Tom F

'The climb from Cas-ny-Hawin' November, 1924

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.

Thanks Geoff, you'll get to see it in person a week tomorrow.

Sometimes, I can be my own worse enemy. I find I can sit planning, planning and more planning but I make little progress. Making the decision to model Ballamoddey was fairly easy, the hardest part was making a start on the boards. Once I’d made that big decision and began making the boards, the ball was rolling. From there I began building up goods wagons and vans. This in turn helped to give me the inspiration to work on the first loco, No. 2. Each little part of project inspires me to move on with the next. I sometimes become frustrated that everything isn’t finished already, but I’m reminded of the joy of the journey, and how little goals and achievements help to break the project down into bitesize lumps. The Mid Sodor is going to be a big part of my modelling life going forward and can’t wait to see here this adventure leads me!

Planning and preparation has begun for the next locomotive for the layout.

Last one for the time being 'Those Halcyon Days'.....

Just the brake van to collect, and then we head for home....

Thanks Andrew. They are part of the Noch range of products. I brush painted them more autumnal colours.

Totally unintentional but I love how the driver in the cab has his hands on his hips.....clearly in desperation!

A moment's rest at 'Cas-ny-Hawin' lead mine.

It does doesn't it. I'd never been keen on the red myself. Wilbert states in an unpublished document the liveries of the MSR locomotives, and No. 2 is documented as unlined black. The document post dates 'Duke the Lost Engine' too. Plus, when you look at the story Bulldog and when it is set, it makes no sense for it to be a Baldwin. I like the idea that the loco would have been the original No. 2. I appreciate what Peter Edwards was trying to do, but it doesn't work in canon.

Managed to get No. 2 finished today. I've really fallen in love with the Baldwin as a locomotive. MSR No. 2 'A Baldwin* 4-6-0 tank engine bought secondhand as Army Surplus after World War I, and nicknamed Stanley after the well known politician of that name. Stanley proved, unfortunately, to be a bad bargain. He was a rough rider, and prone to derailment (DLE/8).Repeated attempts to cure this habit failed and he was turned into a pumping engine, first at Arlesdale Works (DLE/9), and latterly at the Cas-ny- Hawin mine. He was nearly worn out early in 1946, and finally broke down later in the year. The flooding which resulted forced the mine’s closure in December, and that of the railway in January 1947' This shot I particularly like. I know it is on Scaca, but could easily be the Cas-ny-Hawin lead mine.

Thanks Barclay, yes NP were my back up but there lead time is 2 months (understandable when having etches produced. Thankfully, I have acquired a set!

Morning all Last night, I lost my two Bachmann etched worksplates into the 'carpet sea' and I've spent all last night and this morning looking for them. Alas, they are lost. Would anyone have a spare set I could purchase at all. It's to complete a current project which is about finished. Many Thanks Tom

Removable coal loads made up this evening.

Cheers Neil Well, we might get some trains running tomorrow as @BritishGypsum4comes over to help with wiring Ballamoddey tomorrow.

A couple more items of rolling stock now weathered. MSR Goods Brake Van No.3 (otherwise known as Cora) now weathered circa 1936. I've also finished the Goods Van (based on the WHR prototype)

A splash of colour makes all the difference. It did require masking off the loco as best as I could, and some slight touching up. I'm heading up to the workbench to make the replacement Greenwich couplings for the loco.

Work has begun….. MSR No. 2

She’s wonderful….. a little madam too at times! A true companion!

Thanks Rodney Just a case of cutting smaller transfers off a Fox sheet to get the right look (2mm N and 1mm O) A nice surprise was waiting when I returned home from work yesterday. Had to be checked first by the railway inspector of course!

Another piece of MSR rolling stock finished. Here we have a (WHR) coal wagon, circa 1936 condition. Coal imported at the Port of Arlesburgh and then transported in wagons taken up the line to Peel Godred, supplying local coal to villages and the outlying settlements. Special thanks to a friend who knows his Fes and WHR history, in pointing out that a number of WHR wagons were never painted, just heavily weathered. This wagon was painted 'mig' old wood, (a pale beige colour). Weathering followed initially with washes across the planks, to simulate the old wood grain, before finishing with powders to depict coal usage.

Thanks Ian I find they go together fairly straight forward. The only mess up I’ve done is folding in the wrong place as I wasn’t looking instructions!

Today marks the first piece of rolling stock for the Mid Sodor Railway.....finished! 'MSR No. 2 Brake Van. The Van was fitted with Vac gear so that it could be utilised as a passenger break, and therefore painted MSR passenger blue to match the coaching stock. Its duties however would more likely see it rostered on the MSR's daily goods 'The Horse and Cart'. I am really pleased with how the blue has turned out now weathered and given a spray of Humbrol 'Matt Cote'. For passenger stock and locomotive No. 3 'Falcon', I'll retain the gloss finish as the weathering will tone it down just enough. For this brake van though, a more matt finish was appropriate. The Greenwich couplings have really blended in too.

Been a bit quiet over the past few days. Not felt myself, and just trying to get my head together. The modelling has helped though. Tonight I've built a coal wagon (WHR prototype). One of various types used on the Mid Sodor railway, however it’s dwarfed in size by the one the local railway men call…. the ‘Big ‘un’! I also made a decision to buy a certain 4-6-0T. It will require some remedial work to make it right for the layout.