grahame

He's a handsome cat. Shame his life was cut short.

The stratification ridges on the sides are a little disappointing. Are you going to file them smooth? Did you consider etched overlays? Worsley Works can probably be encouraged to produce them. They do the 6S in N gauge and planned to do all heritage DEMUs in 3mm and would probably shoot them down to N gauge.

Oddly enough, the roof of the plastic garden storage locker seems to remain cool even when the air temperature is high, making it a current favourite place for Marley to hang out:

I spent the weekend in Sutton Coldfield demonstrating N gauge wagon kit building at DEMU's ShowCase exhibition: Then yesterday the electricians arrived to connect and wire up my new shed. Lights, sockets (one with a USB) and consumer unit installed in shed (and an oil filled radiator - not that is needed in this weather) and connected to house with a new consumer unit with MCBs. I'm ready to go.

That would be very nice and welcome. But wish listing is just hot air, and that's the last thing we could do with now in this heatwave. Some rain would be welcome. It's so long since we've had any that I've forgotten what it's like.

We've not had any rain for weeks. Marley is not happy in the oppressive heat.

Here's a little update on what I've been up to lately. Modelling has mostly taken a back seat while I've been organising the build of a layout shed in the garden - a rather posh and expensive one. The foundations and build are now complete although the electricians are yet to come to install the power and lighting. Then to arrange to have a proper pathway down the side to the back gate and a patio laid. Finally the garden can be tidied up. Inside it's very plain so not a lot to see (plus its difficult to photograph space). The inside floor area is a fraction under 11ft 6" (3.5m) by a bit over 8ft (2.5m) which is probably not to bad for N/2mm scale - double that to 23ft by 16ft for an OO/4mm equivalent layout space. But it's 'obsons as I couldn't have had it any larger anyway. Now I can get down to some final layout planning and baseboard building. I'm quite looking forward to cracking on with the layout and getting all my N/2mm buildings out and placing them in position. But probably lots to do before then. And even before any trains can be run. In the meantime I'll be at the DEMU ShowCase exhibition at Sutton Coldfield this weekend (17th and 18th) demonstrating N'2mm wagon kit building.

Selfie stick - It's like a truncheon for beating yourself with. Or is that a rhythm stick?

I get the impression that there are Hornby only advocates in this country.

Now I can get down to some final layout planning and baseboard building. And arrange to have a proper pathway down the side and patio laid. Then the garden can be tidied up. I think my modeling mojo is returning. I'm quite looking forward to cracking on with the layout and getting all my N/2mm buildings out (the construction of them outlined earlier in this thread) and placing them in position. But probably lots to do before then. And even before any trains can be run.

Marley, the sunshine boy this morning.

And inside it's very plain so not a lot to see (plus its difficult to photograph space). The inside floor area is a fraction under 11ft 6" (3.5m) by a bit over 8ft (2.5m) which is probably not to bad for N/2mm scale - double that to 23ft by 16ft for an OO/4mm equivalent layout space. But it's 'obsons as I couldn't have had it any larger anyway.

The building work is finished. Now to wait for the electricians - they're not due for nearly two weeks.

It's not self build. It's supplied as a kit of parts with fitters to put it together. And it wasn't cheap, but tbh at my age I wanted something relatively decent and built for me (too old for that malarkey these day) and have in installed relatively quickly (too old to wait years). The company was Green rooms/green retreats and they have two showrooms one at Twickenham which I visited.

The layout shed build is underway. Here's the start and end of the first day. There's still more to be done; window to be installed (to the right of the door), guttering added, etc. And the electric installation is scheduled for about ten days time

He's on his way up (taking off for a short flight) rather than a landing. 😉

Bingo. 250th sec setting today and a far better result:

Pooh looks lovely. Black cats are great. He looks quite young. Marley is an elderly boy - he will be 13 later this year. I got him as a lockdown rescue cat from the RSPCA around two and a half years ago. He's been a wonderful companion and is supposed to be arthritic.

I took Marley out for a walk this morning down to the woods to visit his favourite scratching tree and then to his favourite climbing tree. And on the way home across the park area he practiced his landings. Shame about him being blurry in the last pic, but even though I'd set the camera shutter speed to 1/200th he was going at one hell of a lick. And on landing the run out was long.

If anyone is interested in progress, the new shed base is now down. The white area is the interior size (3.5 x 2.5m). Presumably the walls go on the silver strips/edging and the roof overhangs all around. That all gets built in about ten days time. And then the electrics will be installed.

Marley signals left, but swerves right . . . . . .

Whether to weather or not? Of course it's a personal choice thing. And there is no right or wrong. However, there are varying degrees. One approach is not to weather the model to an inch of life leaving it filthy, messy and knackered looking, but to simply knock back the toy like finish, such as the plasticky sheen, the overly glossy paintwork and so on, that often detracts and mars (unless one likes and wants to emulate that RTR look). Even bulled up fresh from the workshop locos and stock will have some form of real life patina even before running. And then, of course, one can go further adding a working weathered finish right up to years of neglect and decrepitude.

Marley came down to have a look at the river yesterday. He likes going for a walk with me.

Marley out in the sun today:

Check out the emgauge70s.co.uk website for some quality diesel and electric modelling in EM.