88C

You really do have an eye for detail, well done. Brian

Work on the Hall just about finished. The weathering has been done by dry brushing frame dirt and dirty black on the wheels and frames, the smokebox, cab roof and various bits of the tender painted with dirty black before several coats overall using MIG neutral wash with an almost dry brush. As well as replacing the carved off moulded detail I have made a fall plate and added a crew. Some coal and possibly some powders on top of the boiler will finish it off. This is the most weathering that I've done on a Great Western liveried loco but with not too much effort it has turned the basic Railroad model into something that will look so much better on the layout. Slow progress on the Barry brake van, but getting there slowly, I just need to keep thinking about the best order in which to do things. These photos have been taken at my work bench, there is a small shunting plank which sits on the shelf which is also useful for testing models as they are being built. Brian

Having read all the comments about poor starting I decided to get my Bradley Manor out of the cabinet and give it a run. Attached to a five coach train it started perfectly smoothly and slowed to a stop just as well. In the garage I use an On Track controller, no feedback as far as I was told, and in other situations it has performed well on other controllers. Looking forward to the panniers. Brian

No photos but an update on current projects. I don't need any new models, but that doesn't mean I won't buy any, so I am trying to personalise models that I already have. At the moment I am working on a Hornby Railroad Hall, a bit of old school stuff to start with, carving off some of the moulded detail and replacing it with something better. New nameplates have been ordered from 247 and a start has been made on weathering. Since the original paint finish is fairly basic this model will be more heavily weathered than my other stock. Progress on the Barry brake van has been a bit slow, there is a lot of beading to replicate and this is done by soldering fine wire into etches slots, a rather tedious job but done now. I used solder paint which I bought for the purpose at the York show. Still a lot to do before October. Brian

Thanks for all the likes for the pannier pictures, I trust you all recognise the class. Today some Grange photos. I have been experimenting with an extra light source but I will have to be a bit more aware of shadows. I have fitted the new plates and done some weathering, dry brushing on the underframe and powders on the body. Fortunately it is still working despite the chassis rot. Held at the signal, I don't know where the crew have gone. Away we go. Crossing the stream. Still need to improve my photography and get the tripod out. Brian

For those who like panniers. A few of the pictures from a recent running session. I am trying to improve the quality of my photos by using different settings, my new monitor shows a lot more detail. Brian

I had a great time at the York show on Sunday, lots of good layouts and lots of chatting, in particular it was nice to see Sherton Abbas again and talk with @wenlock and @Barry Ten. I had a shopping list to stock up on consumables mostly but also some other things to have in stock for future projects. One thing that I am trying to do is personalise some older models which have slipped through the net, one of which is a Hornby Grange so I bought some plates from @247 Developments and have started work. Sadly I have found the first signs of Mazak rot have set in, hopefully it will run for a bit longer. Earlier today I had a running session, I will post some photos soon. Pannier action. Brian

My wife and I had a most enjoyable visit to the show yesterday and thank you to everyone involved in the organisation. It is not easy to get a good balance of layouts and you can only go with what is available. There were no poor layouts and some unusual topics, for example, the Lego and Turquar ones. Seeing some of the more specialist traders at a big show is refreshing, if not a little expensive, whenever possible I prefer to shop in person rather than mail order. Finally my favourite layout has to be Sherton Abbas. Brian

A much missed shop. Brian

Looking forward to MAG, I have sent you a PM but I’m not sure if it went if you don’t reply I’ll try again. Brian

An update on the recent wagon builds. First, the LNER wagons, now complete apart from one of them requiring a load. Next up a Slaters 3 plank awaiting weathering, a load and couplings. All of the above have used Modelmaster transfers. Several years ago I bought sheets for the Big Four and they have been very useful, however if you want accurate numbers there are separate digits on the sheet but I tend to use one of the full numbers for ease, I'm not obsessed about that sort of thing. I have read that @The Fatadder has had problems with complete wagon sides, perhaps I have an earlier batch. Finally, a Coopercraft 5 plank wagon slightly modified to represent a Barry Railway version. This model is destined to sit by the sand drier on Llanforen Shed when it is at our show in October. I am working on a BR brake van, but progress has been delayed until I can stock up on supplies at York on Sunday. The shopping list is growing. Brian

The added detail is fine by me but more importantly the model must run well. I have not ventured to look inside my more recent locos to see what the drive train is like but a simple two stage mechanism usually works very well so why complicate it, think of a certain 14xx. Perhaps I have been lucky but I have only had to return one model as a failure and that came from one of the big two. I am not a DCC user but it seems that reading comments on RMweb a lot of problems seem to be people are not happy with the supplied settings, however DCC is the way the hobby is going. I can understand that to some extent after operating a DCC layout recently where every loco behaved differently, I like to work to the KISS principle. Brian

About time the signal man got his act together. Brian

Playing trains. Brian

Good to see you back in action Bob Brian

The new computer is up and running and slowly getting used to it. Fortunately all the files and photos were retrieved from the old one. I can now start posting about my modelling activities, starting with the NE wagons. All finished apart from weathering and some loads. Another recent build has been a Parkside 7 plank coal wagon. It is actually black. The transfers are some very old ones which I probably bought at a WRRC meeting years ago, they are very fragile and despite being applied to a gloss surface the film is visible, more so in a photo, but weathering will hide it. The next project is a Cooper Craft O4 but it has been slightly modified to represent a Barry Railway wagon. I have also just started a Redcraft Barry 4w brake van. I have several already but another will be useful. The reason for doing some more Barry stock is that my Llanforen Shed layout is going to our show in October. My experience of using DCC over the weekend has not convinced me to change. Different locos behaved differently to the controller making station stops a lottery and I forgot to take some ear plugs. Each to his own! Brian

Looking forward to seeing Sherton Abbas again and the new coaches. Brian

Just getting ready to set off for a day playing with blue boxes, can’t compete with a good pannier .

I’ve been out with a club layout at the Mansfield show today. I’m afraid we had a complaint, there was no bus on the bridge! I’ll be back there again tomorrow. Brian

I’m afraid that we need a new computer so until then I’ll have to make do with a tablet. Hopefully the local chap who does work on computers will be able to recover the files and photos from the hard drive which he took away with him. I have saved a lot onto an external hard drive but not the more recent stuff. With all this and still dealing with ChrisF’s affairs there has not been much time for modelling this week. Brian

Sorry, no photos, I did take some this morning but when I tried to load them into the desktop the usb ports have stopped working. Another computer annoyance is that Microsoft have changed the system that has worked for ages and sent us to outlook, two of the three accounts work but not the third. When I was working any ‘upgrade’ was usually referred to as a ‘downgrade’. Fortunately I can access the emails on the tablet. I had a job to do in the garage this morning so took the opportunity to have a play, you will have to believe me until I get the computer sorted. Brian.

Thanks for the replies. @bbishop the photo that I found shows brakes one side with a Morton system so that’s what I have gone with, always worth keeping spare parts from kits. As for transfers, I have always found Pressfix difficult to position so generally I prefer water slide, each type have their uses. Brian

There hasn’t been much time for modelling recently, last weekend we were down in Bristol to celebrate my aunt’s 100th birthday. A nice family gathering including my 102 year old uncle. I have just been applying transfers to the recent wagon builds, I will post photos later but pedants be warned, the numbers are almost certainly incorrect. Brian

Wishing you all the best in your new venture. Brian.

The problem with the brake gear has been resolved. I borrowed a book, LNER Wagons by Peter Tatlow, from the club library and it includes a diagram and photo showing brakes on one side. Incidentally the photo is of 144895, the same number used on the box seen on the eBay link. Brian.