cornamuse

Very fine work there as usual, Jim

Good to hear from you, Jim- you got any pictures we can see? Things are at a halt here, doing some studying- but I could use some inspiration!

Finished... no idea what is next: brake vans, passenger brake, open trucks... none of the above? Feel I need to up the goods side of the stock

Just to prove there has been a little progress this week... Gunpowder wagon; Messrs Leggit & Hyde...

One fictional credt will have a go at one possibly, but my feeling is that fine detail will jar with the simple look so far... previous card loco using same size wheels

Thank you! Fictional credts sound good; designed one for my son’s stock, with his own creation of a heraldic “Labradox” I was thinking just a fleur-de-lys - Ivor the engine style... the Ffestiniog lining is lovely but too complicated for me - glad I’m not working in 4mmscale!

Finally finished, bar the controls... although the power is greatly improved by 4wd in the tender! I’m aware the name plates are in the wrong place, but overall very pleased. need to do a building to relax, I think! just noticed... needs a number on the front buffer beam. Haven’t decided about crests and monogram yet - Print, transfer or hand-painted. I suspect the latter, will keep it all in the same style

Tender done, although it looks a little bare without the full livery and number (as yes unnumbered) - also a name plate, if I’m feeling brave. might add brake gubbins, but seems pointless as I am trying to draw people’s eyes away from the chassis! Crew made, so no excuse to avoid making the inside of the cab. However, not much is visible past the rather slim crewmen. Some extra bits ... crew and cab. Please don’t judge on accuracy, you can barely see inside!

Much appreciated, but the original is very ornate. But then, it’s not that accurate a model so maybe I can get away with it?

Some tender action... Chassis is the metal on from IP engineering. Will be operating using a phone app and gubbins. Or string, given my status as a confirmed Luddite! The IP chassis I bought was too short, but perfect for a small shunter or the powered slate waggon. Yay!

Painting done, decided that cowardly actions were appropriate and left the livery simple. Varnish and grime next! As well as the inside of the cab, a roof and a powered tender of course... handrails, pipes and clutter after the varnish to protect things. In real life, the paint job looks darker and more even, but a good coat of muck should help that!

First layer of paint- details not finished, but I wanted to get a feel for if the loco really looked right. Mostly, I’m pleased- but it really needs all those fussy Victorian pipes and knobs! Edit and a slight repaint... equal parts deep violet and cadmium red, rather than just the red. Helped by a cloud over the sun! will need a 4th coat, but much more acceptable, I think

More progress, hampered only by pausing to make a plane from a squash bottle (Cub Scout project with son). Mostly rivets. And then rivets. The joy - maybe that is what appeals about modern gear. Welded together! also begining of a steam dome and, I assume a hatch to put the water it?

Work is slow due to organ playing duties over Easter - online of course, an odd sensation! as as well as the visible stuff, a lot has gone in fitting brakes and a firebox. Still searching for the perfect bit of junk to make the domes. Overall pleased with the chubby appearance, even if it isn’t pure England. An original one would have been better for the period, so maybe that will be the next loco. I’m looking forward to a nice simple gunpowder van (Messrs Blewitt & Hyde) as a bit of light relief next!

Glad you like, thank you! Card is nothing special - just a pack from the Range, doesn’t even give the weight. Glue is runny superglue, generally cheap stuff from pound stores- online suppliers right now. Multiple layers of card to build up a thickness are much stronger than thicker card. Painting is acrylics- mixed bag there, some modelling ones, mostly artists, then whatever varnish I can get on the top. Precision stuff

many thanks - very much appreciate praise from such a consummate master of cardboard! Love the picture- what is it from? My driver will have to have braces now! hope you are keeping well and saneish

Amazing how a few simple details start to make something come to life. smokebox from a cheap pepper grinder lid, sandbox lid from a couple of 00 scale wheels, drawing pins, beads and self adhesive gems. Quality modelling supplies as always!

And now with a cab... And a saddle tank...

So - been slow progress as I have been busy doing the day job. A challenge as I am a church organist - so set up a digital rig in the dining room, and put my glad rags on prior to experiencing the joys of Facebook live... several panics later I’m back with the footplate and some other bits: cab next. Boiler /water tank will remain removable in case I can squeeze radio control in- or at least batteries. Drive will be by an IP engineering chassis masquerading as a tender...

Don’t run anywhere yet! historically had an indoors line. However it is all pretty well varnished, and soaked in superglue rather than shellack. Same idea though. That said, I’m likely to keep it to warm dry days with the card stuff, if I do head out.

Hi there : this is the tally so far IP engineering - bogie coach, porthole Birmingham zoo car, sentry box brake van and the semi open quarry coach. The lineside hut - wooden slate wagon (the first one I built of the 3) scratch built using card - 2 more slate wagons (with more detailed axel boxes ), open quarry coach and closed quarrr coach. Scrach building is all layered card, figures from fimo and rivets from self adhesive jewels. It is fine as long as you stay a few feet away and don’t look too closely! The next project is... An England loco - prince or Palmerston. Card chassis, motion from junk. Should look ok in half light through squinting eyes tender will supply the power, batteries es and control in the loco...

Slate waggons now painted and loads underway... original kit on right. Card versions to the left, with slightly more detail around the axel boxes

Slate waggon progress wooden axels, laminated card chassis and axel boxes. Rivets from self adhesive jewels... high tech it ain’t, but they won’t travel too far, and it does work surprisingly well, especially with a little candle wax to grease it up!

Looks blinking uncomfortable to me. I’m amazed they didn’t fall out

Thank you, Phil, I couldn’t find a decent drawing/picture to be certain, and none of the 16mm kits include it- thank you for the picture, it shows up just what I was looking for. They must have been exciting to travel on! I might stick with my pseudo Penrhyn one, as it is easier to make people for! Cracking model, too, by the way. Out of interest, am I getting the general feel right- ignoring the mildly deformed humans!