Graham T

Those are a particular peeve for me too.

In other news, the cattle wagon is coming together reasonably well. The instructions leave a bit to be desired, in my opinion, though. Perhaps I've been spoilt by too many Airfix and Tamiya kits in the past? I found some vac pipes in the spares box, and fortunately also have some metal buffer heads from 51L, because the ones in the kit are, to use a technical term, cr@p! Just as well the Clarke station building is there to identify this as part of the GWR...

Danke schon von W. Ref the bodgerarium, bodgatorium, etc. Must buy a Latin textbook 🙂

TVM Clive. I can't take credit for all the buildings though - the signal box is from Intentio (a lovely little kit), and the platelayers hut is also from a kit - can't remember who by at the moment. As for the point rodding - that's from Wills, and although I'm quite pleased with it, I'll probably replace it with something finer on CR Mk II. Couplings? Some days I have no trouble at all with them, and other days they drive me batsh1t crazy!

In a little break from mauling things on the "workbench" I spent some time swearing at three link couplings playing with trains. Here we see 3F 7524 trundling into Chuffnell Regis with a mixed goods. Back to the bodgery! Or is it the Bodgerarium?

Thanks for the confirmation. I do actually have some bauxite paint! Thanks also for the link to the conversion, but I think I'll stick with building "out of the box" until I'm a little more expert...

That photo caught my eye as well. I only have one NE cattle wagon, the one that I'm nailing together now. Five GW ones, plus a couple of old Cooper Craft kits to build, and just two LMS wagons. So I think I need to add a few more of the latter as well; perhaps a few Parkside kits?

Thanks Neal. I'd also seen that article, but was a bit daunted by the length and just skimmed it! Noting that Chuffnell Regis isn't exactly renowned for accuracy (well for a start it wouldn't be OO gauge in that case), I will probably go for fitting vac pipes, but with three link rather than screw link couplings. The latter is mainly driven by economics!

One of the projects you might have spotted half-buried in all that chaos is the Parkside NE cattle truck. The kit has a vacuum cylinder, but no pipes. I assume that pipes should be added? Can anyone here confirm or deny please?

Am I channelling Einstein this morning? “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” Most likely not. In any case, I'd better clear the decks a bit before I carry on with the latest project(s).

It's a good question... But in my parallel world Ms. Miggins (she has given me a stern ticking off for assuming she was married) is something of a rebellious and independently-minded soul. Apart from living in a three-bed semi, that is. Being a keen gardener and apiarist, she is also often dismayed by the state of the garden next door...

The fiddle yard is .9m, but can't help you with the other question I'm afraid.

The bods are now painted, but I will try to tone them down a little tomorrow, and also add a wash to the faces - hopefully that might bring out some of the details. This lot look rather unimpressed by the distinct lack of benches on the platform... Just as well they aren't looking the other way, or they'd be even less impressed by that wonky lineside fence! Meanwhile, Mrs. Miggins is wondering where to apply her horticultural skills next. And the pagoda has had its first coat of light stone. It won't actually be living there of course!

Not at all! Always good to see inspirational modelling.

Those figures make me want to revisit (and repaint) all of mine!

Thanks Jonathan. I do wonder if I should make them a bit more drab though; not very well versed in 30s fashion! Or indeed 21st century fashion, for that matter…

And the pagoda hut has had a coat of primer, and its window added. The primer shows that it's about as rough as a badger's @rse!

I've been painting some more figures today, which I have to say is not something I particularly enjoy... These are still a work in progress. Mostly from Modelu, except for the heavily laden porter, who is from Monty's Models if I remember rightly. He's a very nicely crafted whitemetal figure, but really doesn't like having paint on him! If I even look at him it seems some of the paint wears off and the metal shows through again.

The colours look a lot better, I think.

Nah, 13 amp...

Got any peas?

I don't think the fencing would extend along the platform at Chuffnell R though, as it does in that photo, as my end loading dock is at the end of the bay platform. I know what I mean anyway! Pics to follow in due course, which will hopefully make more sense...

Thanks Rob. I was pleased with how 3205 scrubbed up, although she's a little quiet, so at some point I will have to strip down the tender and see if I can give her speaker a bit more "oomph". I'll probably need woofers and tweeters with it... Also, although I'm quite pleased with how that scene looks, I can of course see (many) things I should have done better. The drain for the water crane bag isn't actually under the bag! I should have used masking tape for the bag itself; and the chain isn't hanging properly. I have some nice fine chain in a box somewhere, but I bet I can't find it!

Thanks for that Colin. Do let me know when you're going to be in Vienna, I'd be delighted to have you and the boss around for a visit.

Having just finished coaling 3205, the chaps are now thinking that it's about time for a well-earned beer. I think they might be right!