Jintyman

I'll try, although, I generally just go as the mood/rhythm takes me, and if what I'm doing looks good in my eyes, I just carry on!!! Obviously I've done some alterations before I even touched it with paints and weathering bits and bobs. Once they've been done, I start with Testors Dullcote all over the body to seal the transfers and the other bits and bobs. Once that's nice and dry, I start with some panel line washes and build up to enamel washes. I'm using AK Interactive stuff quite a bit at the moment as I find it's very good, and it's very workable with White Spirit. On this one I've used Humbrol white weathering powder and brushed it downwards into cracks, corners, etc, then some clean white spirit on a brush soaked in to hold it in place. Then some AK Interactive Ship Salt Stains to create some of the white streaking. I then use Testors again, and this time over the windows too, which I then get some white spirit on a cotton bud and remove the Testors off the glazing, usually in the shape of the wiper track. Once the Testors is dry, I go over very gently in this case, with some very watered down frame dirt and black with the airbrush and let it all dry. Once dry I apply fuel stains and grease washes to the necessary bits and pieces and then allow top go off . I hope that gives some idea what I get up to with on the weathering front. As I said earlier, I do play a lot by ear and go with the flow. Jinty PS: Here are a Before and after for comparison:

The Yellow Peril has now been finished and suitably weathered with copious amounts of cement dust that is befitting a working loco within a cement loading facility. From the standard Heljan CEGB loco that I've started with, I have removed the CEGB branding, applied BLUE CIRCLE CEMENT transfers that were custom made for me by Steve at Railtec transfers. I have then added both a 'No.1' plate and Hunslet works plates by Thatcher, which are now produced by Narrow Planet. I've then added two air cylinders to underneath each valence and I've fitted Air Pipework to each buffer beam. The rear bufferbeam pipework follows the design of the Vacuum pipe by pushing through the buffer beam and returning up to the valence. All the details were painted and then weathered using various techniques, washes, paints, powders and pastes, etc. A final gentle blow over with some mixed colours through the airbrush and then a few detail s picked out with fuel and oil stains, etc. It has also been fitted with an ESU V4 decoder through a Super Cube speaker and I'll try and get a video of it tomorrow evening before it goes back to its owner. Here are a few pictures: That's all for now Jinty

How the hell do you get the scenery together so damn quickly, and looking so well? Jinty

I'm sure Noch/Preiser do some both suitable and not so suitable figures for the beach Steve Jinty

Yes Rod he is, Alan's figures are excellent, bit of a job getting him in there, but he's in there nice and snug!!! Here is the video of the 4F at Talyllyn, picking up my Hattons Warwell. Jinty

Good evening all. After a good few hours in the garage today, heater on, and a determined goal, I managed two and a half of the three goals I set myself!!!! I took the little Heljan 05 diesel shunter to bits to fit the driver and decoder. The decoder from Howes. Now all went well, but the speaker supplied was a 23mm round speaker and enclosure, and the speaker hole on the 05 is 20mm in diameter!!! Howes supply Heljan and Heljan spares, surely they should know which sized speaker is required to fit into the 05!!! I've ordered a Zimo super cube speaker that will fit in the hole and should give a far better sound than the ESU 19mm round speaker, so I reckon it will sound much better anyway, just delayed my testing and weathering!!! The pipe runs for the air tanks have been finished on the rear buffer beam and the driver has been added. I think I made a better job of painting him this time, as I was advised that small figures such as 1/43 can look ok without eyes painted, just some facial highlights, which I've given him. Here are a couple of pictures: Here is the outside buffer beam pipework on the rear of the loco, it passes through the buffer beam like the vacuum pipe: Here is the pipework returning to the footplate on the inside: And here is the driver seated at the controls: The next item for today was the weathering of Rod's 4F (Ramchester). I have already fitted it with DCC sound and it works really well. The locomotive has been built, painted and transferes by someone else. The builder has used the American type of pick-ups where the loco chassis picks up from one side and the tender picks up from the other, with an insulated drawbar in between. I have taken the initiative to glue some 0.010" plastikard strips along any edges where the loco and tender can touch and I have also glued another 0.010" strip under the fall plate as that was brass too, and I didn't want to rely on just a layer of paint keeping the electrical isolation where it should be. Anyway, I finished the weathering today and I've also done a video, but the video will not be up till tomorrow evening as I've been summoned to domestic duties!!! Here are some pictures of 44360 on my photo plank. It will be winging its way back home at the beginning of this coming week. Jinty

He's been posting more on FB, which is where I've seen his latest posts https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1837021469921885&set=pcb.944827508999216&type=3&theater Jinty

You caused me to pick up my Midland engines books (Vol 1 - 4) and have a look through, and it is as you say, the state of some of the goods stock in the background is utterly filthy, as are a few of the locomotives that were not the subject of the photographers lens. The railways were certainly a dirty place and I think some of the pre-determined views of the Midland, LNWR and GWR (Just for example) being shiny and immaculate looking were a little optimistic, and more in keeping with company rivalry and propaganda. You never know, I might get hold of something pre-grouping one day. I've seen some of the beautiful locos and coaches that have recently come off Warren Haywoods WB lately, and they certainly are delicious looking models with all their intricate lining, makes me want to build a Western City, Midland Spinner or Compound, even though I've no use for any of them. Keep up your stunning layout building, the latest one is brilliant, and I can't wait to see it come to life with all the fine detail and work you put into the quayside area. Today is an exercise in finishing up a 4F with a touch of weathering and a video to test its sound file and to fit the sound and weather the class 05 ready for next weekend. Jinty Edited to say: I used to work near you, at the now shut and dissused Leybourne Grange Hospital in West Malling, probably about 20 miles from TW if I remember rightly!!!

Hi Tricky, Thank you. I haven't done anything pre-grouping at all. To be perfectly honest, I feel that pre-grouping would be rather difficult in that there were not that many colour photographs (if any) and the railway companies tended to look after their motive power and stock and not let it demise into the rusty carcasses we saw with the end of steam. I would expect simple road dirt from a few days of service before the cleaners got their hands on the locos. Coaches were more 'looked after' as well, but not sure of freight stock. I wouldn't mind having a go at something though. Jinty

Some of the Ixion fire irons are available on that charitable auction site here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ixion-Models-O-gauge-Locomotive-Firemans-Tools/273020973406?hash=item3f9151715e:g:DPMAAOSw7p5aUQJx I have a couple of sets of them and they are very good, and not brittle at all. Jinty

I just couldn't find any 1950's colour images of Iron Minks to work from only B&W Jinty

Great news Paul. All the best Jinty

That's one of the next on the list for weathering Bob. I'm looking forward to it. Jinty

Morning Andy, Here is a link to the Minerva rolling stock page: https://www.minervamodelrailways.co.uk/product-category/rolling-stock/ Keep resting Jinty

And just remember that last word, RESTING!!!!!!!! It's very important that you do rest Andy, so catch up on some railway books and maybe some railway films on YouTube. The potting shed will still be there when you're fit and well again. David

One of my Minks, weathered. As Chris has said, colour photos are not readily available, so I've had to go with a 'best guess' attitude and accepted there would be some corrosion showing in the late 50's. Chris & Chris have produced an excellent wagon here, and available so close after announcement too. Top marks Jinty

Exactly as mentioned above, airbrush lightly whilst on a rolling road (I have an old one I use and clean regularly just for this purpose ), I also clean off straight afterwards with a cotton bud dipped in some thinners whilst the loco/chassis is still rolling on the rolling road. Never had anything gum up. I don't use acrylics either. Enamel with celly thinners for me (other types optional). Jinty

A couple of VAA's relaxing in the siding................................................. Jinty

Here are a couple of VAA's which I'd lost the photos to. I eventually found them in a completely different file on my computer than they should of been. All I can think is that someone saved pictures into a different file and I'd mistakenly not changed it!!!! Anyway here they are, two Heljan VAA's, 200042 & 200631, photographed on my plank. I've altered them here and there, showing a repaired and primered bottom half to one of the doors, Hazchem patches after removal, Carlisle logos, replacement bearing cap, etc, etc. I've tried to individualise these wagons as much as I can, being random about the staining and streaking, etc. The excellent Railtec transfers used on both vans, usual disclaimer. Sorry about the excessive photos................ Jinty

Talking about cracking on with something............................ The Minerva Iron Mink has had a bit of a treatment in the weathering shop. Finding colour pictures of these in service in the 1950's was difficult, but I'm hoping I've captured the look of them ok after working from B&W pictures. Jinty

I believe that was what they were designed for, slower speed manoeuvring and taking of junctions, my puzzlement are the ones that come on out on the open road. From what I have read (earlier on a car forum), they should not illuminate above 20mph. Not sure how accurate that is. Jinty

It's got to be a boiler Steve, possibly one of those from Duncan Models, or the other possibility is getting a JLTRT resin one and making a frame for it out of sleepers. That's something for the distant future though, plenty to be cracking on with. Jinty

The law was that all lights on the front of a vehicle should be in pairs, head, main beam, fog and spots, but a single rear red fog light was acceptable. This was one of the things with the influx of the Japanese import vehicles of the 1990's, where a single fog light had to be fitted to the rear of all vehicles for its SVA test. The lights that I am referring to are these 'Corner' lights that only illuminate when the vehicle is turning left or right sharply. I've noticed that some of them come on whilst on normal roads. I had one behind me the other week coming down the Lledr valley from Blaenau Ffestiniog, and his corner lights were coming on here and there on that road which is reasonably twisty but now quite open. I was wondering what is the purpose of these as if the normal headlights are adjusted correctly you should be able to see just as well on the open road without the 'corner' lights. Jinty

Yes Happy New Year all. I've been on the road most of this last week so not much posted although I'll be making amends for that over these next couple of weeks. I've misplaced some photos of some VAA's I did before Christmas, not sure where I put them when I uploaded them to the PC, but I'm going to have a look later. Anyway on to Talyllyn. A new arrival this week whilst I was away, in the shape of the Hattons Warwell, H7-WW-705 Warwell wagon with diamond bogies, numbered M360333 and in BR grey livery. I'm rather pleased with the wagon, it is quite heavy and has a die-cast body which gives it a substantial weight on the track. The bogies are exquisite and very free running. The B2B of the wheels was accurate so no adjustment was needed for my 31.5 (O-MF) trackwork. Here are a few pictures: The sunlight was a bit low through the garage window and casting shadows, so I'll take some more pictures once it's been through the weathering shop!!! Jinty

One of my pet hates at the moment are daytime running lights. During these winter months I've got a considerable mileage under my belt and the amount of numpties I see, driving on dark roads with just their daytime running lights on at the front astounds me. Also because most modern dashboards are now lit independently of any lighting, they think that their lights are on. And there is the crux, they think, or should I say, they presume that they have their lights on, totally unaware that they are a dark blob on dark and damp roads at this time of year. The other lighting irritation is these turning spot lights that come on in the direction you are turning, is there any real benefit to them? I've seen some come on on quite fast twisty lanes, I thought they were for junctions and hard turns. The thing is, we've been managing without them for donkey's years, why now are they so important? I'm hoping to be educated on the importance of them. Another one is the 'Middle Lane Sitter', the person who thinks that lane 2 is there because they are not a commercial vehicle and all commercial vehicles should be in lane 1. This is also prevalent on dual carriageways and two lane by-passes, where they will sit in lane 2 even if lane 1 is empty. This is an actual offence now, but I've seen police traffic cars turn a blind eye to it on a regular basis during my travels. It must be the paperwork involved. Our local Constabulary will act upon dash cam evidence for bad driving now, and I'm seriously considering getting one and submitting some of the horrendous driving I see on a regular basis. Jinty