bridgiesimon

Thank you all for your positive feedback on my work, I do appreciate it. hehe, love that idea, I will see what I can do! Simon

Ok, railcar piccies as promised - Side 1 of the unit overall view This is the steam motor vehicle with the Hobbit driver, the mode runs on an American diesel chassis and is very smooth This is the trailer car complete with passengers which almost took as long as the whole railcar as they needed to be chopped at the waist and knees to get them sitting, more of these to do for the other trains! The other side of the train. The trailer car The steam railmotor thingy I was running low on the 2mm square section mahogany the framework is made from and when I completed these, I had around an inch of it left!! Just need to add the vertical planking along the lower panels of the trailing car to complete them, something I am settling down to do now. Best wishes Simon

Great vid, I enjoyed that!! Project seems to be progressing really well, the vid proves the advantage visually of your track!! Best wishes Simon

There have been all sorts of issues here over recent times causing a mega lack of modelling time, priorities elsewhere and all that. Anyway, I do have a few updates for you following the fantastic SWAG day in Taunton last Sunday - Stock wise, I have completed the construction of a twin railcar thingy, a sort of DMU (Dwarf Mechanised Unit?) piccies to follow when I have taken some, apologies. I have also been making a few trees, these have not really developed beyond complicated wire skeletons with the start of clay coating. My latest project is developing really well though - 'The Beer Train' When I exhibited Hobbiton End at the Bristol 'O' gauge show, yeah I know, I managed to acquire a pack of really useful resin wooden barrels which had a bit of a problem, one end is fully detailed but the other would have been the open end of the mould and is smoooth with no detail at all. I had to cut and add a piece of planked plasticard to each and then a loop of microstrip around the edge before painting. This can be seen in the first piccie as well as the newest steam loco which has just been coaled. I then used a round sanding tube in my mini drill to carve out a batch of cradles for these, now painted, barrels to sit on in the wagons already completed. With the cradle parts separated and fitted to the wagons, I have posed the barrels on to see what the final rake will look like, I am pleased so far!! I am also working on fitting a new working accessory to the layout, something I have been talking about doing for a while. I am using a servo under the layout to have a rabbit occasionally popping out of its hole, the practice unit works really well, just need to pick up a rabbit at the Bristol show on Sunday. Anyway I will make sure that I do not leave it so long for the next update/piccies etc. Best wishes Simon

Despite the car issues we have got home safely. Thanks to tge organisers and tge foodie peoplss, a most excellent day we enjoyed it tremendously!! The Hobbit Horde

Well despite car issues, Hobbiton End is here and all set up! Simon

We have taken down Hobbiton End ready to go out to the car when it has started raining, aaaargh!!!! stopping to read here and have a cuppa while waiting instead. I have also just remembered that the new railcar although complete has not been tested nor does it have its crew or couplings etc so also making a list for this evenings modelling session ready for tomorrow. See you guys in the morning for lots of fun (read pasty and cakies) and hopefully no rain while loading/unloading etc. Simon

Oh bum, time to go, just had me orders!!!! Simon

Unexpected day off so am working through servicing the Hobbit fleet whilst hiding from SWMBO who would rather we were painting the fencing around the garden, aargh!! I will also be bringing along the first building for my next layout project for comments etc which should be interesting (I hope!!) See you all Sunday, should be a most excellent day!! Best wishes Simon

Diseasals for Lizzie vote from me also please! See you on Sunday Simon (complete with the hobbits)

A few extra points to get into the playoffs, a decent manager followed by a new squad of players would be good for starters!! Best wishes Simon

Looks like a giant bottle opener in the background, now that would be a bottle of beer worth having!!! Seriously though, is it a picture of the revamped of the Theatre Royal in Plymouth or a new stand at Plymouth Argyle, heheh. (Tis the Shanghai Financial tower actually) Simon

Sounds like someone dropper a clanger there!! oops, time to get my coat! Simon

Tain't as straight forward as that because in most sources including most people you talk to, the traditional Cornish pasty does not contain a sweet part at all. There was a recipe found which mentioned this from the 19th century but other earlier recipes did not contain fruit but were solely savory. Have a read here if you want more info - www.cornishpastyassociation.co.uk/cornish-pasty-historical-information/ Sorry, despite living in Somerset and modelling Middle Earth, I am a Cornishman! Best wishes Simon

Sounds like a good idea to me, a boxed 3 coach set is the obvious way to sell them with others sold individually. Best wishes Simon

If the pub is still there, what is the possibility of contacting the owners for an answer to your issue? Best wishes SImon

Thank you guys for the info about the Syphon vans, most appreciated. Best wishes Simon

Hi guys, love this piccie but please could someone confirm what the second and third vehicles are for me, I am ok with the others. Best wishes Simon

I know what you mean but would be good to have an idea when the Br livery will be released, we all know what Dapol are like to delays etc. could be a matter of weeks or a couple of years!! best wishes Simon

good thought, will try that. Best wishes Simon

I am having fun already, got several skeletons on the go that I was not happy with but after reading Gordon's book, I realise I am on the right track anyway so am keeping going. running out of thin, 0.3mm wire though, local place I got the last batch not stocking it anymore so need to find a new source before resorting to ebay etc! Best wishes Simon

Ok, latest exhibition now done and dusted, Polpendra this time, so back to concentrating on the Hobbits again. I have come to the conclusion that the scenics are starting to depress me, I need to sort them out and get it all looking a little more realistic. My plan is to start with the trees, time for the short stop gap Ebay trees to get replaced and my first steps towards this came at the O gauge show where I bought different materials such as ruberised horsehair and pastiche (fake hair stuff) then today I bought a book by Gordon Gravett called 'Modelling Trees, part 1 Broad leaf trees' although i have only flicked through it, I am mightily impressed as he goes through several superb ways of making trees which are simple but VERY effective. So the long and the short of it is that 'this week I will be mostly making trees!!' I will take piccies as I go and post for comments. best wishes Simon

OK, I exhibited at the Yate show today and got the first chance to look at the new Maunsell coaches and I have to admit, they look superb. Not able to check dimensional accuracies etc but was very impressed. Lining possibly a little thick but as I want Br green, that ain't a problem!! I was happy to wait for the later Br releases but seeing them has made me impatient and may end up getting some to repaint myself. Best wishes Simon

Dapol tried their class 73s without numbers with the transfers and they were a flop, very few sold if I remember correctly. Also with coaches, the numbering is so small that you are limiting the modellers capable of doing it to very few compared with the number of people who will buy these coaches so I do not think that un numbered coaches will be a financial failure. I think that wioth these, it is the choice of coaches rather than the numbers which is the issue. A simple range including types suited to simple rakes such as the brake comp/brake 3rd combo would have been a better bet they could have even released these as a 2 coach set complete with set numbers etc. Never mind, I am still looking forward to getting some when the Br ones eventually materiaslise, yes I know a repaint is easy but this way gives me more time to save up for them as well! Best wishes Simon

very good news but frustrating that there are no Br versions out yet! I know they are on the way but a little surprised they have not done a batch release of Br liveries as well. Best wishes Simon