richard i

When I get a chance to go to club. That most likely will be late July when I get some time off work. richard

And they are finished both sides there is a strange feeling when I make the decision that a project is done. It is almost a sense of loss that I no longer have the project to work on. I wonder if others feel the same way. I feel adrift until I settle on the next big project. I try a couple of short or simple projects usually to refocus myself. this time I have the next lined up converting a L&Y 2-4-2 into the GCR equivalent kindly from “green Howard’s” ( many thanks) I hope to do it justice and hope my plan for it works, otherwise it will be trip down a rabbit hole long project. I might do a guaranteed short project putting transfers on a southern pacific cab forward first. let’s see which I pick up first later in the week. richard

It will be fully moving robotic passengers, perhaps talking as well. richard

Buffet carriage done. four to go. I lined two of the brown strips tonight so I must be getting faster. richard

Wheel lining bow pen compass using the centre of the wheel or in 4mm I use curved lining provided by transfer sheets. valence most likely lined. Am a gcr not gnr person so happy to stand corrected.…….good luck. richard

The result is much neater. it is perhaps too wide as it conceals too much black, but it is on now so the others will need to be done the same way. richard

As a punter two passing on the front means I can not study each for the full time, but it does look good, so once in a while passing on the front is a good amount for me. IMHO. richard

First one done. it looks a little neater than the directly applied ones. Boy does it send my eyes dolally hopefully the lining will be more visible once on the model. only 11 more to do. Though I am kicking myself as I think I have underestimated the amount of lining needed. Forgetting that I need two strips of it per side. no doubt at this rate I will find out in December richard

These little jobs seem to take an inordinate amount of time and when they are finished no one notices! that is the sign of a good model. You notice they are absent from the others. richard

Shame to paint the inaccurate livery as it suits the loco quite well. richard

Red cow crossing at Exeter st David’s, is open with trains in the platforms, otherwise it would be permanently closed as there is always something in the station. richard

I keep having to remind myself......it is 2mm, it is 2mm! great work here, as always richard

It is nothing GCR related. It is coronation William stanier. really out of period and location but a great looking loco. richard

Now I do not know which plan we are up to for the others. Plan R? 1.5mm wide strips were too narrow to line on and outside lining meant the lower lining was lost. the idea this time is 2.5 mm wide and put the gold transfer on the edge. Then stick it on the black painted sole bar which will give the black surround. As Keith at club said, “And then they are finished?” I think so but I am sure to have missed something out. I hope they are as I am ready to move on to a different project. I was also kindly given a DJH kit, opening it I realized why people can build more quickly than I can. Firstly all the bits were there. Secondly there was loads of information available to help with the build. maybe more exciting photos shortly. I will be doing one as a proof of concept and I still have to line the other side of the d&s third. richard

B1 into a b3 Thompson convert. There was only one. richard

Achievable is good. I am 13 years into a ten year build and still going. It is getting harder to pull the plug and admit it is too much, so onwards to see when it is done. Better you work this out before it becomes too much. richard

We had a lecturer destruct button graffitied on to one of the desks in a lecture room at university. If you thought the talk was bad you would look over to see if the student at the desk which had the button was pushing it. those chocolate and cream coaches are from the GCR, like the GWR but better. richard

The hat and coat reference is said when you know you are making a poor joke. Almost as if you are at a party and because of the weak humour you have to leave, hence getting your hat and coat. It can also be when you suggest something controversial in the group, eg that the railway with the best chocolate and cream coaches was not the GWR. That would be heretical in some quarters. richard

And I thought I was done. However an email exchange with JQ had him persuading me that the brown and gold had to go on. I found fox do a .3 mm gold lining. I tried on the d&s first as it has riveted detail so could not have an inlaid piece. I will have to touch in the brown and black afterwards where it is obviously missing. This is pre decal soft so it has not sat down over the rivets yet. It is certainly noticeable. now I have done this I am committed to doing another 4 sides and realistically another 13. richard

Superb work there. Thank you for sharing it. Richard

Is this the solution to the problem? sorry hat coat ....gone richard

They are worsley works etches for the floor, sides and ends. The rest you make yourself. Luckily I was offered some d&s etches for most of the bogies. I hade to use one as a master to make an extra one. they were enjoyable to build. richard

Yes corridor side. It is more relaxing to look at as it is less busy. The frosted glass with coat of arms are fitted to the other side. richard

Kit building, if not locos, these are as near as finished as I am going to be able to get them. Any more accuracy to prototype has either been stopped due to lack of prototype information or lack of skill on my part to replicate the prototype, mostly in the painting department. the are another 5 but most would have to play spot the difference to know that I was not just putting up more pictures of the same carriages. Just as I can not tell most Mk2 carriages apart. to keep it on topic, care was taken with their assembly, which is why it has taken about a month to build each carriage. richard

The insides are in and the carriages have all been turned to the correct orientation. you can see the carpets if you angle the carriages and catch the light correctly. So definitely worth it. as usual you do not notice that the insides are fitted, but it is obvious when they are not. trimming the floors to fit did give me an idea how to get the brown on the solebars. Paint up very thin plasticard and lay that on as a sort of 3D transfer. It is all sunken and in shadow so it may just work. then it is on to the green Howard’s 2-4-2 to see if that can be brought to life. richard