Bluemonkey presents....

Lovely looking wagon, what a monster compared to the 4 plank wagon.

Not very much happening of any consequence. Got the open wagons completed with the couplings, oops started another one, this time I have to apply the dry-rub transfers to the sides and ends. Should be sport at least. Oh and snaffled some (I think) picture frame protection and used my Dad's old camera case to create a stock box and protection for those kit built wagons; Should be able to use any spares in another box or crate. They also seem to make nice cradles for painting/building. Should be OK for locos as well.

Your baseboard journey sounds as stop go, dismantle, rebuild, move location come back as mine. You have a lovely space now for your layout. Thank you for the track over joints, pointers. Looking forward to future developments.

Chris I have found the tunnel entrance but it does appear to be moulded plastic as well more like @Bill37. I'll send pictures anyway. Sorry.

Fabulous construction and a lovely layout planned.

Build them all Ade.

Have been applying finishing touches to the pre-printed wagons. Having to mix a colour match to the red/orange wagons had me worried but think I have got away with it. I've started on the loco coal wagons as well. Unfortunately the transfers I ordered are for 20t wagons not the 10t. A shameful error on my behalf now I have to get some 20 tonners as well. nice little group and the cattle wagons are ready once I have the numbers and appropriate transfers; Research has been very slow for actual wagons numbers for W1 and W5 as well as the N13 loco coal wagons. Whilst my other WW1 project has completely hit a wall as I can not find any evidence of military running numbers for the rectank wagons. I have a number from GWR whilst being on loan. May be this is all and that is why I can not find any. I have a a few more cattle wagons of other diagrams and managed to find nearly the right amount of actual wagon documentation to accommodate these once built. Alas the hedge was cut today so no modelling.

Chris, I have a single tunnel mouth with retaining side walls. It is a plastic one piece and not sure of the manufacturer but I dig it out and take a picture. If you like/want it let me know. It is going to be years before I get onto tunneling! May be tomorrow for the pic as it is in the loft with the majority of the layout things.

For what it is worth, personally I would go for the stone effect especially as it should compliment all your current layout buildings and features. Is there anything in the Wills range?

Chris I always enjoy seeing pictures of your layout and did not realise you have been published, congratulations. Nice that you will let Sarah and family push your buttons Please can you tell me about how your removable section works regarding rail breaks across an angle. I have had to redesign my layout boards from permanent to potentially semi-moveable meaning I would have a large amount of track over board breaks including a lot of mainline curves. Any thoughts from your experiences please? I have serious concerns about it with mainline trains derailing at speed etc, hence further delays in progressing my layout. Thank you for any pointers/help. Happy for a PM if too much to put in your thread.

Thank you 71.052 Anthracite Grey. I did forget to mention it is the first coat (I do not normally coat more than once though) on Halfords grey primer which is very light. I do use this on all my wagons. By-the-way your autocoach looks superb.

Well the results are in.......................unfortunately I have not won the lottery nor do we have an exact match but I am very pleased with how close the match actually is. There is a slight difference when you really look hard with the naked eye but on a layout and after weathering, even slight, I think any different in shade would not be noticable. Here they are; The two ends are Railmatch and the middle Vallejo Air. Not really sure as to why the loco coal wagon has a lighter shade to the gunpowder van.

I used the new paint today for the cattle wagons with the intention that whilst they dried I would get the transfers onto the loco coal wagons. Well you guessed it got the painting done lol. Very pleased with the initial results but will wait for the paint to completely dry before any comparisons can be made. As it happens I have some Railmatch GWR freight grey wagons ready and awaiting transfers so can easily be compared (another excuse not to do them) as well as a gunpowder wagon still sitting patiently for livery completion. Incidentally the time saved is significant. It took about 1hr for the 13 wagons to be completely sprayed with Vallejo and airbrushed cleaned and put away. At least 1.5hrs for the Railmatch spray, respray and airbrush cleaning/unblocking. Only 4 wagons done with poor coverage and would require a respray. Pictures for comparison and your views to follow.

I spent a little time in my now 'local' (proper) model shop today. Wonderful personal service and exceptional knowledge and help with my paint matching requirements. It has been a long time since this type od customer service and advice has been received. It does take me about 2hr round trip but worth it. I will be returning for sure. Thank you to Salisbury Model Centre for your help and advice. There is a particular pannier that caught my eye and I wish I picked it up today, hoe hum a return journey already penciled in. Incidentally I have plumped for Vallejo 71.052 Anthracite Grey as my Railmatch match. Results to be published soon. I also picked up Vallejo 71.023 Hemp for the 'dirt' colouration of the WW1 tanks. I have read the tanks were originally sheeted for either secrecy or just transporting proposes, seems no-one really has a definitive on this one. Originally the tanks were transported and shipped in grey and were painted in France before deployment. Specific colour patterns and camouflaged designed were directed. Then later in the war when it had been decided that the Germans knew about the tanks and shape and no wonderful paint design would disguise speed or direction, especially as they moved at walking pace at best, they would be painted for transporting in green and neutral/mud brown. As the tracks are up and over the tanks very quickly become mud/dirt/ground colour so this is why this decision was made by the war office. Having already got a WW2 load of green I am going for the dirt brown colouration. I also find it a little more interesting for the long planned layout.

Nick I see you are sneaking a Mk1 in on your layout built thread, very nice indeed. Unfortunately I have been unable to find a copy of the article to view but thanks. I did consider only getting one copying the outline image to 'sheet up' but having read that later in the war tanks appeared to be transported without sheeting and I am particularly modelling 1918/19 when I think the later Mks arrived as well as the Whippet I plumped for that period, also for some visual interest for me. I have my reserved stock for the carrying wagons lined up. The macaw kits I have are destined to be standard GWR service items , maybe with funky loads not sure yet but I really do like the idea of scratch building wagons. I have Russell's Great Western Wagon Plans Book and it keeps giving me ideas/inspiration but I must resist, as I have to @Mikkel temptation! My kit boxes and work bench are groaning as well as SWMBO! Kits I find become almost an addiction both in getting and building.

Thanks, no I have not seen it. Will have to look it up, thank you.

@MrWolf exactly that. All of those men were incredibly brave especially with the armour (or lack of) they had to work with. The more research into WW1 machinery and such the more I can not help thinking Steam Punk. Those weapons and vehicles.

lol, yes thank @Mikkel very tempting but I am out of room for loads and on my bench lol. As it happens from researching wagon numbers/livery I stumbled on an article describing how the WW1 tanks produced in Swindon were initially rail transported to Avonmouth docks for shipping to the front. Happy accident as this can be used to cement a train load of tanks running through Chippenham. It may have been, and most likely, the Swindon Badminton line but for some reason on that given day they had to run the main to Temple Meads or even into the munitions tunnels at box!

Paint first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow time flies when you are..... well lets just say time flies! Cattle wagons primed and ready for painting although had a nightmare with my Railmatch paint being lumpy and blocking my airbrush so only got four done (badly) before complete strip down. So now trying to find a decent substitute match from Vallejo as this range I love using and provides excellent results with either airbrushes or standard brush painting and is now my preferred paint. Unfortunately it appears that my 'local' stockist is a mere 80ish mile round trip via A roads! I only want a bottle of grey that matches GWR freight grey. With the mileage and the likely paint cost it works out about £1.65 per ml. Although I think the brass replacements for the retaining and tie bars works. Would love options/thoughts please? W1 pictured just in view is a W5 with vacs. What do you think of the vac pipe. I am very happy with the quality they are superb, in my opinion. You will see in the back ground I have some N13 loco coal wagons I made up a long time ago whilst work was slow So I have put my frustration to good use. Fixed the problem with the bearing location and replaced the wheels. Couplings added...........yes couplings added I'm getting dizzy and everything. Transfers from Railtec arrived for the 6 pack of loco coal wagons, just to ensure they are the numbers I need (should have done this prior to placing the order, like I said dizzy). Now, before any furthe activity I have another 6 pack to progress on before anything else. I must delete the last couple of days! Recently I had one of those significant days, not a land mark just an annual! So I was allowed a little something; (showing off now) this is my next project before getting on the with breakdown and mail trains (promise ) The clue is no warflats but what as these will be loads? I have a number of WW1 railway items now and a Deans with panniers in my mind but that is long term thought. I need to research a little more for this as well as the streamlined King project! Too many things not enough hands!

Thank you MrWolf. I really like the Vallejo paints @Mikkel first got me hooked when I was painting up some GWR red wagons for a commission job. I dont have a shop nearby that stocks them so have to rely on computer representation of the colours.

Thanks Chris. Those are the ones I usually use but have so many wagons already in Railmatch GWR grey I was a little worried about using another source. Do you mix your own shade or have you found a colour match please? I would presume one of the WW11 German grey would be close?

Fantastic job on both the loriot and the load. They look the part especially when sited as you have done. Just out of interest what paints do you use please? I had terrible trouble last night when trying to spray my cattle wagons with railmatch and could only manage four of them before having to completely strip the brush down due to blockages.

Set about he fiddly job of the tie bars and vac pipes (for some) on the cattle wagons. I have used the Cambrian bars shortening them by cutting the rivet detailing so these can be used for something else another time. Not exactly what I was hoping for although seems OK and once painted will rarely be studied. The vac pipes are lovely and virtually no flash.