toboldlygo

Lighting plays a major factor here, so it looks grey.

....not the Bionic Woman, but another Bionic Bulleid - more that later Two more loco's rolled off the renaming/renumbering and weathering production line this weekend. First up was Rebuilt West Country 34095 Brentor another one I hadn't done And then T9 30337, looking her age I might add (photo's have been redone ) Currently awaiting varnishing and weathering in the paintshop is another King Arthur 30797 Sir Blamor de Ganis. Then the rebuild operation that's been nearly 18 months in the making, since Rebuilt 34100 Appledore fell from my paint table and left me with a complete loco and tender chassis and trashed bodies. Tonight the salvage operation began with the removal of the damage bodies, which I stripped of anything that maybe of use and binned the carcasses. Tender chassis was repaired, it just needed a set of steps replacing. The Loco chassis had lost it's front bogie to another Rebuilt, fortunately I found another one in my parts box. Before fitting the new loco body I removed the nameplates, to save me a job later on. Now it just a case of renaming and renumbering the loco to 34031 Torrington and bringing the 5,250 gl tender body upto spec, before painting and lining out. Then the whole thing can be weathered That's all for now TBG

Fox Transfers do the smokebox numberplates for both 30585 and 30387

I would add a etched smokebox numberplate and shedcode as well. As I've added the etched smokebox numberplate to my 30585 and it brings the little engine alive.

Ok it's November and I've been busy with loco's amongst other things lol! I've been adding pictures to my galleries as each loco's been done, but I thought I'd share a few different shots with you as a little treat First up is West Country Class 34019 Bideford: Then it's the turn of N15 30770 Sir Prianius (note the fireman's tools on the tender): Up next is a diversion in Malachite Green (under all that dirt) in the form of West Country Class 34048 Crediton (yes I've done her in rebuilt form too) : Finally another Bullied, yet again very dirty Q1 33036 (means I've now done the last 5 members of the class): I haven't slowed up either, I've got 2 more locos on the workbench or in the paint-shop, these are Rebuilt West Country Class 34095 Brentor (another one I can scratch off the to do list) and T9 30337. These will be finished in the next week or so (hopefully). Then I'll be starting another N15 - 30797 Sir Blamor de Ganis and once all the bits arrive I've got another Rebuilt West Country to build literally. Take the salvaged tender and loco chassis from the defunct 34100 Appledore (which nosedived off my paint table 18 months ago), add a new rebuilt WC/BB body and another Wrenn 5,250gl tender top acquired off ebay and I'll have another bionic Bullied, in this case 34031 Torrington!!! That's all for now TBG

... mad that is My workbench has been a flurry of activity, lots of locos have passed over it in the last month. First up here's another shot of Schools 30920 Rugby, basking in the sun: Then there's T9 30117: Next a reworked WC 34023 Blackmore Vale, complete with 71A (Eastleigh) shedcode, grime and coal: And finally my first tank engine renumbering M7 30049: All of which will be finding themselves on a certain auction site over the coming months But, I'm not finished there, there's another Bullied on my workbench. Another 'Wilton' donor which is currently stripped of all it's identity and waiting it's new one - 34019 Bideford (I've already got a Bideford, however not renumbered by my hands ), it had a mechanical gremlin which I've sorted out, now just got to retest and then I can get on with the renumbering etc. And before I forget LMS Twin 10000's derailing issue was sorted, purely by dismantling the bogies and opening up the holes where the wheels go into the frames That's all for now TBG

KHANNNNNNNNNN!!!!! Sorry had to be done with a title like that

.... Figuratively speaking of course ! West Country 34103 Calstock was completed last week and is ready to go (whenever that will be ) Here's a couple of shots of her. Waiting to go back into the Paint-shop for it's final sealing coat of varnish, is a very decrepit looking T9 30117 , I had a lot of fun with this one, the weathering is a little bit of a departure from the norm for me Also about to go into the Paint-shop for a liberal dose of dirt and grime is Schools Class 30920 Rugby, not sure how much dirt to do on this one ! It's actually my first BR Green renaming for a Schools (the rest have been Lined Black), so I'm pretty pleased with how it went. Not bad for me, all things considered, till the next time TBG

Resistance was futile......

The lure from the Darkside was too strong... I ordered one lol

My replacement Sentinel arrived this morning (Saturday) and runs superbly. Well done Kernow for a swift service!!!

Will be sent off, in the morning Chris. Trust me to get the Friday afternooner lol. Great little loco all the same

Had mine for about a week (Early Crest BR), today was the first chance I got to run it... and it doesn't :/

An update of sorts, it's been a month of hell for me, so I'll be brief. First up N15 30805 Sir Constantine has left the nest, here's another shot of her (the other picture is in my gallery) West Country 34002 Salisbury was up next, now complete and in storage till I resume sales in late September. Another picture of her is in the gallery. Currently in the paintshop awaiting weathering is West Country 34103 Calshot and on the workbench is a narrow cab T9, destined to become 30117. That's all for now.

Time for my June update, first up 34065 Hurricane has left the nest and is with a happy (repeat) customer. Here's one last look at her: To answer Glenn's comment as to what do I use to seal the acrylics? That's relatively straight forward Vallejo Acrylic Matt Varnish Aerosol, I swear by it, doesn't seem to react to climate either and it seems to last for ages, so it's good value per can (in my opinion). Another Bulleid Light Pacific is complete and about to be listed on a certain auction site West Country Class34035 Shaftesbury, this was a rework of it's earlier appearance on RMWEB, just dirtied her up a bit On the workbench currently is another N15 'King Arthur' Class 30805 Sir Constantine, after fun and games with donors (the first had to be returned because it was rubbish) I've finally got the loco through the renumbering/recresting and renaming phase. Just waiting 24 hours for the transfers to cure, I know you don't need to, but I find I get better results with the varnish and paint going over the top of them. That's all for now....

Been a lot easier than expected using an airbrush, Railmatch's Acrylics are a joy to work with and don't need too much thinning. Cleaning the airbrush was a different matter lol!!

Hurricane's going to be my first one weathered with an airbrush, so this could prove interesting....

For the first time in ages a new West Country rolls off the TBG workbench (literally of course) 34004 Yeovil in Rebuilt guise. The donor and plates had been sitting around for ages so the time had come to do a renaming from scratch. Like a well oiled machine it rolled off the production line in no time at all. While Yeovil was in the paintshop, I busied myself with a Battle of Britain (Tangmere) donor and created a new version of 34065 Hurricane. This will get the heavy weathered treatment before too long. She's seen here next to Yeovil on my new twin track display board - which itself still has some work to do. That's all for now...

Well she's had an adventure or two, been from one end of the country to the other and three different owners. Now she's back home where she belongs, I'm talking about one of Bulleids of course, one that was a reluctant sale to a certain dodgey car dealer - 34093 Saunton. Missing a step was the only sign of her epic journeys, that fortunately was in the parts bag so was quickly re-attached and the correct shedcode fitted (71A Eastleigh). A quick dust and she had her picture taken in the afternoon sun. Also finally finished is my A4 60031 Golden Plover, not clean, but not filthy either Though for running she'll have the pipes removed. Currently in the paintshop is 34060 25 Squadron and finished and looking for a new home is 34055 Fighter Pilot That's all for now....

As another Battle of Britain is the paintshop. I started work repairing the slight beat up A4 Golden Plover I'd acquired off ebay. It needed bits replacing namely the tender chassis and front bogie, plus various parts sticking back on. Didn't take me to long to fix, fortunately she's a smooth runner so I did't have to start dismantling too much. After a few hours work she looks more like an A4, I've also taken the opportunity to fit etched plates which really bring it to life. Next stop paintshop

Golden Plover will be clean-ish, though I do have a photo of it in a sorry state... ... oh ######, just gave the game away