AlfaZagato

Road bridge could even be part of a 'fly-over,' with the backscene showing a suitable hill to warrant trucks leaving the yard at a climb.

I'm not certain how large, if any, layout you have at this point. Have you considered tender loco bodies? Maybe to be fitted to a Hornby Railroad, or one of Oxford Rails' options?

Whilst I did have good weather this week, I needed a new filter for my spray booth. I still haven't picked one up, so I built Gundam this week. Firstly, I built and finished an accessory vehicle for a model I've had on before, the 1/144 30MM Portanova. I picked up a tank for the Portanova; How is a tank for a giant robot, you may ask? Stupidly, is how; Just, why, Bandai? Why the Doom-style chest gun? You can mount the handles under the gun, thankfully. I didn't do so, though. I decided he needed a backpack; I was able to include the pack already mounted as well. Overdone, but still looks less stupid that Doom-gun. I've started doing some work in the mornings again, as well. I have the kit for my friend. Every year, we do a Christmas gift exchange. The value is relevant but fluid. Every year, he buys me a subscription to XBox Live, which is still $60 I believe. Every year, I buy and build a Gundam kit. Whomever comes up short owes balance, usually in more gifts, and usually in my way. This year, I am building him the Master Grade 1/100 Heavy Gundam; Not finished yet. I have yet to build those important bits between the feet and the waist. Or the backpack. Or the massive arm cannon. The build is kind of underwhelming, though. No sign of the usual wealth of detail and flexibility on a Master Grade. No cockpit hatch, even. This is a 'P-Bandai' limited release, though. I don't know if the subject was to be all that flexible, either. I do plan to clear, mark, and clear this kit when built, though. The weather is due to hold for a little while. I should have filters soon. This build is moving quickly. I think he'd appreciate the extra effort. He damn well better. We'll see.

I redid the feeds. Friend in a local club drew me a superior wiring diagram to my 'drops everywhere.' I picked up some Kato Unitrak-to-snaptrack connectors, too. I may need to shorten one for the space. I plan to use Unitrak and the associated connector as a quick-attach fiddle-stick. Seems better than contriving some alignment system made from angle.

@Compound2632 Your images there made me think, what if the Midland or LMS rebuilt a Jinty as an electric, along the same lines (but obviously not diesel-hydraulic) as no. 1831? Trip working under the wire, and allows use of existing push-pull stock.

To be fair, the Peckett isn't too dear as it is. Still more than you can get some of the locos normally featured here, but that's about a jump from hot dogs to brats.

Another largely idle week. Sunday, I managed to lay the first coat of gloss white on the Kaempfer. Well, most of the Kaempfer; Fun fact; there is almost no paint in a Testors' square jar. I'll have to dig around to see if I have more before I bother my friend. I think I figured out the trick, though. I have the PSI cranked way back, and thinnish paint. I'll try polishing a couple of parts before I pursue multiple coats. We'll see.

How distracting is it for you to have the light on?

Didn't do much this past week. Bunch of projects all need paint, and Chicago weather is being Chicago weather. Last week, though, I nearly finished the 8th Army; Well, table-ready at least. I find smaller scale figures don't benefit much from detail work on the faces. Can't see them half the time, anyways. I didn't have the bases ready. I ended up cutting a new one for the anti-tank rifle. These need paint. Obviously. Then I glue the soldiers down, then brush the bases with PVA and dip them in sand. No need to get fancy. Finally, I dug out an old project to work on; The Gundam kit I was working on for a friend? My friend wants the thing's frame in gunmetal. This also needs to be in gunmetal, and has only been sitting on my bench, primed, for about eight years. Figured it would be time to paint it. Hopefully next week.

The rack locomotives are normally (but not always) tiny, and have some degree of automatic braking as a safety feature. Speeds are significantly less, as well.

I think the unions disagree with you there. I think the biggest problem for steam MW would be the inaccuracy in steam-era work. Even modern builds, such as Tornado, can be inconsistent in operation.

But then we just have a 71 with worse route availability. Who said I was trying to be practical.

Keep the 9F frames & cylinders, use something like half the boiler - just enough to keep a head of steam up for basic movements. Electric motors on each axle, with whatever equipment needed mounted in the space vacated by the half-boiler. Electric heating of the boiler, for use off the wire.

All that assumes Swindon doesn't bolt in double blastpipes anyways, like they did with the Duke.

Depends on the suspension. I believe multiple bogie designs used on locomotives were balanced or braced to force weight onto the drivers.

4F hump shunter? I could see it.

Do you think the Peckett cylinders are a good match for the Bagnall's? I was looking at Alfred & Judy the other day, and noticed there was some suggestion of a steam chest near the top of the cylinders. The Hornby Peckett has a much less pronounced steam chest, so I was concerned about maybe using the Peckett as a donor for the low Bagnall. I haven't seen a Peckett in the flesh, though.

Is your small Bagnall on a Hornby Peckett?

RE: logos & colors, I was always confused at my Dapol Hymek in green/sye having arrows. I didn't think the two crossed.

Why not the dray & the Scammell at once?

Impressive modelling. Lots of brick.

I'd imagine so. Comes down to when did Hornby start including 8-pin sockets.

Handful of new acquisitions. Firstly, I won a Hornby Dean Single & two clerestory coaches in a raffle through one of my clubs; This did not come in the original box, so I don't know how old it is. Doesn't look half bad, though. Open armature motor, but there was an 8-pin decoder socket. Odd combo, in my mind. Backhead was detail-painted, as well. Runs fine, though she will creep with the throttle closed. I don't think I'll pursue super-detailing, but the tender and the coaches will receive Kadees at some point. I might add a crew, as well. That cab is very open. I also received a pair of resin diesel bodies from Parkwood Models; The Armstrong-Whitworth 'Universal' 2-6-2 diesel prototype, and a GWR/LMS English-Electric switcher. I thankfully already have a donor for the EE. I mentioned in earlier blogs I had intended to use that example to approximate a rebuilt Buffalo. I think the EE will be more straightforward. The shell has a notable 'cock' to it, though. I'll need to try to straighten that out. I do not have a donor for the AW yet. Parkwood suggests an old Minitrix chassis; I'm curious if anyone has tried a newer, possibly cheaper donor? We'll see.

Keep on this train-of-thought, and you'll have the Manchester Ship Canal system, complete with your prints coming out of a Clyde Puffer.

Any thought to a representation of the gearing to the wheels? Maybe with one of those paper-thin watch gears you can buy bags of from Micro-Mark?