NeilHB

Richard Webster kindly let us borrow one of the display samples for a quick photoshoot over on the 7mmNGA stand today at Kettering: Absolutely delightful!

Superb work Rob, project X is utterly delightful.

Dapol stand was heaving for most of the day, so didn’t get a chance to ask, but they did have a livery sample in the display cabinet:

Fantastic stuff Corbs, I do love those Sodor & Mainland locos!

A further update from me: Bunny Mine will just be in its original (but still delightful) format. The 7mm Scale Society stand will be in attendance.

Lovely work Ade. Will be at Kettering with the 7mmNGA stand so do come say hello

Two disgruntled labradoodles in this house last night after Tigger laid claim to the dog chair:

Lovely work Rob.

For mine I simply held the pieces together with masking tape whilst the glue set. I then inverted it so that it was top down, and weighed down the central X section with a large pile of railway books. Sometimes simple is the best solution.

That's a shame Tom. I don't have much expertise building etched brass kits, but on those that I have built I've sometimes found it necessary to deepen the fold lines slightly by scoring them (use a Scrawker tool for this). A little desk mounted vice can also be useful when combined with a decent steel ruler or two for folding parts. Looking at the prototype, I wonder if the van would make for an easy scratchbuild project out of plastic sheet? You could probably use the underframe and strapping parts from the etched kit.

I can access the workbench again now that the re-decoration of the study has been completed, so I’ve had a productive few hours today. The ETCo 3-plank opens have now had all their bolts added, and have gained brakegear too (modified Slaters 9’ cut down to 8’6”): With that done they headed off to the paintshop for their first coat of ETCo goods stock grey: I had just enough left in the jar to also add a first coat to the dumb buffered brakevan to bring that into line livery wise with the other ETCo wagons: I shall need to stock up with some more paint when I go to Kettering for the Guild show in a couple of weeks. I also modified a Slaters Gloucester 5-plank open into a 4-plank open, and got that up and running too: This will become a private owner wagon belonging to the Elsdale Farmers Cooperative Society. I just need to decide on a suitable colour scheme now for it.

Final update to the attendees list to remove any that now can't make the revised date. We've got a bit of room spare if anyone in the Derby/Notts/Leicester/further afield area would like to come along and bring a layout or display. Do please get in touch

Not much modelling to report, as the workbench is currently inaccessible whilst we decorate the study, and everything from there is currently piled in the train room. I did however manage to extract the boards today, and made a start on adding the backscenes to both scenic boards, and the end board to the right hand board: Just got to sort out the other end board between the scenic section and the FY next, but my tired brain couldn’t manage that this evening: A few areas of filler needed, but I’m quite pleased with how they’ve turned out so far. The next step is to start on the scenics, and then I can add the fascia’s and lighting in due course. I’m looking to use LED strip lights, but would welcome suggestions please of what the most suitable ones would be, and what might be the best selection of colours/shades to represent late summer/early autumn?

I like the look of the 2-4-0, it has a nice chunky feel to it and looks like it will fit in nicely with the rest of your stock. The layout is coming along nicely too.

Time for another bump to note that I've now confirmed a few more attendees: Willoughby's Garden - O-16.5 Association Modelling Goods 422 Modelmaking

Thanks John, the photos are very useful and you’ve made an excellent job of it. I need to order a few bits from Slaters so may well add a break van chassis to the list! No problem and always happy to help encourage others. After all, we’re all here to provide encouragement to each other!

The Brougham is by Brumm; a search for Brumm 1/43 carriage on eBay will yield plenty of different ones to choose from. I really do like that open carriage truck on the Slaters brakevan chassis! The chassis is rather useful as I’ve used one already for my Horsebox. Do you have some more photos you could share please? This afternoon I set about lettering up the WSR goods wagons: As usual, a different number on each side for variety, plus a slightly different lettering style for two of them on one side to represent those that have been through the workshops at a different time to the others. I think I need a couple more WSR opens, plus maybe a van or two to round out the fleet.

Thanks both, plenty of inspiration to choose from there! I rather like the look of the M&GN implement wagon, so will have a look at building something along those lines maybe for the tractor. The carriage truck looks quite suitable too as I’ve got a four wheeler Brougham Carriage which could put in an appearance, plus a suitable Horsebox to run with it.

A productive evening at the modelling bench during last nights model railway pub zoom call. The third Sodor China Clay wagon has now been lettered, with a slightly different style again for further variety: I also managed to finish off adding the bolts to the ETCo three-plank open: Paint and transfers next. “Thorkell” arrives at Ffarquhar Road in 1918 with a short goods train: The last wagon is carrying a delivery for one of the local farmers: A 1917 Fordson F. I think it just needs a more suitable wagon to sit on - anyone have any suggestions please?

A very productive evening at the workbench has resulted in the first two Sodor China Clay opens lettered. They carry different lettering styles on either side, plus a different number as well to make it look like there are more of them: Nos.5 and 31 Nos.42 and 26 I just need to paint the running gear next, and then sort out some suitable sheets to cover them with. What do you think please folks?

Now that the wiring is done, I can get back to the workbench for a spell to progress some more stock required. I’ve made a start on applying the bolts to the ETCo three-plank open seen a page or two back: Lots of holes to drill, and lots of small lengths of plastic rod to insert and glue! It does make a difference to the appearance though. Next up has been a nice quick project, being a repaint of a Minerva GWR Gunpowder Van into a North Western Railway example: And a different lettering style and number on the other side: Two for the price of one! It’s come to light recently that there was a paper mill situated just outside Ffarquhar, which is rail served by a long siding off the tramway. The mill itself is now coal fired, so gives me an excuse in the later time periods for some nice private owner wagons. It also receives deliveries of the raw materials by rail, including China Clay from the pits near Brendam: In other words giving me a nice excuse to finish off my China Clay opens! I just need to letter the wagons and finish off the third example which needs another coat of paint.

He looks fab Tom - the plain black looks much more suitable than the red livery from the book.

Idiot proof meant that this idiot could understand it though!! I summoned up the courage and fired up the soldering iron to wire up the FY board on Wednesday evening after work. It’s really quite nice just to be able to play trains, and I’ve been having a fantastic time bringing in a train, running round and doing a bit of shunting as required. ETCo No.1 “Godred” arrives with a passenger tram, before W&SR No.1 “Thorkell” departs with a freight. Later on we see Ffarquhar Road between trains, it’s very quiet on the outskirts of Ffarquhar with just the local wildlife for company: Jolly Good Fun!

Well done Linny, what fantastic news!

It’s alive!! A very big thank you to Andrew Young for his help and guidance in all matters electrickery, which has meant I’ve been able to wire up both scenic boards tonight, and more importantly wire them up so they actually work! “Thorkell” did the honours for the test run. Now I need to fire up the soldering iron to do the fiddle yard board, but that can wait till tomorrow!