Lode Star has been procured in the form of a tender top from a Hornby 4-4-0 County. I have to decide how to finish it: not keen on a ragedy shirtbutton, and a lined late logo tender of this age doesn't appeal. There is the third option of the late logo unlined ( WW2 refurb style) but would such an old tender have had a spin through Swindon so late in life? This tender top is a compromise anyway because of its entire raison d'etre. So fully lined sparkling late logo it may be. We'll see. Unless there are suggestions. No other news from the sandy place I hope that you are all happy and healthy.

Dieselpunk version of Paddington. I never got attracted to Steampunk: HG Wells-ish, Jules Verne style. But diesel punk floats my boat - Deco, and Indiana jones, and scenes like this.

Pardon me. Sorry. Tired. Long day. Bed soon. Ken D Harr

On ANTB I hear that the new Hornby Colletts are starting to be delivered. Excited - I have 4 on back order. They will be used to break up some quite "samey" coaching stock formations and also be used on some very random stocked summer saturday excusions behind the 47XX.

DANGER _ SENSIBLE REPLY ENCLOSED Rob, please could we see the new Colletts behind your Grange. My fave of your Atlantics. Thanks.

Thistle plates arrived today as well as cabside numbers for 2276 I think. (2276 is a common VW dragster/street race size engine, hence why it came to mind immediately) Cabside numbers will go on the Frankenstein 2251 when it is made and detailed for sale. I also picked up a couple of recent Hornby tenders in the shape of a Hawksworth and a 4000g Collett. Given the EBay prices for tenders, and tender components, I am sure that these will come in handy in future. Next stage is to source a tender top for Lode Star, and that is under way right now. That's enough shopping for this trip. Certainly got lots to do in the way of projects. I did say over on Rob's ANTB thread that if I stay out here longer than programmed I will pay for someone to build my brass kits, as I will never have the skills to do so, and I would like to see them built. Painting and detailing I can do. One kit build for every 3 extra days here. They are: Ballast plough TOAD from Blacksmith (I think). MOREL propeller carrier ( same manufacturer). Bullion Van (Conferderate). O13 Milk Brake- maker's name escapes me. Really looking forward to seeing that one finished. I think it's down for all over dull brown. May have to compromise on the lettering slightly and use some of the excellent CCT letter sets for this kit - there is a section in the centre with text allocating the brake to a particular train. Sadly not available in GW "Gold" but only BR(W) Yellow. May have to go a little heavy on the weather over that bit to tone it down. An O13 can't be without it. I hope my post finds you all happy and healthy once again. Goodnight from 3000' up in Afghanistan.

It is a great backscene, and well worth the effort to install - but I'm looking for 1947 urban. Not a lot brewing in that department sadly................

You only need the spanner and the and you have got the whole set of buttons on that post! Well done to you Sir.

Where is the "NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" button when you need it? NC will be devoid of people in comparison to Granby Jcn, so I get my fix from your cameos. 10/10 for the ideas and 11/10 for the execution and painting.

You know I love a wartime black engine. Thanks for sharing this. 1947 and a red lamp tho?

That shot has convinced me - for every 2 days day out here longer than I am expected to be here, I will get one of the brass kits lurking in the "to do" box made up by someone who will do a better job than I. There is no substitute for a well made and well painted kit when the result is like that.

My grandfather was born in Quebec but the family has Scottish roots. I was born in Scotland. I have relatives all the way from Halifax to Calgary, and probably further West than that, but they would be very distant family I guess.

Love the figures John. And I spy a Dukedog with a race special train......as well as lots of beautiful stock. Your cameos are always so excellent. Greetings from a cold Afghanistan. Thanks for the inspiration and morale.

Thanks John. There should be a couple more buttons including the "NO!" button and also the "I don't like..." But I am generally very pleased with RM Web. Sitting here in the desert with my Canadian flag proudly sewn on my arm, and on the back of my big kit bag. Sadly not many Maple leaves left here, any more, but they are all at Home where they should be, having done a good and tough job in this Province. I do miss the Timmys that used to be here tho.

Do what i am doing to mine - pop a different tender top on it and keep the original safe. that way you can add coal too. Don't move it on.

People are regularly breaking sets on Ebay. They must get the sets in as clearance or bankrupt stock and value the sum of the parts to bemore than the whole. Set up a search and you'll be offered all sorts of memorabelia commemorating the late Duchess of Gloucester........

Beat me to it CoY I was going to drop my 4013 in the brake fluid and go for a semi matt unlined finish, for the same reasons. Nice.

Sorry - I had blanked him from my mind for some reason................ He slagged off the Pirates, then he slagged off Auntie, and then slagged off the Pirates........

I agree with the sentiment, but not the tuneage. He was great on the radio, but poor on the chatshows IMHO. I think he was the last of the original Radio 1and 2 DJs was he not, now that we sadly lost Stewpot just after New Year? He often repeated one of the driest quips, which I sometimes repeat ( I seldom plagurize anyone): Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.