Pugsley

Ah, the dreaded insomnia. It struck me about 03:00 Sunday morning until about 07:00 - managed to get a couple of hours after that. I got to do some more to my points though

I admire your ability to sit down and build that many wagons in one go - that much repetition would do my head in!

Thanks everyone B) - I'm really pleased with how this one turned out. The close-ups are a little cruel, but I think it is probably the best loco I've done to date. I'm surprised no-one's commented on how rubbish my Photoshopped picture is!

Yes, it's probably best to leave it at that

I see you fed it one of those little blue tablets then

Looking good, although I think your horn could do with a little attention

As the title suggests, I'm at a stage now where I think that this loco is complete. I've not done too much since the last update - I've added a few subtle streaks here and there using gouache, and done a little more to the coupling rods - I wasn't entirely happy with the way they looked. I've also given the body a coat of matt varnish, as some of the finishes I've used are a little fragile. If this wasn't a project destined for ebay, I'd have probably left it as I could easily touch it up as it wore off. The rust on the cab end has been reduced slightly - it looked a bit OTT, but that's about all that I've done to that end. The effect on the tops of the equipment boxes is hairspray and powders, that I've attacked with a sharpened cocktail stick in an attempt to simulate boot marks from people walking over them. I'm not entirely sure it's worked - it's a technique that needs a little refinement, I think. I wanted to see how it would look in a slightly more realistic setting than the plain white backgrounds that I've been using, so had a bit of a play in Photoshop. It's a bit crude, but gives the general idea, I think. For the background I've used a photo of Wenfordbridge clay dries that I took a couple of years ago when I promised TFMP a day out in Cornwall. It didn't go quite as she was expecting, but that's a whole different story! Now that this one is done, I think I'd better get on with track building. The white box of joy keeps calling me, but I'd better get on with the 4mm stuff first, or it may never happen! OMS - http://www.discovertrance.com/TuneIn/DiscoverTrance-high.asx

After wasting time on various things that could most probably, well definitely really, wait, I've cracked on with the 09, to the point where it is nearly done, I think. On both ends, I wasn't happy with the black, it was looking too faded after the spray fade. Luckily, as I used Vallejo acrylics on the fade, I could easily remove it from the black whilst leaving the yellow intact. I applied Tamiya thinners onto the black, and gently rubbed it off with a cocktail stick. The thinners soften the paint so it comes off quite easily. You have to be careful not to touch the yellow, but that can be touched up afterwards, if required. The bonnet end has had a few washes to bring out the detail, with grimy black powders on the bottom of the radiator grille, and underneath. The bufferbeam is a mix of grimy black and hairspray, with different shades used sparingly on top. The cab end has had similar treatment, although I think I may have overdone the rust slightly under the lip under the cab windows, which I'll have a go at later. It's almost there now, just a few minor tweaks and I'll be happy with it. The connecting rods need a little more work, I'm not entirely happy with those, as do the cab handrails. I haven't quite decided about the pipes yet - I might fit them to the front, and leave them off at the back to allow any prospective purchaser to fit them, or the tension lock if they wish. Final photos to follow in the next couple of days.

That's looking very good indeed - photo 2, above, could be real, it's only the shadow from the tree on the backscene that gives it away. Have you thought about putting another lighting source towards the back of the layout? That might help with those shadows - it would be a bit of a shame to lose the effect of the big tree standing by itself.

The 03 looks like it's coming on nicely. Has the chassis been easy to build?

B) B) (seconded )

Thanks chaps B) Peter - The portable board sounds like the easiest option for sure!

Thanks for that - I'd never noticed that axles were thinner in the middle than at the ends. Is modern stock the same?

Heh, not yet - I have a feeling that you were spot on with your earlier comment about what'll happen if I do start it. I think that particular genie had probably better stay in its bottle for a little while longer

Thanks Supaned - I'm hoping it will be. I do try and make each project better than the first, so the intention will be there! I don't think there'll be any progress for a long time on this particular idea though, beyond research.

Cheers Russ - I've come to the conclusion that I enjoy building the models more than actually operating them, so I think 7mm scale will suit me perfectly in that respect This is a very long term plan, which is why I shouldn't be doing anything on this, and should be concentrating more on the task in hand, so to speak..

Out of curiosity, what's bugging you about the axles? They look OK to my untrained eye.

Yes still going to Reading for the 'wheels' Will thank you on the day - I think I'm going to rather enjoy this 7mm malarkey! Glad you like the logos - I think one of the first two would look good on a Sentinel

Definitely a small, but noticeable improvement. Something else to log for the future

PS - Forgot to add that it's all Dan's fault

Thanks everyone B) James - Yes, something very like one of those. In fact so much so, that, yes, it is one PoA - It is a JLTRT 37, which will be built as 37415 in Mainline livery Jamie - I think you just did admit it 28ten & PoA - Yes, it seems to be a very slippery slope indeed. It started off as a display model, but has morphed into a full blown layout! I think having the concept is kinda good at this stage though, as it allows me to plan what I'm going to build, so I don't end up buying things that end up surplus to requirements. I made the mistake of changing my plans in 4mm a few times, moving from Cornwall to the Exeter-Waterloo line and now to Surrey, so have quite a few things that no longer fit with current plans. With the greater investment in both time and money in 7mm, it's something I'm keen to avoid!

Sometimes I wonder why I don't seem to achieve very much, other times it becomes painfully apparent! There is the normal distraction - a quick bit of web surfing becomes a marathon research session into something or other, which transforms into You Tube surfing for class 37 thrash, which turns into, well, you get the idea. It's almost as if my subconscious doesn't really want to achieve anything relevant to what I'm supposed to be doing! Where is all this leading? Well, one of my pet distractions has been finding a suitable location and idea for my forthcoming S7 foray. In most respects this is useful, but the timing is way out as I already have another layout on the go, and insufficient space for another in the house. TFMP is pretty easy going, but I think that filling the spare room with multiple layouts would be a bridge too far! So, introducing Partington Sidings. The basic concept is that the line between Glazebrook and Timperley remained open to traffic between Liverpool and Stockport into the '90's, but singled. Off this line, the other side of the ship canal from Cadishead, is a set of exchange sidings for a chemical plant at Carrington, alongside the one that is now operated by Nova Chemicals (although I think it may have been mothballed recently) Traffic will mostly be tanks, with some vans carrying bagged product. The wagons are moved from the sidings to the plant by the Allied Chemical Sentinel, but have to be moved in the right order, as there is a lack of siding space within the plant - so plenty of shunting required! Wagons are brought to the siding as an extension of the Trafford Park Sidings Speedlink feeder - normally an RfD 37 or 47. Given that this is going to be built in S7, so I have yet to build any any of the stock, it is a very long way off. Yet, I still waste my time working all this stuff out, and last night even spent time designing logos for the company shunter(s) which have yet to be built! The worst part is I didn't just do one, I ended up doing three showing the progression of the corporate image from the 60's to today! All very silly really.... I will soon be opening the large white box of joy though, despite all my protestations that I wouldn't before significant progress on Bisley had been made - the 7mm attraction is growing stronger every day

Nice photos - natural light certainly makes a difference.

Bloomin' 'eck, that is very impressive JB B) How big is the part you've made - I'm guessing a couple of mil at most?

Very impressive B) I would recommend getting a rotary table for your mill - it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. I've got one of these: http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww.rdgtools.co.uk%2f&WD=rotary%20table&PN=Rotary_Table.html%23a12220#a12220 Which is very good for the money, depending on how big your mill is. That is just about the right size for a Sieg X2.