James Hilton

I'm not sure we'll offer it as a PDF, but I suspect it may end up in with the models in some form, and we may offer the booklet as a download, as we do with instructions at present.

Ooops... If we can help drop us an email, as it lookslike you've done a great job otherwise...

Those who are on the email newsletter will have seen that I've written up the research I undertook for the Victory project into a concise account and this forms a new page on our website (the perfect excuse for a coffee/tea break this morning)... https://planetindustrials.co.uk/history We will be adding to this over time with some information on the locomotives in their industrial careers with some spotlight features on specific models. Sign up to the newsletter for all our updates before they hit the forum and social media. (with thanks to Don Townsley for much of the original material and information).

I think I'd echo a lot of the advice already given - my only extra 2p is it's very difficult to fathom the scale of the Rockies until you've been - having visited twice in my childhood, my Dad and I tried to incorporate a Rocky Mountains scene into our H0 layout - and it worked visually but you didn't get much feel for the scale. In N gauge you stand a better chance of modelling longer trains, but houses and garages in the UK are often not really big enough for the monster layouts that inspire us all (eg. the Southern Alberta I posted in my own thread). I've also found it pretty much impossible to find any North American models for sale over here, let alone the detail parts, so I tend to shop from US or Canadian suppliers and accept the cost of the customs VAT payment. If using eBay their global shipping program can be useful, and sorts the VAT payment out so you just get a parcel delivered door to door. If it's below the VAT threshold you don't even have to pay any extra... it makes the smaller details easier to source - just got some A-line 40 link per inch chain that way and paid less than I did for a set imported by a dealer here in the UK a good few years ago through their Walthers account. Good luck - do share what your plans are - and I thoroughly recommend one book... Iain Rice's Kalmbach title 'layouts for small spaces' - which in the UK, are our typical rooms. Might give you some food for thought and his approach to creating a design brief is worth using.

The first trial of the 3D and 2D parts for the forthcoming Planet Industrials Ruston 165DE kit were a great success, neat fit and no real adjustments needed... However, I had mis-measured the chassis, and it was off centre and set too far under the cab. This looked ok from a 3/4 view, but side on, the model looked wrong - so I adjusted the 3D printed core, and tweaked a few little things I'd missed (like the foot step on the front of the bonnet) and re-ordered, along with a slightly revised front grill. I've now assembled the second prototype of both the print and etch and success, it's pretty much there - just the NEM mount to add to the front of the chassis print and it will be ready for production. The model is a nice progression from the Planet, for those that feel they can tackle a more complicated kit. There are more metal parts to form in terms of grab irons etc, and the modification to the Hornby chassis to remove the cylinders isn't difficult, but does perhaps require a sharp intake of breath and some courage (although replacement wheels are available as spares should the worst happen). I will be priming and painting the model in the coming week - and I'm currently torn on livery. Part of me wants more of a work horse with a faded green body and wasp striped buffers - the other part wonders about a lined maroon with wasp striped buffers? We'll see what happens once the primer is dry. For now, the release is likely to be in the new year once we've sourced the parts, so perhaps save some of your Christmas money for a kit to help with the January blues! Until next time, more soon...

Developing kits requires a number of different skills that I've developed over the years, and the concept of a multi-media kit with 3D printed core, etched detail overlays and cast components where sensible has been proven through years of designing, producing and marketing narrow gauge models. In 2019 we shared our first model in 00 standard gauge modelling, the Hibberd Planet which was our proof of concept, that the approach works with a standard gauge prototype. This thread will share kits that we've got in development with posts taken from my blog that share CAD visualisations, naked prototype models and completed and painted kits before they're released. Some of our existing kits can be seen in the 'Story so far' thread - I won't duplicate content from there, here...

As promised, a post that documents the build of the Kaslo Shops MLW S13u... Ever since I began my renewed interest in Canadian railways, specifically CN I've been in need of an item of motive power. My older Athearn stock is probably beyond hope, I decided a new model would be a great project to keep my interest up whilst easing me into the scale... I bought a book on the Canadian National in the Atlantic Region by Bram Bailey from Morning Sun books (sourced through Linda Tinker books in the UK). This is a lovely all colour photo album with informative captions and tons of character and modelability on every page. I'd never really been interested in MLW (Sort of Canada's version of Alco) in my teens, although I did love the C424 and yearned for a CP Rail version - but the eastern provinces were unknown to me until I visited in 2001 with my Dad. The new book opened my eyes to all sorts of MLW types large and small but it was the RSC-14s and S13u that jumped out at me the most. I looked about to see what I could find in the way of kits and found that Rapido are planning a RSC-14 (I've pre-ordered one) and a little more digging found Kaslo shops offer a resin S13 kit. The thing I'm enjoying the most about Canadian modelling is the pace, because I have to wait a long time for items to arrive it has slowed the whole process and increased the enjoyment. Anyhow after a few weeks the kit arrived, and within a few evening I had the body roughed up on the severely cut down Bachmann Alco S4 donor chassis, and the chassis frame rails glued on it... A few more evenings have seen the bodywork progress and I've made the effort to do a lot more research. The S13 were similar to the Alco T6 (I think) and had taller bodies and cleaner side doors with less louvres. 56 were built, mostly for CN, between 1959 and 1967. The class were rebuilt twice, the last rebuilds in 1985 resulted in a new designation as S13u where the cabs were improved for yard use increasing visibility, and new cab doors that opened outwards. The small class have a lot of detail variations, I've chosen to model 8704 in CN livery. The real 8704 was sold in 1997 to CANAC, and is now retired and preserved in Alberta. My model has seen a few tweaks and changed to the kit, I've spent time working on the fuel tank and under floor frame pipework and have a way to go with this but it's starting to look promising. This benefited from a Cannon and Co EMD fuel tank detailing set I've had for years since I attempted a super detailing project on a Bachmann EWS Class 66 more years ago then I care to remember. I've also re-built the corner steps, these are more of an approximation and may need further work and tweaking to improve their appearance. The next big step will be beginning to add the etched details that are provided in the kit including some very find side grills and neat looking handrails. I've also dug out a suitable air horn and ordered a set of suitable transfers from TMR Distribution in Canada. I've a few decisions still to make regarding control of my project - I prefer the ease and simplicity of DC, but the temptation of adding sound on a small roster is tempting. I can get a suitable sound file and DCC chip easily within the pace under the hood, and the prototype only has headlights at each end so that wouldn't tax my wiring. We'll see - it would over double the cost of the project so far, I might just go with directional lighting for now but leave it easy to retrofit a sound chip at a later date. I hope you've enjoyed this distraction from my usual subject matter, I've enjoyed working on a prototype I'm not familiar with, involving a lot of digging around for research in places I've not used before, I've enjoyed sourcing parts form North America which is keeping the pace slow, and I've enjoyed working in resin and combining this with some of my own scratchbuilt details. More soon... ___________ I've decided to take it a little easier with commissions this week, and focus on Planet Industrials. This has given me back a little more modelling time and I've really enjoyed making a bit more progress with this Kaslo Shops kit of the S13u... I've spent a bit of time working on the under frame, studying photos to allow me to get some sort of representation of the pipework along the visible framing. I hope my work in brass and styrene once painted will go some way to fool the eye into thinking its all there! On the roof I've added a suitable 3 chime horn, salvaged from one of my old childhood models. It's a brass casting, either Miniatures by Eric or Details West IIRC. The etched bottom steps on each corner were what determined the width of the steps, and they look good fitted, but studying photos these are a little thin compared to the prototype - but I suspect once handrails re added this may be less obvious. In other news, I've been somewhat distracted by N gauge, and pondering whether I've made the right decision looking at H0... I'd initially discounted it because of the amount of existing stock I have in H0, but looking at Grant Eastman's Southern Alberta (thanks to Paul over at Albion Yard) I wonder whether what I really need is a N gauge empire! I absolutely love the 60 scale miles on Grant's layout and some of his scenic work (later in the video) is breathtaking. For now, I think I'm happy with H0, and perhaps this idea will roll around in my head for while before I decide, and in the meantime, this is a happy distraction from British OO and commission work, as well as giving me lots of new things to get lost in research, it's all part of the journey. Until next time, more soon... __________ I've been working on the H0 scale MLW S13u in the background between commissions over the past few weeks since it was last shown in primer, and it's exciting to see it coming to life... The first step was to spray the cab front, back and bonnet front in a orange/red mixed from Humbrol gloss orange and crimson. Once thoroughly dry, this was painstakingly masked and a I mixed up a Humbrol gloss black and grey to mix a very dark grey. Again left to harden for a few days I was ready to apply some transfers. I'd decided to model 8704, if you recall. I bought a set of transfers a month or so ago from a Canadian shop 'TMR Distribution', marketed by 'SGS'. The A4 sized sheet and a bit provides for all the styles and sizes of CN locos between 1961-1990, and is extensively illustrated with a graphic showing where to apply the various markings - however I studied photos of 8704 to accurately place the markings. I love the gold numbers, edged in grey, these look superb on the model. The yellow striping was cut into sections to fit along the sole bars between the stanchions. The CN logos needed the door handles removing - but with Micro-set and Micro-sol set beautifully neatly over the door and hinge detail. The most difficult part was putting the numbers on the cab end and in the hood number boards, but patience prevailed. I'll leave the model now for a few days before wafting on some dull-cote, then dry again before weathering - and finally glazing, hoses and couplings (you might spot one hose in place - I wanted to check I'd drilled a large enough hole for these). It's still a few weeks away from completion, but an enjoyable project for the Canadian plans, and perfect for the Halifax setting - although I have a suspicion I'll be told by those in the know that they didn't leave the container terminals on road switching duties around Halifax and Dartmouth. In the meantime, I hope you've enjoyed the few photos - more soon... _____________ Over the past few weeks my Kaslo Shops MLW S13u kit has been coming along slowly, between commissions and other models... It's now had all the final details fitted and is ready for a light weathering to bring it to life. Since the last photos on the blog I have fitted the glazing, jewels for lights, filters and screens, hoses and couplings. The finish is quite nicely dull, and will be a perfect base for some light washes, dry brushing and airbrushed road dirt. It's quite a light model at present, in terms of weight because so much of the original Bachmann chassis has been cut away. Once I've built the layout I will know if I need to add more - like wise, the coupling height is perhaps a touch too high, and the trip pins need adjusting. It's a nice slow performer but the drive is quite noisy, almost diesel like growl - accentuated by the relatively hollow shell. I may look to add plasticine in the model if I don't decide to fit DCC and sound, as that will deaden things somewhat. I'm pleased with her so far though, especially the handrails. Until next time, more soon... ________ So that's it - for now - weathering next.

Thanks! They’re formed from DAS clay, with the fingers pushed onto a piece of sheet glass to dry. Once dry, painted, then once that is dry covered with PVA and bedded into a dab of PVA on the layout and then sprinkled with either coal or ash from the fire... the corner pile against the shed was formed in the same way but around a corner of something as well as on the glass. In general people don’t talk about mental health enough. Mine has taken a battering over the years after my Dad died so I’ve learnt that modelling can only help when I’m in a calmer space, but at those moments it really does help. These days even during the lock down I’ve felt more in tune with it, and happy to accept whether I’m up or down and not dwell but take each day as it comes.

Thanks! I’m a member of the group already and have seen Chris Mear’s Wiki... slippery slope... We’ll see what happens in the coming weeks. This weekend I’ve been working on my S13, which I’ll share on here soon.

Thanks for your thoughts Paul. I’ve got a sound Athearn GP40 and a Powercab to experiment with, but the rest will be DC for now. There is a lot more to post here, when I have a moment, from bringing older items back to life to weathering and re-patching stock... Currently I’m trying not to be distracted into a cameo style Prince Edward Island 1970s vignette! A Bachmann GE70t and some of my older 40ft box cars would work a treat...

I've ordered 1759 specifically, as I've photos of her on PEI, and around Halifax. She was retired 1995... I'm trying not to get distracted too much, but the idea of a small cameo style layout based on PEI does MASSIVELY appeal, especially since the RSC-14 would be a rare beast on my layout in reality, but still, it COULD be squeezed in if I'm operating a 90s era scene. I need to post up the S13 build thread here - it runs now I've wired it all back up, so need to fit the glazing and then weather it... I'm not really one for 'realistic' operation - I think I've more of an artistic bent on the hobby, and I'm definitely in two minds about sound, even two minds about DCC. We'll see how things pan out in the coming months. Keith, I hope it helps, I've got a PDF I can send you if you let me have your email which might help narrow things down in terms of the actual design brief for you... but your 'where to model' dilemma is one you need to either face head on, and make a firm decision, or just build something with enough artistic license to get away with what YOU want to run. I see my North American modelling as a release from the UK model making and my work, so I'm planning, as I've said above, more of an artistic approach. For now, I must get some more content transferred over to here at the weekend.

Thanks Paul. To summarise... The ready to run model has one style of cab, suitable for the majority of the class as built. We will look to offer variants in our usual kit style, with a mix of etched and cast metal, with 3D print. Currently planning: 1) Lambton cut down cab. 2) GWR riveted tank conversion. I may look to offer the taller as built cab of the first pair of locomotives, although unlikely to offer the rebuilt smokebox of the East Kent example. Thank you all for the interest and once again, if you haven’t done already, sign up to the newsletter on the website for the latest news first... www.planetindustrials.co.uk

The Pensnett Railway, also known as the Earl of Dudley's Railway was a network of lines centred around the iron, later steel works at Round Oak near Brierley Hill. Steam was used on the railway as early as 1829. In later years the system standardised on Andrew Barclay locomotives, steam lasting until 1963 with two 0-4-0st including Lady Morvyth lasting as stand-by to the Yorkshire Engine Company DE2s at Round Oak until 1966. Our models allow the reproduction of a late 16" Barclay and transfers for suitable wagons and are available through the Narrow Planet marketplace... PIL-002C Pensnett Railway Barclay Conversion - £30 kit / £125 with donor Hatton's model https://www.narrowplanet.co.uk/collections/planet-industrials/products/pil-002c PIC-009 Pensnett Railway Markings - £7 (enough transfers for 5 wagons) https://www.narrowplanet.co.uk/collections/planet-industrials/products/pic-009

I'll share some more posts soon with other layout related projects, rolling stock and locomotives.

The following are excerpts from by blog relating specifically to concept and layout design... Over the past few days I've been mulling over re-visiting another childhood passion, one very much shared with my Dad, Canadian HO scale railroading... A Canadian National GP38, switching grain cars in Drumheller, Alberta, August 1989 (photo: James Hilton) It started with a bored afternoon and a thought about the old Model Railroader magazines I had stashed, this led to buying one of Ian Rice's Kalmbach books, this led to me digging some models out and you've probably noticed all of this unravelling here on the blog - as often, writing about things and thinking about how to talk about a subject helps straighten out the mind. My intention is to take things slow, research thoroughly, all the choices from day 1. The only two things that are relatively firm are scale, HO 1:87, period (circa 2000) and Canada. Why? Well I've got a lot of Intermountain grain cars, and fond memories of visits in 1989, 1999 and 2001. I'd like to re-live a little of this through model making... and despite N scale looking interesting, I'm just worried about model making in the smaller scale, and achieving the neatness of finish scenically that I want to work towards. So how far have things got? I've been sketching out ideas, and brain storming concepts... so not very far... I just don't have the space really for the lifelong project layout... I do have the space East Works currently resides within... so we'll see how this pans out... I've pondering about locomotives, but I don't want a huge roster. I don't think, having checked over a few of my older models, that they will cut it - mechanically or detail wise, so I need something new. I also don't mind a modelling challenge, but because of the DC/DCC question, plus the poor availability of models in the UK it's a question that's not easy to answer. A GP35 is a good size, but perhaps modelled as a GP38-3, probably no dynamic brakes either... alternatively I've always fancied a GP15 and they seem to be used more in Canada these days... or do I go back in time, out of my timeframe and use a RSC-14 from Rapido, and do a branch line based around Halifax and the Chester sub... I haven't worked out when they were retired yet... The two ideas are floating around something based in Nova Scotia, or something in Saskatchewan. That's about all so far, but Google Earth is helping with some research, although sadly, the Chester sub in Halifax is long gone... In the meantime, I have been working on an old Walthers box car that I'd never weathered. I've worked from photos (the internet is a real boon for this, and the period I'm modelling means there are more photos online) and tried to capture the feel of this, this is new territory for me, yes things weather in the same way, but the colours and patterns are not familiar to me, so I've found it a challenge, but an enjoyable one. So where will this 'adventure' end up, who knows... I've got lots of ideas at the moment for different projects in different scales. I'm planning to focus my narrow gauge interests in 7/8ths and sell a lot of the rest of the 009 and 006.5, I've got Industrial for OO, so the GWR may go... the 'light railway' is still something I'm keen to look at, so for now, the Hornby Terriers are safe... the BR dock shunters are already on eBay and some of the layouts are moving on to new homes. I find that if I have too many 'distractions' I actually find myself creatively stifled, it's hard to explain. A good clear out helps focus the mind, as well as funding new adventures. Wherever the journey takes me it will be good fun, and continue to blend all the aspects of railway / railroad modelling that I love. More soon... ____________________ Since my earlier posting about this new direction, well old revisited direction, I've had my iPad and Pencil and a few days holiday to think about different ways to approach it... I find the process of sketching out ideas the only way to make sense of ideas, and to see where they might take me, and in this case I'm exploring what each may look and feel like. I've had a few different approaches and as yet, although several have been promising nothing feels right yet. What you can see is a switching between a Saskatchewan setting and Nova Scotia setting, and between micro and small layouts... The first idea was an industrial micro, using 2 or 3 cars and switcher to evoke the feeling of the prairies setting with a big blue sky, bright lighting and faded sun bleached colouring. Schemes for both a 3ft and 4ft length, and different levels of complexity were tried, however the more track that was added, the less satisfied I was, it felt like just another Brit's attempt at a North American setting in a space staved environment. I then wondered about repurposing one of my metal storage cases for a shed scene, using some grain or box cars as a backdrop. The idea to build a scenically detailed high quality setting, and experimenting with the scale a little to find my bearings. In OO this approach suits me as I'm more interesting in building and finishing locomotives to a high quality, but in H0, my weathering techniques still feel very fresh and new and I'm perhaps less sold on just that aspect of modelling, and more after something to operate... ...which led to me revisiting an old Iain Rice plan I found on the internet. The 8x4 is a classic Model Railroader style project, and one, that if I had the space, I'd be tempted to try out. My concern is the sharpness of the corners at 20" minimum radius. I'm not sure of the back to back arrangement, and wonder whether the same concept could be opened up to 8x 6 with an operating well, effectively, or just an access 'bridge' at one end, keeping the end to end, but easing the curves, and mounting the layout along walls... So it's an interesting new approach for me, planning my own layout, when I don't have a fixed concept of the prototype, location setting or even yet a firm home in the house for it. However, it's nice to go back to basics, this sort of work is exciting, and I've done it before for customers, so it's good to sharpen the saw so to speak. If you've got a layout concept you'd like some help working up to a design, I'm happy to work with you, so get in touch for a no obligation proposal that will walk you through each step, providing sketches and visualisations, mock ups and full track scale track plans using your track system of choice... In the meantime, more soon... ________________________ Big news! I 'think' I have a solution to the home of the Canadian layout, and it was right in front of me... The creative journey on paper, literally, the app on my iPad allows me to digitally create and collate my layout thoughts and inspirations in one place. ...well in front and above! I was looking at my 009 layout, East Works, sitting above Pont-y-dulais, and looked along the wall over the bookshelf and on to the cupboards near the window and thought that looks like a good 9ft of length... it was... and I figured, if I could move East Works up to ceiling height for storage, then the space it gives could give an L shaped baseboard above my workbench. The Lakeside Industrial Park in Halifax, with tracks, some inferred, sketched in during design work. My workshop is the only space in the house where a permeant layout can be built - it's my space, although also access to other rooms in the house, it's not a thoroughfare - and until the kids leave or we move, I'm unlikely to get a better location. I'd already begun to wonder if an industrial switching layout might suit more than a proper short line around the room, so I think this is my 5 year layout. In that time I will learn a lot, and create a lot of material that can be re-used on a later project, sold on, written about or just enjoyed. I think it's worth trying to collect a scrap book of inspiration when working on a project, here are a few ideas from Youtube video watching, especially the very modellable Trillium Railway in St Catherines. So the creative process has moved on a little since the earliest posts on this journey, yet become even more focused in some ways - I'm definitely building a layout based around Halifax in Nova Scotia. As well as my proposed Halifax and Southwestern spur, the Chester Sub, there are plenty of other spots of inspiration around the city and Dartmouth. The more reading I've done, apart from a few distractions (I got drawn into the Dominion Atlantic and Windsor and Hantsport - as well as the earlier history of the H&SW thanks to some lovely little books by the prolific photographer David Othern) I've narrowed down on the Lakeside Industrial Park. Initial 'plank' layout, working out the minimum length of such a scheme. My initial scribblings had gone from around the room U-shape schemes to planks, but the realisation that none of these had a home often just dumped my motivation down in the bin, and I'd go wandering off down another distraction or bury myself in commissions. However, the potential of a home for it has renewed enthusiasm and it's funny how those early thoughts actually seem to fit really neatly. I initially fell into the trap of trying to fit in all of my 'wants' and it felt too busy, with a loop, sidings, shed and workshop. However going back to something as simple as Lance Mindheim's LAJ I think I can use the same idea with the Chester Sub, as this project will now be called. Distractions, the DAR, the wish for a complete 'short line' in miniature before more realistic thoughts and the realisation that a home may have been right in front of me... The next step I feel, is to work up the industry types and cars they'll receive based on what was there in Lakeside - and bearing in mind some of Lance's concepts from his 'Designing a Switching Layout' book, i.e. car spots vs industries. It's not just this though, you need to think how the layout will then operate, and are sidings long enough to switch cars around, or do sidings need lengthening, shortening or re-locating. A half finished scrap book page, shows how revisiting Lance Mindheim's concept I'd drawn previously looked promising. Once these questions are worked through then I can begin to flesh out the scenic details based on the Google Earth and Streetview inspiration, web trawls and photographs in books and Youtube videos of the Halifax area. Mocking up in full-size is an important step, it gives you a feel of the scale of a larger layout that you can't get from just track plans and day dreams. I know that this journey is a personal one, but any reflections and experience from others is always welcome, so feel free to join in, comment, perhaps share ideas through comments or email. It's great to hear from you all. Thanks for reading this far, I hope you're as excited about the idea as I am. More soon... _______________ Now that the layout scheme has at least a potential home in my workshop, the planning continues. I've had a full scale mock up out on the floor and lots more sketching on Paper... The workshop, well half of it, the layout would go at the level of East Works over the top of the book shelf, and over to the window. Last time I left things on a half finished scrapbook page, well that's been fleshed out and the following pages (which I'll talk about one at a time) show the progression of an idea. So there we are, the page finished. Notice two different concepts emerging on the right hand side - with the layout arranged with the turnouts facing different directions - this has been the main point of design over the past week, thinking this through in different scenarios. You'll also see the beginning of an idea about how to 'switch' the layout, based upon some writing Lance Mindheim has on his blog - worth considering when you're designing before even beginning track laying. This is what began to play on my mind, with the turnouts arranged in one direction it would not be possible to easily switch the left hand end of the layout without a piece across the door - which I might not always want to put in place. I've also begun to think about how to mount the layout. I figure it needs to be removable, and in sections, even if these are scenic'd as one, so that if necessary it can be easily stripped out and or built into a larger project in the future. The key thing is the boards need to be deep enough for point motors and uncouplers (the Railcrew ones from Rapido are my preferred option at this stage - making the boards about an 1" deep). This is a problem though, as anything thicker than 1/2" begins to move the layout height into 'tip toe' for me - I'm only 5'6"... more thinking required. This next page I began to think about staging, the feeling of bringing a train into the layout from elsewhere, and that is what got me thinking seriously about 'extensions' or temporary flip down or plug in sections either over the door or by the window (see the right hand side). These would be made to be easy to use, and the layout designed to be operational with or without them in place. If you look at the header photo, hopefully you can ratify that with the plan and elevation views here (not to scale) and get a feel for what I'm up to in terms of concept. The last two pages here take each of those concepts in turn, first up with staging across the door, and turnouts switched from this direction. I also wanted to look at fitting a shed into the scene. Although on Paper this looked possible, when mocked up on the floor and on my desk it began to feel cramped, and I wasn't keen on the arrangement of structures in the left corner. I was also painfully aware of the limitations of switching the industry here, because you can only just fit a locomotive and one car in the headshunt when the staging board isn't in place over the door. The thing I did like was the highway bridge in the middle of the scene, and the idea of creating two cameo views, which would make the layout feel 'bigger' to operate. The second scheme put the staging over the window. I had initially ruled this out as impractical but I reckon there might be more mileage in this design. I've worked the highway in on the right hand end as a (cliche'd) exit view block, with the track curving more sharply than it appears to exit under the road to the window area. This would be a stage managed scene with trees and bill boards obscuring some of the view, and the bridge being modelled in full to suggest the railway continued beyond. The other thing that began to feel more positive was reviewing the Car Control Manual from 1988 (thanks to Steve for mentioning this on last weekend's post). This showed the track layout and sidings AND customers for the Lakeside park. Working with this, and what I'd found out this feels more like the scene I'd like to create. This week an Athearn GP15 arrived, I've always had a massive soft spot for the prototype, and I intend to model it as a short line 'patch' painted ex NS unit. The intention is to letter it for the HSWR (reporting marks not in use by any other line), and weather it accordingly. The yellow reflective stripe along the running plate is a nod to the CN as well as the ex CP Trillium RS18. I think this will set off the scheme nicely - I just need to fade the original black without frosting the glazing, before I patch paint some darker panels and apply custom transfers... anyhow, that's a long way of saying, I sketched the idea of the paint scheme out on a GP35 (as I'd drawn that in the past) top right. I also like to use sketches to visualise a model - in this case I used a photo of the mock up on the floor and then sketched in structures and the baseboard edge to get a feel for what might work - and have lettered up the buildings I'd intend to 'recreate' in miniature on the photos bottom right. The common theme here is the use of Paper - an excellent iPad app that is like a digital scrap book. I love using it for graphics work for commissions, but it's proving to be a useful tool in layout planning and bringing my ideas to life - whilst helping me narrow down on exactly what I want to build. More soon...

The Halifax and South Western was a railway in Nova Scotia, Canada, linking Halifax with Yarmouth. The 'hellishly slow and winding' followed the south shore of the province, peppered with rocky inlets and outcrops with forests surrounding small coves. The result was obvious, a long and slow journey that after the building of better highways and increased personal mobility in the 1970s, the line, by then part of Canadian National, was abandoned in sections from Yarmouth towards Halifax. In the late 1990s early 2000s the 'Chester Subdivision' had been cut back to just serve some industrial parks in the suburbs of Halifax. My proposed layout centres around this theme - and the selling off of terminal operations and shunting around the Halifax area to my own short line, the Halifax and South Western, leaving CN to operate the main traffic flows including to and from the container terminal, gypsum terminal and autoport terminal - an obviously absurd idea and complete fabrication, but one that allows me to mix CN and my own stock on a shortline, based on an area I have visited in person, and the last great holiday I did with my Dad back in 2001. As a commission model maker and designer I have found that I needed something non-commercial to satisfy my own modelling needs. As a teenager, I worked in Canadian H0 with my Dad - fast forward 25 years and I'm slowly building up a project again... Following Iain Rice and Lance Mindheim's advice, I wrote a sort of layout brief. I wanted to re-use as much of my old stock as feasible - but supplement with 'new' where it met my needs. I wanted to use DC, but be able to switch to DCC later. I wanted to create a layout with switching, and that 'went somewhere' and ideally had the option of continuous running and I began to dream of a modest shortlien layout about the size of a single garage - BUT with no where to put it! This reflection slowed progress on design, but I continued with stock building. However a re-evaluation of my workspace realised I could fit in a layout at eye level, so plans were developed again but currently are stalled due to my concerns over the thickness of the baseboard and impact on visual height of the running lines. If I'm not careful I'll need a stand to operate the layout (I'm only 5'6", give me another 3-4" height and it would be fine! - perhaps I need platform shoes!!). Most of what you read here is straight off my blog - but I will copy and paste some of that next, in chronological order. I hope my meanderings are of interest to the wider world, but even if not, then I will continue to document this project as it is just something I enjoy doing and the reflection often helps direction...

Not directly, but we have plans to offer an additional conversion kit in the same nature as our existing conversion kits with etched, cast and 3D printed parts.

I think we’ll offer a cab conversion kit for the Lambton one, as it’s a significant tool for just one prototype.

Released earlier in 2020 during the first lock down, the Peckett 'post date' conversion includes 3D printed and etched details to allow the modeller to convert the superb Hornby W4 (late Victorian styling) to a later style by replacing the cab, buffer beams and chimney. Back in stock now for £35 including UK delivery: https://www.narrowplanet.co.uk/collections/planet-industrials/products/pil-004

This weekend has been fantastic, what a wonderful reception on our exciting new adventure, and warmest thanks to everyone who has contacted us, commented or engaged in any way, Steve and I are both humbled. Please do sign up to the newsletter, like us on Facebook and keep your comments, questions and likes coming.

Thanks Owen! Every single post is welcome, thank you, and for the well wishes.

Thank you chaps! We’ve got some ideas for follow up projects but want to see the production models underway before we start anything else. In the meantime there are more kits on the way, the Peckett cabs are back in stock and we’ll share it all on the newsletter first, then here and Facebook.

Indeed - I'm pushing maroon lined straw, to model Francis...

I plan to write a few biographies of members of the class over the next few months. It’s early days in terms of customisations but obviously with our kit experience we plan to offer some conversion kits for some of the versions.

Adam that's a lovely example, why not fix her up AND buy one of our models!