ChrisS

A slight set back. I spent a couple of hours filling and sanding dents in the crew body and cab - only to discover that when I washed the body and with my usual Cif cleaner (prior to spraying), that the filler dissolved! So I've picked up some milliput fine and will try again. In the meantime, using the earlier photos as inspiration, I made a start on the crew cab internals. No tables are provided with the kit so I made a couple with some plastic scraps. It's still a work in progress but I'm quite happy with it. I've installed the dividing walls into the body, which makes it easier to mate the floor with the body. Not too sure you'll be able to see much detail but at least I know it's there. In the long run I might install some lighting, and maybe a figure or two. That's all for now. Chris

Wow, thanks for the photos - really appreciate the input. Chris

Thanks for the photos - they are better than some I've found. The crew van I have has a tail lift - not sure when tail lifts first appeared on a BR crew van? Just need to find some interior photos to get an idea of what they actually looked like. Happy New Year everyone.

A little bit more progress - seems to be a cycle of test fitting and tinkering to try and get it to look reasonable. I finished making the replacement floor, and the bits I salvaged are located in the same positions as the original. I've glued in a couple of additional supports too. I'd like it to be removable in the future so just need to think of a way of achieving this. When it came to test fitting the crew body, it didn't look right to me. The rear lockers were too close to the rear wheels. There was no room for minor adjustment due to the location of the rear lights. I only needed a mm or two, so I decided to cut them off - to be re-secured later. I also discovered I needed to build up one side of the framework to get the crew body to sit level. After some sanding and filing i've primed the crew body. It highlights where more work is required - there are some diagonal dents which will need some further filling. However I'm more happy with the spacing of lockers and wheels now. That's all for now.

When I built my first O gauge models 20+ years ago, i purchased a few boxes by Parkwood? They are really nicely made and the wood still smells lovely. The only issue is the box falls over if you forget to detatch the lid before removing the model. One day I might have ago at making my own - I enjoyed making my own home office desk and shelving from a couple of sheets of birch ply, and all the wood working involved. A router ended up being my favourite new tool.

A bit of progress has been made. This is turning out to be a bit of a challenge. I spent quite a bit of time sanding, filing and gluing bits to the chassis. I wanted to spray some primer earlier in the week but it's been ridiculously cold in my garage, and I didn't want to waste money trying to heat it up a bit. Anyhow, today it warmed up a bit - a barmy 1 degree Celsius. So I warmed up the spray can and model in the house, ran outside to the garage, gave it a dusting with the primer, and quickly returned back to the house to dry and warm up again! The primer has helped show where some further work is required. From a distance it looks ok, but there are a few issues that my OCD will need to try and resolve. One of the challenges is the crew van floor. It's a bit...... So I decided to make a replacement. I cut off the relevant bits and have added them to a new plasticard floor. This is still a work in progress. The next challenge appears to be trying to mate the crew van body to the chassis. Though not obvious in the photos, there appears to be a droop in the rear of the chassis, which messes with the fitting of the van body. I'll somehow need to modify it to make everything fit. Till next time.

Thanks Julian. The lights are Merdia LEDLL6-6.5W. I got them from toolstation but can also be obtained elsewhere. https://www.toolstation.com/led-link-lights/p59732 . You can link up to three. They do other sizes and ratings too. The storage boxes are from https://trainsporters.com/pages/o-gauge-storage-box . A bit pricy for a really useful box and foam, but the latter is all cut for you and ready to go. Hope this helps. Chris

The red star version is numbered. Though an expensive box on wheels, its pretty looking and has a bit of weight to it.

Thanks for the tip re glazing Dava. I sort of knew it would need some work when I purchased the kit. Thanks both, I think this will be a bit of a challenge too - but hopefully worth the effort at the end. Chris

2022 started off a but rubbish when I broke my hand but after 11 months and several physio appointments I've officially been discharged! The second half of the year was mainly spent out on my mountain bike, regaining some strength and confidence. At least the weather was good for it. I decided I needed a small project to get me back modelling. Last week I ended up going to the Guildford O gauge trade show and Warley the following day. Both of which provided some inspiration and ideas. I ended up with an impulse buy at Guildford. If its of interest i've set up a separate thread for it below, but hopeful it will get me going again, especially as the weather is rubbish and not much fun out on the bike! Till next time.

My main interest is in O gauge BR blue/ sectorisation. I have a small layout which continues to be a work in progress - link in signature. Ive not done much to it in 2022 as i broke my hand at the start of the year and sort of lost my mojo. I seem to have many small projects on the go and every so often look for something different to keep me occupied, and in this instance get me modelling again. An impulse buy at the recent Guildford O gauge show saw me come home with a Steve Beattie Leyland road runner chassis and crew van kit. I noticed a couple of issues including a bent floor for the crew van body which I'll have to sort later. The rear of the cab had a crack in it too, but was easily solved with a bit of glue. I've made a start tidying up the parts and gluing the separate chassis halves together. A bit of filing was needed to get the cab to fit but I'm relatively happy with the look of it. I'm not looking forward to installing the windscreen though. Still quite a bit to do, but its looking quite good so far. That's all for now. Chris

I've noticed I'm not the only one with the same subject matter - just like buses all turning up at once, so apologies in advance! I think most people complain about bits falling off but there is also an advantage to the sparing amounts of glue used. The sides and glazing all popped out with minimal force, which should make repainting easier. Decided I'd change the rain strips and removed the small grab handles too. Removed the warning flashes with a tiny bit of methylated spirit - to be replaced. Just deciding whether to go all out and plate over the planks at either end. Then there's the three piece handrails too. However I might live with these two as they are.

A small update... The forklift truck has received some paint and varnish. I was contemplating a commercial red or yellow but went for a fictitious MOD livery. I think it looks quite smart. Whether it would get transported on a warwell is another matter. A little late to the VEA weathering party but decided to have a go on one of mine. I used enamels with an airbrush and dry brushing. Though not as obvious in photos, Dapols pink flame red does not look too bad when weathered a bit. However, when placed next to a Hejan VAA the differences between interpretations of flame red are a bit more obvious. Might have to separate them either side of a warwell or two. The new Dapol air piped brake vans have arrived at Tower models, so i have a couple of these coming my way next week - something to look forward to. That's all for now.

I think I'm not alone in having more stock than needed for the space available. It was becoming a PITA getting stock in and out of their original boxes. I did a Google search and came across https://trainsporters.com/pages/o-gauge-storage-box Whilst not the cheapest option, I already own a large number of really useful boxes for other storage uses, so these seemed ideal to me. Luckily for me my wife was wanting birthday ideas, but she was a little confused why I'd want some really useful storage boxes! I got a 20 litre yellow and 33 litre green box versions to see what they could hold. They can hold quite a bit and come with more than enough foam to pack gaps. I've already filled both to show what they can hold. 20l yellow box. F8r scale the biggest wagon is the Hattons warwell in the bottom right. 33l Green box. For scale there are 3 VEAs along the top row and a GUV along the bottom. Certainly makes it easier to access and put stock away. Randomly my dad actually bought me something for Swindelton for my birthday- after doing his own research. Not too sure where he got it from but it appears to be a nice 3D printed forklift. I've already primed it ready for some colour. I'm assuming it's 1.43 if not 1.50 scale but it works for me. That's all for now.

Good to see RM Web back up and running. It seems a bit quicker, and at the moment I'm not suffering from any annoying adverts or videos which is nice. A small update - I've now had my wrist out of the cast for a few weeks and it's slowly getting better. Just having to exercise it and have some physio to get movement back. I got back onto the mountain bike for the first time over the weekend, but it'll be a while before I'm back up to speed off road- I really don't fancy breaking anything again. On another note, my first ever model train in the early 1980s was a OO gauge Lima 33 in BR blue, which came as a set with a few wagons and a container handler. Despite the pancake motor it was quite reliable and went like a rocket. I never had a proper model railway when I grew up, as I shared a small bedroom with my brother in a two bedroom bungalow. I had to make do with a bit of fibre board to put the track on and run my 33. The only scenery was one of those Hornby plastic tunnels. A long time ago the Lima 33 was subjected to modification but alas it no longer runs and its in parts somewhere in the garage. With the fond memories of my Lima 33, I thought I'd add a 33 to my growing fleet. The only problem was I was a bit late to the 33 party. It had to be blue and without the later headlight, which meant I had to hunt around a bit to find one. I'm glad I did, as I have to say I really like it. It certainly looks the part to me. At some point I'll get round to adding a few warning flashes and numbers. I have a growing list of projects and things I want to do, but the wife is really pushing for a new kitchen in 2022! Appreciate there are many like it but this one is mine. An un-identified 33 passes through Swindelton with a short MoD consist. Till next time.

Thanks Paul. I'm already thinking ahead and starting to save for HEA and TTA releases. On another note, following an mri scan I've just found out today I've fractured my capitate and hamate bones in my hand. No driving for at least 6 weeks!

2022 has not got off to the best start. My other interests include mountain biking. As a result of a small off on the Swinley Forest trails, the only modelling I've been doing is modelling a cast on my left wrist! Even adults get a choice of colour and whilst the wife would have wanted pink, I went for a rail blue. It's amazing what impact this has on daily life - not least the lack of modelling. It was a job just cutting out some arrows of indecision - not a permanent addition I might add! On another note I've acquired some more rolling stock including Dapol VEAs but won't be doing anything with them for a while. A very nice model indeed. Till next time.

On my travels I regularly get to look out over Andover station and the Switch yard. I've often wondered why it's never been used to its full potential but I guess its too small to be viable.

Strangely I'm feeling a little disloyal. For various reasons I've never got round to finishing my MMP kit of 47513 - It's been in its unfinished/ so close to finished state since 2003! Like many, the Large Logo livery has always been my favourite livery. The new arrival has been on pre-order for sometime and arrived today. Only one loose spring in the box- easily re-attached. It is interesting to compare the two models, as there are several detail differences, particularly interpretation of the roof grilles. Whilst there are some negative comments floating around, in the grand scheme of things it looks like a 47 to me, and is definitely an improvement on my interpretation and brass kit building ability- well at least from 2003. Let's hope it does not take 18 years to fit the marker light panels and decide on an identity for the newbie!

Thought I'd have some fun with different photo filters on the phone camera. The first is perhaps my favorite ...... possibly because it looks less like a model. Chris

Swindelton is kept in the garage and stored on some industrial racking. Although my garage lighting is very good, it has meant that it can be a bit dark to work on, so another little project has been to install some lighting. The photo does not really show how dark it can be, but when standing in front of the light coming in from behind, it gets very dark! I got some LED strip lights from tool station and 3 can be linked together, conveniently the number I needed. I fixed them to the rear of the upper racking beam. It's now a lot nicer to work on, display and photograph things. Hopefully this will encourage some additional progress! Till next time

It was inevitable with the schools being a reservoir, and I would not wish it on any one, but the wife and one of the kids has Covid- so I've locked them away in their bedrooms. This tactic worked really well when our first child got it, and hopefully fingers crossed I'll still be able to dodge it. It does mean I have to provide room service but it also means I have some modelling time too! I thought I would try and make a start on a small secure line side yard area beyond the stabling point. It might be an expensive way to do it, but I came across this modelling paste and thought i'd give it ago to help create puddles and tracks in the ground. It went on ok and I left it to dry. I marked out the arch of the security gates and vehicle tracks, and where I want to create some puddles. I then painted it brown with artist acrylics. Time will tell if any of the undulations or tracks get lost when scatter is applied later. I'm really going to have to sort out the back scene in the future- Where it curves round, I'm sure the creases are getting worse! I have been doing other bits too - but room service is being called for dinner!

A short up-date. It has been a while since I last did anything with Swindelton. I've mainly been decorating bedrooms and the home office, and have had little energy for anything else! Really hoping to get some modelling done soon, but the wife is pushing for a new kitchen. However, I'm always researching and looking at many photos etc particularly for prototypical but obscure small workings. I came across some photos on the internet of DPU M55995 being used as the power for an engineers ballast working, with two Dogfish at Bow Street and Aberystwyth in July 1984. I was looking through my photos and M55995 also happened to pass through Swindelton too, with this strange consist in July 1984 ............ Till next time.

Hopefully not a final hurrah, but I decided to have my first go at uploading and editing a video so you can see the Cardea in action. Hopefully the link works. The music was added to hide the horrible background road noise, but also as an experiment when editing the video. It runs really smoothly - it's just the 30+ year old Peco set track that could probably do with more of a clean. In the future I will have to see how I could incorporate the Cardea into something better, other than on the back of a Warwell wagon. Till next time.

I've finished my recent deviation into narrow gauge modelling. With a bit of imagination and modelers licence it is an alternative load for my Warwell. Whether it would actually be possible is another matter. In the long run it would be nice to have something for it to run on and with. Circa early 1980s, fresh from the factory, the Baguley Drewry awaits collection for its MOD trials. Later seen departing Swindelton on a small trip working. If of interest the full build thread can be seen here. Till next time.