LDM34046

Just had email confirmation today that’ll I’ll be exhibiting Lancaster Lane for the first time at the Gravesend Model Railway Exhibition on the 6th - 7th November this year. Humbling considering this only started out as a small project to occupy me during lockdown! Very much looking forward to it. Plenty still to get done and a deadline to work towards…

No longer shunting empty stock. Finally got round to making some real coal loads for the private wagons. Not sure why I didn’t make them earlier. A huge improvement!

The first task of the day. Weathering the Series 1 Land Rover. Nothing too drastic, just taking the shine off the model and muddying up the wheels. The original Series 1 had a green interior with green or black leather seats however I’ve taken apart the model and painted the cab green with the seats in brown to stand out through the windows. A subtle change but a touch grubbier!

Thank you Al! Looking at the photo they do look grey however I can confirm that they’re British Standard Issue Green! No cause for concern!

Trains aside, a few cameos of the figures around the layout. As much as I hate painting them, they do add another level of interest to the layout and a bit of character to the photos.

Up early this morning for a productive day of modelling. First job was to sort out a few of the Dapol models. These fruit vans rarely make an appearance on the layout as they suffer from the dreaded droopy couplings. The wheels were removed and the screws on the underside tightened. It’s not made a massive difference but they’re now definitely more useable. I might have to address that factory weathering at some point as well…

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t spend yesterday drawing up plans for the second board of Lancaster Lane…the addictive nature of this hobby! Anyway, new plans aside. A lovely sunrise this morning.

Jeez.... Just had a read through this thread! Poor Andy. Some people want everything for nothing. Glad to say that the advert blocking the notification button has disappeared so thank you for getting that sorted! Ads don't bother me, bills need to be paid! The current subscription service doesn't really appeal to me as I wouldn't use a lot of the services offered however a cheaper subscription, maybe for an ad free RMweb is something I'd pay! Give Andy a break. RMWeb got me into the hobby 7 years ago and RMWeb is also the reason I built a new layout during lockdown. The knowledge and resources are invaluable. Don't take RMweb for granted! It nearly disappeared! Rant over...

Nothing new to add at the moment. Another busy weekend of photography meant the layout went untouched til this morning when a few wagons were shunted around for a few hours. Both Peckett’s working overtime while the BR locos are away getting some digital tlc. A few small projects planned for this weekend however.

Not much happening on the layout however more steam on the mainline this week! 35028 Merchant Navy Class ‘Clan Line’ passed through one of my local stations on the Man of Kent Pathfinder Tour. Always an impressive sight at speed!

Gloomy Wednesdays. Modelu figures really add another level of detail to the layout.

It’s England… Always is!!

A busy afternoon in the yard…

A few shots of the finished weathered mineral wagons. Oxford Rail wagons really scrub up well with a bit of weathering.

Thank you all for the kind comments! Always enjoy getting creative with a bit of photography. Today’s job is to weather the new mineral wagons, taking the edge off them. Starting with a light wash of black to add some definition to the slats and bolts. After the wash has dried, weathering powders we’re added. Rust around the hinges and bolts and charcoal black added to the panels before being wiped with cotton buds to create a streaky effect. A coat of varnish needs to be added and then a few photos will be taken on the layout. A subtle job but at least they don’t look brand new plastic.

Depending on the weather, early morning’s can provide some great lighting through the window shutters in the bedroom. A real moody shot.

Another project finished and my favourite to date. The Peco wagon kit painted with Vallejo acrylics. Weathering was done solely using powders this time, rather than mixing with acrylics and I’m pleased with the results. A nice subtle weathering instead of caking it on with acrylic and then wiping it off. The couplings still need to be added but just enjoying having it parked up at the end of my sidings.

One completed load for the flat wagon. Once the glue had dried I gave it a good weather as well as paint the inside black to avoid any light leak. Happy with the finished result. I might make another but with a dark green as the blue is quite bright. Maybe some scale rope or chain to hold it down.

The latest addition to the layout. Due to Covid and Royal Mail it’s been an absolute pain to get sorted but well worth the two month wait! Hornby’s B2 Peckett. Beautifully weathered by Chris at Model Rail Services Plymouth. He’s also fitted a stay-alive chip to provide lovely fault free running. I’ve yet to pluck up the courage to weather my locos so in the mean time I always try and enlist on professional services and I would highly recommend Chris’s work to anyone!

Ever have those “how hard can it be” moments? This morning I was flicking through Instagram and came across an article on making tarpaulins to go on wagons. For a while I’ve fancied creating a load for the flat wagon and saw this as a perfect opportunity. A tarpaulin texture was printed onto A4 paper and soaked in a 50:50 mix of PVA and water. My flat bed and model Land Rover wrapped in Cling Film before moulding the wet paper around the model to create the basic shape. it may look a bit crude at the moment but I’m hoping once dry the excess can be trimmed off and neatened up. The Land Rover can then be carefully removed to create the illusion that there’s a full load. It might work. It might not. But at the cost of a single sheet of A4 paper and 10 minutes it was worth a try!

Thank you! What tempted me with this kit was the fact it was two wagons plus transfers, couplings and wheels included, the latter seems to be a rarity these days. The first wagon has just been primed so hopefully in the next few days I can start painting it.

A good place to finish today. Really enjoyed making this kit. Found the under frame and brakes a bit fiddly as the instructions aren’t the clearest but overall, happy with the result. Next job is to get it painted before adding decals and weathering. Not sure when that’ll get done as I’ve got another busy weekend but a great project for a rainy day. Looking forward to building the other wagon at some point!

Thank you Al! It all makes sense now!

Ignore me, on closer inspection there is enough wiggle room in the axle boxes to remove the wheels post assembly!

A good start on the 4-plank wagon. Still need to work out which order to paint/install the wheels as the instructions say fit the wheels prior to painting?