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mah644

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Blog Entries posted by mah644

  1. mah644

    Oh Happy Day....

    By mah644,

    "Frogemere" was originally conceived as a small free-standing layout featuring Welshpool & Llanfair stock and scenery. It was to be constructed so that it could be set up and run in our sunroom, then taken down and stored on it's end in a corner of the same room.
     
    My significant other today informed me that she did not wish this to occur, offering instead an area of our downstairs for my purpose. Doing my best to feign disappointment, I accepted her offer, and have now taken at least mental possession of an area approximately 12' X 15' in dimension. Although this area will take some finishing, the space it affords will allow me to model more of the W & L, as well as more than just a "static" standard gauge meeting point.
     
    What the layout will actually look like is not yet clear, except I know that it will be U-shaped, since the area is part of a larger room...but I think I can work something out.
     
    In other matters--Have begun work on a Ratio Signal Box, ordered some GWR colour paints and logged in my previous orders for 1mm greyboard, a Vari-Kits body kit, and about a dozen points and sections of OO9 flextrack. Oh...and I also "found" the Minitrix 0-6-0 I knew I had packed away--so the Vari-Kits body has a chassis.
     
    Kindest Regards,
     
    Carl
  2. mah644
    Hello Again,
     
    I debated whether to post again so soon, but much has happened in the brief interlude since the last entry.
     
    Firstly, the most important part. My wife is fine, her eye injury neither serious nor projected to be long-lasting. She does, however, look like she has gone 12 rounds with someone of the renown of Jerry Quarry--and lost.
     
    On to other things:
     
    Received the Langley body kit for "Sir Drefaldwyn". Very fine, clean white metal pieces, practically devoid of "flash" and totally absent of voids or indications of worn molds. Had a nice e-mail conversation with Ian at Langley relative to the obvious quality of the kit and the information included with it. Until/unless a Golden Arrow "The Earl" or "Countess" kit shows up (hint, hint), this will be a primary engine on the layout, regardless of the fact that I'll be modelling 1931.
     
    Have also had an extended series of e-mails with Peter Blackham at Blackham Transfers relative to supplying sufficient transfers to letter my current and projected future GW (ex. W&L) stock, circa 1931. He will be providing me with a proposal in due course. (He will be at Narrow Gauge North Exhibition at Leeds this coming weekend for those who may be interested; a fact I report solely because I find him to be an honest, straight-forward, friendly and extremely helpful individual with whom to consult).
     
    I've also received a lovely little Ratio ground level signal box. Very nice castings, but I really wish UK manufacturers would provide precut window material (I'm spoiled that way by most US kits).
     
    Ordered/purchased this week are more Peco OO9 point sets (turnouts) which I have found to cost less in the UK (including postage/shipping) than in the US, a GEM Vari-Kit "B" acquired through eBay, and several vehicles and Scout figures purchased through Taw Valley.
     
    A SPECIAL NOTE TO READERS--If you are still with me, I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to all who have provided an overwhelmingly positive reception to a "Yank" of limited knowledge, but perhaps foolhardy ambition, into your midst. I may well be guilty of reporting too much, but my intent is merely to share, as best I can, my joy and excitement as I take the steps (sometimes baby steps) necessary to model in the same spirit that I sense that you (all) do.
     
    With Kind Regards,
     
    Carl
  3. mah644
    Hello Again,
     
    Since last we spoke, the Scalescenes Narrow Boats pages have been downloaded and laser-printed. Having read more in these forums, I acquired enough 8 1/2 X 11 (approx. A4 size) self-stick label material for a reprint on inkjet--also enough ink for the Canon Pixma to last through the job, some spray matte acryllic, and assorted glue, knives and blades.
     
    The final ingredient ? Card--1mm and 2mm. None to be had in the local office supply, school supply, art supply or big box stores. Internet pickings on this side of the ocean were also slim. Finally ordered a 75 pack of 1mm card from a small retailer who will ship this coming Friday, with hopes of it arriving by the end of the following week.
     
    With that potential project at a stop, I turned to the packet of 10 assorted Nine Lines W&L goods kits that had arrived Friday. Nice items. After e-mailing Ken at NL of their safe arrival, I sorted out pieces into separate packets (there were several multiple kits), gathered my tools and glues, test track, etc.--all ready to tackle them early this afternoon.
     
    Unfortunately, that project too came to a halt as we wound up spending a majority of this afternoon at an emergency medical clinic tending to an accidental injury my wife incurred to her eye. Turns out not to be serious or sight-threatening, but bad enough to require me to take a work holiday tomorrow to transport her to an eye specialist for confirmation, and to enable me to become chauffeur, grocery toter, cook, pharmacy runner, etc. for the next week of so.
     
    Undeterred, I'll do what I can this coming week and post as appropriate.
     
    Best Wishes--Carl
  4. mah644

    Modelling Frogemere

    By mah644,

    Hello,
     
    Today's will be a fairly brief descriptive entry, since I still don't have anything to actually "show".
     
    GWR 57XX Panier has been successfully purchased and should leave Normanton, West Yorkshire tomorrow. Several Scalescenes kits have been acquired and downloaded (will be working on one later this evening).
     
    Took lunch in the office today and doodled on a possible track plan, using "Wood End" as an inspiration. I'm pleased so far and am intent on creating a scale drawing which I hope to post by week's end.
     
    Was mulling having a "Name the Layout" contest, but decided I had won it myself with my singular entry of the name "Frogemere", named partially to honor the 1960 Frogeye (Bugeye over here) Sprite I drove during the years I was in military service (1969-71).
     
    [The Sprite's name was "Melvin", the SU linkage was partially held together with paper clips, and the canvas top and side curtains leaked badly in the rain. It's 948cc's just about got it up the hill I had to traverse every day enroute to my assignment without stopping and downshifting to first (had a crashhbox first gear). The front bumper was missing and the bonnet creased from a previous accident so that it sagged when opened. But every minute with it was fun, except sorting the electrics.]
     
    More later.
     
    Best Wishes--Carl
  5. mah644
    Hello--Had hoped to be in receipt of more tangible items today, but that was not to be. What was received or obtained today:
     
    --A nice note from Parkside Dundas identifying the specific chassis needed for an interesting body kit. Saved me the cost of the kit, since the chassis is near unobtainable.
     
    --A nice note from Gaugemaster indicating my order had been despatched. (I don't think I earlier mentioned my order from Langley, still in transit. Originally thought I had the correct chassis, but found late last night that I didn't, so I've contacted a friend to see if I can arrange a trade).
     
    --Notification from a Stateside dealer that a W & L Guidebook is enroute.
     
    --Information relative to the "Wood End" exhibition layout. This layout seems to meet a lot of my requirements, although it would need to be enlarged slightly to accomodate some standard gauge trackage.
     
    Also managed today to: identify a 57XX series GW pannier to bid on on eBay (haven't mentioned that I did decide on a 1931 timeframe); find myself wishing that more Brit sellers were willing/able to ship overseas , although fully understanding why they aren't; and confirm that the number of Golden Arrow "Earl"/"Countess" kits extant to acquire is (or approaches) zero.
     
    More later.
     
    Best Wishes--Carl
     
     
     
    --
  6. mah644

    Welshpool in the Mailbox

    By mah644,

    Just a brief followup to the earlier entry---
     
    The first item arrived. A lovely reprint map taken from the Ordnance Survey topographic series (as revised in 1904 and updated in 1912), showing the area in and around Welshpool. Of most interest to me is the information I can glean about the "town route" of the Welshpool and Llanfair eastward from the present W&L station to the Raven Square Station.
     
    Although I do not anticipate modelling (or having room to model) the entire now nonexistent trackage, I would like to include enough Station area and multi gauge area to warrant having a standard gauge GWR goods engine and short goods train stationed at one "end" of my anticipated layout.
     
    The other end will be Llanfair.
     
    The time frame has yet to be determined. I'm considering either 1931 or 1947, with a preference for the former since the W&L would still have had (a little) passenger service, the canal system would have been undamaged, and the most interesting (to me) GWR liveries would have been used.
     
    Now if I could only find a Collett Goods with Churchward tender and a reasonable replica of either "Earl" or "Countess"---
     
    Best Wishes--Carl
  7. mah644
    It's late Monday afternoon here in the eastern US and I'm wondering what, if anything , the postman will have brought that carries a British postmark. After pursuing modelling various US prototypes over the past 50+ years, I've taken the plunge into OO gauge, and am awaiting the start of a veritable deluge of materials, both OO and OO9 in nature.
     
    Even the beginning of this journey has not been without both worry and wonder. For example--
     
    My kind credit card issuer suspended my ability to make any charges for several days until they could verify with me that I was indeed buying things from "over the pond".
     
    British "stockists" are very friendly, familiar with their wares, very detailed in the questions they ask, and not likely to ask all the questions they need to ask in one e-mail. Hence, a leisurely transaction is the norm.
     
    Postage from England and Wales is sometimes more expensive than the goods that you order. Conversely, some goods can be purchased in England and Wales and shipped "over here" for less total expenses than buying them from the States or (especially) from Canada.
     
    VAT is a mystery with which I'm pleased I don't have to deal.
     
    I will leave you with these thoughts for now and go check the mail box.
     
    Best Wishes--Carl
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