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Tom F

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Everything posted by Tom F

  1. Hi Chris It's in the Ballamoddey thread. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/169184-ballamoddey-1937-on-the-mid-sodor-railway/&do=findComment&comment=4760703
  2. Thanks Adrian It was a great day to be out. Planning next weeks hike. In the meantime, new etches should be here later this week for work to continue on No. 3.
  3. Cab construction has come to a halt as the half etched pieces on the cab front failed on forming. I did attempt to solder the bits back together, but another piece broke away and the results were not up to the standard I'd have liked. Thankfully help is at hand with a spare etch, so work will resume when the parts arrive. To take my mind off things, myself and the border collie have been for a hike in the Lake District today. Good for the soul!
  4. I think this really shows how the hobby differs for everyone that little bit. Certain aspects I like doing, but ultimately it's the finished aspect I enjoy, however I do like when each piece starts to come together. The downside is that once completed, my mind starts wandering to the next project. I often thing I'm happiest when I'm just sat pipe dreaming ideas. That's a bit sad really.
  5. Last one from me tonight. I have now soldered the roof frame of the cab to the rear of No. 3's cab which has sturdied the whole thing up nicely. The plan this evening is to take a break from modelling and read up on some more WHR goods workings. 'Heading home...'
  6. Thanks Rodney. I've now soldered the roof to the rear piece, I think it's looking about right. Next step will be adding the front cab piece. Excellent etches, it's two years since I built your first one. That one I'd used superglue with a touch of soldering. This one I'm trying to do more with solder.
  7. Thanks all, really appreciated Well, I stuck to my target and made a start on forming up No. 3's cab. This I'd be dreading, which in turn was actually quite enjoyable. The forming up of the sides was straight forward using my hold 'n' fold jig, before soldering the tabs of the rear cab extension in place. I feel I can happily move on with progress now that the main cab has its shape.
  8. That's for all the supportive posts. They have genuinely helped. I realise that I and most of us are very lucky to not be in the situation that the Ukrainian people are currently facing, but as you say it is there at the back of my mind feeding negativity. I thought I'd follow the suggestions made by a couple of people to make a list, which I have found has helped to outline what projects I have on the 'todo' list. My biggest issue....is myself. I worry and lack confidence a great deal of the time on modelling projects. The Falcon's progress has kept stalling, which is silly as I've already built one. The worry I think is that it will not turn out as good as the previous one, so I keep avoiding it. Well, I'm about to bring the kit downstairs and make a start....however little the progress, I need to make some.
  9. About half way there Geoff. We seem to have some gremlins with a couple of the DPDT switches (they were fairly cheap from amazon), so I've ordered some better replacements. Feeling a bit flat tonight So much to do....plenty of time....just feeling a bit daunted with what is needed. That probably sums up the situation with how I'm feeling tonight. In my head Ballamoddey is finished and I can picture the different trains coming and going....and this is how I sort of wish it was. I was really good with Scaca with using each project towards the layout and stock feeling like it's own little goal. Right now though, I just see more wagons I need to build, more locos to complete and a layout that will need wiring. I would just like the whole thing done so I can escape into my little Awdry world, perhaps the current global issues are playing their role here. Maybe I'm just feeling a bit split on what I need to do next. Perhaps making a note book and deciding, 'right focus on getting this loco worked on, and paint a few wagons etc'. The different aspects towards the end goal just seem a bit overwhelming and I'm lost under a pile of things to do.
  10. Some light shunting this morning.... Long day ahead, but the MSR is never far away.
  11. A little bit of fun this evening! "No. 2, was American, and very cocky. He rode roughly and often came off the rails." Duke the Lost Engine, by Reverend W. Awdry Awdry's Sodor is proving a powerful coping mechanism/escapism with everything that is going on in the world at the moment.
  12. Cheers Geoff! Tomorrow my friend comes over and we hope to finish wiring Ballamoddey. We might get some trains running! In the meantime, I'll leave you with this: 'Men of the Mid Sodor'
  13. After finishing some weathering commissions for a client, I was able to get a couple of items of rolling stock weathered for 'Ballamoddey'. There is something rather nice posing a Baldwin with a Snailbeach coal wagon. Built from a Dundas kit, it didn't go together quite as easy as some of their more modern kits. I've also weathered a second WHR van, seen in the second photograph. I have a real fondness for these types with their corrugated roofs. There is another one I need to finish which will depicted in unpainted plain wood. I'm planning to order some wagon/vans from shapeways in a week or so, which includes a variation of this van prototype (but slightly smaller).
  14. Nothing much to report as of late. I have made up a batch of Modelu Loco lamps for the MSR fleet. These are based on the Cambrian loco lamp, I fancied something of a pre grouping vibe. A couple of locomotives have arrived this week, which will form the basis of a couple of Mid Sodor locomotives. Once the name plates have arrived and they are all weathered up I'll reveal all.
  15. Thanks all for the advice. It is however beyond what I find 'enjoyment' in a hobby. I know when my hobby starts to get me down, so does my mental health. @BritishGypsum4is going to have a look at it when he is over on Saturday to finish the wiring on Ballamoddey. In the meantime, a friend is looking into 3D printing me some Fes van bodies for Dundas chassis. Every cloud....
  16. Well.....we didn't even get to the soldering stage! I began carefully folding the underframe underneath the van, which went ok. Then came to folder it up into a box. The lower edges have begun to warps as they but up against each other. I've no intention to take it any further, and I'm going to have a look if anyone does a 3D print of the Fes van.
  17. I'm moving onto some Mercian kits I have to build (about depleted the plastic kit range). I have a nice Fes Van and 1 plank open to build. I've soldered before (happily make up small masokit couplings and lamp irons), however I get a bit twitchy when it comes to kits. The Mercian kit looks to be a fold up design (I have a small 'hold n fold' jig. Could anyone share some tips and advice for soldering up etched brass wagon kits? Many thanks
  18. Finished the building batch with an additional three wagons. A Penrhyn Fullersite wagon and two WHR goods vans (they are a favourite of mine)
  19. Brought out of retirement my intentio workbench so I’m able to do some modelling in the warmth of the living room. Four more items of goods stock built up for the Mid Sodor.
  20. Thanks for the kind comments Bill. I had originally planned to exhibit, but ultimately I wasn’t happy leaving my border collie at home. I must admit I don’t enjoy shows like I use to and get far more enjoyment having operating sessions with friends coming round. I also really enjoy the photographic side of it too.
  21. Well, today marked the end of an era. Cwm Prysor, a layout that formed a large part of my life over the past 6-7 years has been sold, along with the remaining stock. The stock has now gone, and the first part of the layout is heading down to its new home in Oxfordshire. The new owner is really enthusiastic about the branch, and fell in love with it on reading this thread a few months ago. I have asked that he continues Cwm Prysor's adventure.....and possible extension in this thread.
  22. Thanks Didcot, I was really pleased with how its come out.
  23. 'The climb from Cas-ny-Hawin' November, 1924
  24. Thanks Chris! Well, we got a step closer to a working layout today. I really can’t thank @BritishGypsum4 enough for everything’s he’s done today. For those that watched the live stream, at the Ulfstead Road end of the layout, the point’s wire droppers and frog are in place. The loop and siding points at the Peel Godred end are also in place too. Importantly though, all the isolating sections are wired to their toggle switches. Ben will be back in a few weeks time for the last bit of wiring, but in the mean time I’ll be carrying on with building rolling stock and making a start on timetable planning.
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