ullypug

Hi Mikkel Ta for the comments. yes, toning down will involve a mucky matt varnish - my usual mix with a smidgeon of metalcote gunmetal and grey, then a subtle weathering job. The photos I have of 30200 show it in a fairly clean state but it will get some treatment. I find that spraying satin black as opposed to matt means the transfers adhere easier.

End game now. Well it always feels like it to me when you start the painting. Probably still weeks away yet!! I've finished lining and lettering one side. I have to say I'm impressed with the Fox lining. Apart from one piece, it's gone on really well. Engine had 2 coats of Halfords Satin Black first. A couple of blemishes have been noted but once the transfers are sealed I'll tone everything down anyway. Numbers are also Fox. Emblem is methfix exPC now HMRS. Just need the blasted motor to turn up!

Hmm been thinking about this one for a while. Some cracking layouts already mentioned which are definitely in my top 10 but my top 3 are: 1: Exebridge Quay by Dave Rowe. I saw this at Bristol as a teenager and it blew me away. The standard of modelling was superb. The real water, working telescopic bridge and the presentation (remember the tent?) had a real impact. 2: Cornwallis Yard by my late friend Bob Haskins. Bob introduced me to the world of EM modelling. He was our local area group secretary and I had the fortune of seeing him build his split level layout based on a slice of the Millbay branch. After his untimely death, I had the privilege of helping others with its completion. The layout's now in the hands of new owners and still on the circuit. It includes some very clever design features which I've copied on Wheal Elizabeth. 3: This is a toughie because I'd like a fourth choice! Petherick by Barry Norman has certainly been inspirational for its ground breaking scenic works but I was never fortunate enough to see it, so I'm going to plump for Kentside by Karl Crowther. Karl's another member of our local EM group and I've always been inspired by his standard of modelling. His compromise point is a lot later than mine and this has inspired me to slow down! I now look more critically at what I do and don't settle for 'that'll do' as early as I used to. I guess it's all about enjoying the journey and not worrying about arriving at the destination in the shortest time possible.

More work on the bubble car. New end is on and large windows reduced in size. Still some filler to sand off then it's sticking bits on time. I'm enjoying this Oh and the O2 has had another coat of paint after a rub down. Transfers on order from Fox as I've bottled the idea of lining with a bow pen.

You know how it is. A couple of quiet weeks with not much progress and then the mother in law arrives. Modelling output mysteriously increases. Actually not for the reasons you might think but because with a bit of child care, I've suddenly got a bit more time than of late - though building the Lego Toy Story train set the nipper got for his birthday was strangely therapeutic. Anyway, progress of sorts on a number of fronts. The O2's been in the paint shop and is now hardening off before I do anything else. I'm waiting for the replacement motor to arrive so will have to concentrate on the lining when I get round to it. Whilst in the garage this morning, I stuck the trial turnout base plates for Clevedon on one of the boards. Plan is to start wiring up next. Those of you who get the Railway Modeller will have seen an article I did on modelling the Colonel Stephens Empire and I'm feeling slightly hypocritical in that regard. Need to put that right. So with nothing else to do I turned to the next job in the modelling cupboard, namely a Craftsman Class 122 bubblecar conversion for the Lima 117. Yes I know you can buy them from Hornby now and they're probably better but that's not the point. This is a long term resident of the modelling cupboard so it's part nostalgia. Also a new year's resolution to clear some space. The donor Lima vehicle I got when I worked at the Weston Model Railway as a lad and I reckon that was about 25 years ago. The Craftsman kit has a W&H price tag on it. I think that was acquired from one of the Bristol shows when they were down in the docks. Motor will be the redundant High Level Lo-Rider I made for the Class 22. So, cutting and carving of plastic has commenced. New windows added. Still got the oversize window to sort out but otherwise am quite happy. The unit will be sprayed green with whiskers eventually.

Nice to see this on here Dave

We have a plan too! I decided I've got too many North Cornish non china clay things not to; T9, West Country, N, std 4 tank, bubble car, P set, Van Bs... I'm not likely to build another cornish layout (for a while at least) so it makes sense. The O2 will be hauling a P set from Hornby Maunsell stock. I don't really want to lose the bridge so will keep that. It'll mean sacrificing the loading dock at the other end but I want to be able to have a layout that will can either be set up as a terminus or through run. The aim is to keep my and maybe others interest in the layout going. It gets very dull shunting for a whole weekend. I should probably move this to the layout forum really

Slow progress at the moment due to a succession of family birthdays and the odd exhibition, but we are getting somewhere... O2 is starting to come together as I add bits and pieces. Some are included with the kit, most are not. I had a slight hiccup when I discovered my choice of motor wasn't going to fit inside the boiler. Must've measured it wrong. Anyway as soon as the replacement arrives from High Level we'll be back in business. The body's not far off its final clean up and spray. Then I can look forward to the lining! As a small distraction, I've built the new fiddle yard board for the eventual conversion of Wheal Elizabeth to through running. This will be the off stage right hand end. What more can I say, it's several pieces of plywood? I have made up a template for the turnout operating units for Clevedon and the wire in tube has arrived. Needless to say I didn't take a photo of this. Once the O2 is somewhere near finished I'll make a start wiring the layout.

After doing 12 shows last year, the matrimonial foot has well and truly descended... I'm glad in a way as I got to the stage where I wasn't enjoying it anymore. Clutton is a big old beastie - I can imagine that 3 is enough. 3 day shows? eek! York is pretty knackering and once every 5 years is about enough for me.

Sounds like you're doing too many shows!!

Thanks guys. Adam - cheers for the info. I was hoping you'd know! SE Finecast backhead already procured.

Happy New Year to all of you out there (or is that in here) in RM Web Blogland. I succumbed to the lurgy over the Christmas period and consequently didn't do any modelling. Starting to feel better (coinciding with starting back at work surprise, surprise) so have recommenced detailing of the O2. I like this bit of the build. An evening may only result in just one fitting being applied and it's the usual case of 'how do I replicate that thing?', but it's all steady progress. First off the handrails which I'm really pleased with. I've soldered in some of the handrail knobs and the remaining ones in the boiler will be superglued in later. Most of the fittings seem to be usable, though the kit doesn't seem to have a Roscoe(?) lubricator for the smokebox that was fitting to my choses engine 30200. Any ideas? My Well tank had a couple so someone must sell them. One or two of the lamp irons are a bit wonky, but they should be OK with a tweak. I use the RSU to make sure they're well and truly adhered. The funnel, dome and safety valves are epoxied on, just in case I have to remove them. The smokebox door will be next, after which I'll clean up and fill the front face of the engine. I'm also pondering whether I'll need to make the rear bogie work off a swinging link, so have soldered a mounting bolt to the chassis just in case, before soldering the torque reaction rods (a fancy name for a bit of 0.45mm brass wire) from the High Level gearbox to the chassis. Forgot to take a picture of that though...

This is seriously good stuff. Your attention to detail is quite something. Well done!

Very nicely done too sir!

It'll be at Melksham in April and RailEx in May next year and Stafford in 2013

Dart will certainly sort out the axleboxes and compensated/rigid W irons (both old MJT range). Bill Bedford (Mousa Models), now from Eileens do the sprung variety.

On Wheal Elizabeth, I used Colin Ashby diag 013s for the 1958-62 period (albeit removing the DC brake gear and replacing with Morton), then Ratio diag 1/051s for both flat tarp and hoods, fitting Dart Castings axleboxes instead, Smiths wagon sheets make nice tarps when scrunched up and rolled in china clay (yes really!). Hoods are made from Euthymol toothpaste tubes, similar to the method Geoff Kent uses for wagon sheets in his 4mm wagon books. I've certainly seen 1/051s with flat tarps still being used in the mid 1980's. Cambridge Custom Transfers now do a sheet for the 1/051 too. Nice layout by the way. We need more china clay layouts! Andrew

Coming thick and fast now. Must be the fact that we're snowed in! Have had another good session with the O2. Chassis has been tweaked by soldering additional strips onto the High Level hornblock thingies for the spring wire to slide through. Photo makes it easier. The front two wheels are now set at the right height so don't foul the underside of the splashers. I've also attached the steps, coal rails, drawhooks (Ambis) and (after opening out the holes in the buffer beams) the buffers. Finally, I've spent about an hour slowly removing excess solder with an assortment of sharpened jewellers screwdrivers. All starting to come together (well in my eyes at least). You'll notice the gap under the coal rail at the back which will need attention but then it'll be full of coal so I'm not worried. I'm hopefully going to start fitting various castings next. Don't know how much time I'll get up to Christmas now, but it'd be nice to get this someway towards finished over the forthcoming holidays. Hoping you all have a merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Andrew

Right Thanks to all who came and said hello at Wigan last weekend. Nice to hear kind things said about the layout. Although enjoyable, the show was a bit of a killer for me with a nightmare journey home on the Sunday evening. I've done too many shows this year (no surprises there Mr Venton!) and subsequently i've decided that I won't be accepting any more invitations for Wheal Elizabeth as I've got sufficient up to and including 2013. I want to get on with Clevedon and want to have it finished before then. Returning to the O2, I've ground the rivets off the mark 2 smokebox and added 2 new wrappers - one of 10 thou and another wrapper with smaller, more widely spaced rivets. Oh and I ground off the kit's smokebox door as I acquired one from South East Finescast which has a larger diameter. I've reattached the sandbox/splashers to align with the wheels. I've also a cunning plan to lift the front drivers in their springs. Only mocked up for now but it sits nicely. Should reduce the likelihood of wheels touching the underside of the splashers. Some filler will be necessary before it's all painted up but I think this is a marked improvement on O2.5.

Arrgghh, it's kitten kong. <Goodies mode off>

Arrgghh!!! Now I remember what you told me... How do I get the wrapper off without destroying everything? Maybe I'll file down the rivets and overlay another layer. Looking at the photo reaffirms that nagging doubt I had. Still enjoying the kit build, just not as much Andrew

Hmm, wonder how many versions I'll get through before I finish the loco. Anyhoo, you know when you do something really stupid... well I had my own doh moment when I remembered I'd bought a set of GW Models rolling bars off the bring and buy at Scaleforum. 2 minutes later and I had my boiler. The wrapper quickly followed and I made a new outer wrapper with the GW rivet tool (must be keeping George in business). I bit of filing here and there and it's starting to come together. Front end is sitting low and will need packing up I think. Good job as there's a gnats whisker above the rims to the splashers. Gearbox and motor seem to fit. Onwards and upwards.