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Sorry about the lack of progress and posts. I had a total knee replacement in my left leg two weeks ago so I have been recuperating and doing the exercises. I am doing well and can now walk up stairs normally which is big progress. The Physio is pleased with me and talked me to get back into my workshop!!!! Updates as and when Paul R

Started on The Ravenscale N7 today. The etches are pretty good but its not a patch on Jim's kit. However by building these together I can adapt and enhance the Ravenscale and hopefully get to the same place. This shot shows the footplate, buffer beams and valances track soldered together. There are no half etch lines to locate things so I resorted to scribing to locate the parts. Here are the two side by side Amazingly the dimensions are the same but you can see the different treatment of the footplates. The rear one is the Ravenscale and the front the Connoisseur. Paul R

For anyone out there that wants a bargain this is available in Aldi's middle aisle for £22.99 with a three year warranty Thats about a third the price of a Dremel cordless. It's not got a separate battery like the Dremel and this could be a problem longer term but it is still a lithium version. Supplied with a charger to with a USB C plug to link to the drill for charging purposes. Most of the accessories are thiner diameter stems than I am used to seeing but a full range of chuck collets is included so this doesn't matter. Grab them whilst stocks last - as they say when they are gone they are gone! Paul R

Bob I also have the Ravenscale N7 which I bought long before Jim's kit came out. Its quite basic but has a milled chassis and I have some Walsall wheels and a motor of dubious provenance in the box. I thought I might make it alongside. I'll get the body to the same stage as the Connoisseur model before moving on with the latter. Its more complicated because unlike Jim's kits the Ravenscale has no tab and slot nor grooves etched for the valances. Watch this space Paul R

Bob Is that the ex Ravenscale kit? If you are prepared to source castings yourself then you may find Jim would do you a set of etchings. Might be worth giving him a call. He is very obliging. Paul R

So the next kit down the production line is this. Started on the footplate. Usually I build the chassis first but the instructions suggest otherwise given the need to fit the motor. Needs cleaning up and washing to get rid of the flux although I don't use green label which is supposed to be for the higher temp solders, I use the red label which is less corrosive. I'll probably start the chassis as well and build them in tandem. The kits are now rare as Jim stopped making them due to the fact that the casting quality deteriorated over time and he has not made new masters. I bought this from him at a show in 1991 or 1992 and its been liberated from the stash! I am hoping its going to be a relatively quick build. Paul R

Thank you Paul R

So the PFA's are practically finished. Just need to get transfers on the wagons. So a bit of weathering should see these complete. The containers were by and large kept clean so it will only be light. Onwards and Upwards Paul R

Thanks Phil Seems I can leave be! Paul R

Thanks for that Paul R

So the PVB is now finished. The only remaining job is weathering I am pretty pleased with this as a first kit that has been 3D printed albeit not by myself. In terms of the kit there want much to do as most of it was a single piece. The sides were Corgi albeit not strictly correct as they have too many straps. The only other things I added were wheels and buffers (MM1) and Instanters (Dapol) and air pipes (Heljan) Was it worth it. Well the cost was high - a tad under £100 for the basic body plus postage from the US. You can select how quickly you want it with the quickest the most expensive. I wanted the slow option but it defaults to the expensive fastest in the checkout. So I paid more than I need have done. That said it came in less than a week securely packaged and ready to go. The material is some form of white plastic and only seems to take superglue and epoxy. Nothing else works. I had to use practically a whole can of putty spray on the roof to mostly get rid of the printing lines. The body ends and sole bars finish up in some form of rough sandpaper style which may come out better if printed in resin but this is not an option. I am pretty pleased with it. It's unusual, not many people will have one on their layout and the fact that the curtain sides are not 3D printed works in its favour. Transfers do not stick easily to the 3D rough finish and need to be fixed with varnish immedidaltey after application. Could I have scratchbuilt this - probably. The suspension can be got as castings and the rest would be plastikard plus the Corgi sides. Probably would have been a lot cheaper but taken much longer to finish. Would I buy another? Not of this prototype but I would like the bogie Grainflow wagon and 4 wheel rebuilt 'blue' grain hopper both of which are available and for which again the sides are the only bits not printed and are required to be formed from plastikard. Watch this space but I am not anticipating an order any time soon! Shapeways also do the W and M railbus in 7mm but a different designer but I am fearful its in the same finish as this and I am not convinced about the shape. Sides are also too thick for my liking and I have not seen a finished version

I'd love to have some of those L and B locos and a suitable layout to run them on but I don't have the time or the money!! I have however ordered one of their 3MT locos Paul R

Nice loco I am sure that sounds like a 60!! Price does suggest that Heljan are taking the Mickey on what they charge UK customers as witness the price of the forthcoming Dapol 66 Paul R

Are you going for a repaint in Construction livery? Paul R

The buffer shanks themselves are not too bad. I was using drawing pins for the buffers but I think I need to take more off the pins so they sit further apart. They are not sprung but given this was a bonus gift I am not wanting to spend a great deal on them. Ill keep you posted! Paul R

Saw your latest kits in the new Gazette which popped though the door today Paul R

So I have done some more work on the PFA containers in between doing bits to the PVB. I got a coat of Cawoods yellow - Accurascale provided the RAL number- and applied transfers and an undercoat of black paint on the load. The coal will be covered by some German product that I got in a model shop and looks like to sort of load that this would have carried. I have just enough for the two boxes. That leaves me to weather an d varnish after finishing the transfers. I don't have anything to represent the numbers of the containers but I reckon I might strike lucky at Railtech. However I don't want a full set as I already have the names which came with the boxes from Skytrex. I need to look at the buffers again. The wagons are too far apart to effectively couple with instanters I should have some more photos of the PVB in the next couple of days or so. Paul R

He's probably been shipping out Trewithen or placing orders for his new O gauge layout!!! Paul R

Yes likewise! I have several boxes in the loft the intention being to vary the vehicles on the layout! I need to acquire some more 1970's as most of mine are 1950's and 1960's. We've got the Hadlow Down Tinkers park Model Railway Weekend in a couple of weeks so I hope to get a few more then! doubt there will be any IXO stuff but should be plenty of second hand Oxford Diecast and Hornby Paul R

Another IXO 1:43 truck joins the fleet - this DAF Reefer I think its French and again it has the TIR logo so its perfectly OK for an LHD vehicle in the UK - not that this ever was I suspect. I've been eyeing this up since Christmas and the price seems to have been reduced so I jumped in. Having said that its a ghastly colour! I really must stop buying these scale trucks. Paul R

Yes I tend to agree. Slaters kits are generally very well detailed. In my case. for this particular wagon it would be an air pipe. Yes I have been looking at Paul Bartlett's site. It's very useful. thank you Paul R

Hot weather and come charity work has hampered progress since last week but the PVB is now ready for transfers. At the same time I thought I might as well finish off the 2 PFA wagons and the PFA containers have been treated to a coat of white primer. @Accurascale Fran gave me the RAL number for the yellow colour following the introduction of their own 4mm and I have a can of the stuff ordered through Amazon. The containers which are Skytrex resin will get the yellow treatment tomorrow. Transfers came with the containers which will need a coat of coal weathering. I must confess I don't like resin in models but as these are loads I am not bothered. I gave them a good scrub in washing up water (clean I should say) before priming them. Paul R

Good to know thank you very much. I have had some of the smaller Oleo's from MM1 and these are pretty respectable Paul R

Julian Whose buffers did you use on the MTA? Would like to get some myself. Paul R

Love the video Paul R