big T

Cheers mate. The plates came yesterday courtesy of Fox, ready for its conversion into this monster: (incidentally my last main line RFD 47): ] Cheers Trev

Cheers mate It will look a lot better when Ive sorted the cab glazing out. (you may have noticed some of the glazing is out - I tried to clean it up last night, but its too far gone sadly. 796 was always a favourite of mine. She just looked the part. I know Im a heathen in some circles - I love cut away buffer beams alternator fitted variants, , Sandite fitted jobs on tractors, non standard buffers and RCH cables on Duffs....... Thanks for your comments, they are much appreciated! Trev

Good morning all. Had a mate over last night who is an N gauge modeller, He brought me a pair of FNA nuclear flask wagons to weather for him. They are stunning models. Seeing as the weather has warmed up I might get the airbrush out tonight. Anyhoo, needless to say I didn't get much done in the way of modelling, (I think I fitted 4 x buffers to a HAA) - We spoke at length about HAA's and the multiple variants, modifications, additions and removals carried out that he observed during his time as a shunter at Burton MGR. lets just say I have plenty to go on! I had a delivery yesterday of a Bachmann 37 - done as my beast 37796. Its had a tough life and Ive already stripped it of glazing components and bufferbeam detail ready to receive donor glazing from another less work weary classmate! This will ultimately be weathered, detailed and sound fitted. I also took a couple of pics of my shed roof, now with added rooflights. I will give the rooflights a light dusting of something orangey I think. Just to take the edge off the plastic-ness-ness. At the moment, I appreciate that the shed looks a tad rough around the edges. It will gain guttering and downpipes This will certainly improve the look of the areas where roof and walls meet. Thank you for looking Trev

Hi mate That does look a cracking model. I think I looked at getting one from Colletts Models. TBH it depends on the photo. I usually look at exposure, contrast, hue, sharpness, recovery, and sometimes even changing the white balance can help immensely. Trev

Hi Adrian, I think youve done a cracking job with the scenery - the static grass looks mint. I find its difficult not to make it look like a lawn, especially if Im using smaller fibres, but yours doesnt. keep up the good work Trev

On the subject of scans and models, here is one I am desperate to model: [/url]47315 by Trev Hurley, on Flickr" 47315. denamed and in a bit of a state, clagging like a good-un. She was working the Lawley Street EWS depot to Washwood Heath tripper.

Hi Adrian, They are easily damaged. I kept mine in old biscuit tins under the bed sop no light could get to them. Cheers Trev

Hi mate Yes I have scanned a lot of my negs. I have a small scanner that I use to convert the negs to pdf. I then whizz them thro photoshop to perk them up a bit (some have had a hard life, having survived a divorce and 3 house moves!) For instance, this one was a bit pants so I changed it to mono. (I know technically its not brilliant, but it saves binning a decent subject.) The train was 6V14 08:35 Hull Saltend to Baglan Bay "vinegar" tanks and is passing my old fave place of Washwood Heath I know there are a multitude of scanners, mines a mid range one. Ive still got about 6,000 to do. I need to find somewhere that will process the film into just negatives..... Cheers Trev

Cheers matey! Here's a shot of said type with Saltley Seagulls headboard @ Washwood Heath. https://www.flickr.com/photos/58806173@N08/8658203695/in/photolist-hFBbW2-dHmWSv-9CfNov-9ZKhZx-NoNLQv-ec6yj4-dHsnib-dt96YW-9CiH5L-dt8UQx-9CfNeD-dt8UCD-9ZKoMg/ Cheers Trev

Morning mate Cheers! Living in Cov with Water Orton being my regular haunt from the early 90's, RFD 47's were my staple traction. I need probably 30 odd locos to replicate the ones I associate with, but thats not going to happen! Im definitely going to renumber this one. Not sure what to yet......possibly 375. (incidentally Jim took 375 from Tinsley which was the last loco to leave with 145! back to 21A) Youve made a shed load of progress on PDW and I'm highly envious! Keep it up! Cheers pal Trev

Hi mate The lighting makes a real difference! did you go for L.E.D strip? I really like what you've done with the concrete areas. Nice and lifelike. Makes me want to do mine again now!!! I like those 68's - I'd like one but they're a bit too modern for me. I Might treat myself...... Trev

Nothing much happening this weekend, family outings and pressure washing the driveway has put pay to that. Still I had a couple of deliveries, mostly paint, varnish, buffers, couplings, wheels,a class 60 body, an RFD 47 and a few TTA's. I had a spare 21 pin decoder, so thats gone in the spoon. Thanks for looking Trev

I did a 37 for a mate, and including bufferbeam pipework, detailing bits etc this took me a week, maybe 2 odd hours a night

Hi Craig, Ill take some tonight. Its in the process of painting. Now that the garage is a bit warmer, I might get round to finishing it! Cheers Trev

Ive got a 37/4 body shell mate if you get stuck. (Its EWS tho) Youve made some good progress recently, don't let the 37 issues get you down. I like the Bachmann product, but lately the quality is utter ****. Ive had a continuing argument on FB about the quality of Bachmann products deteriorating whilst prices continue to rise! What the hell is that about? (I understand that post brexit jitters and the pound etc) but, why should we pay for shoddy wokmanship? I saw a "limited edition" model for £150.00 and it was just DCC ready. Seriously? Cast your mind back a year or two - 37's were going for £60..... Theyre not worth much more than that now! (even less with the poor levels of QC!) Anyway rant over lol good work mate keep it up! Trev

Good stuff Neil. Liking the street scene. Trev

Cheers Neil

Last night I spent half an hour in the garage and managed to fit roof lights to the roof of my smaller WRD building. This is a fairly insignificant job, but is one I've been meaning to do for ages. Then I have to fit some kind of interior and paint the floor... I also attacked one of my brand new HAA's....... I must get cracking with finishing the station end of the layout..... Cheers Trev

Morning Rob, I generally use Phoenix Precision matt black with some Humbrol matt black with a dab of brown. I tend to vary the amounts of each, depending on the reference picture Im working to. Ive also got some AK interactive paints for grease, etc. I think I need to spray on some lighter orange/brown brake dust colour next. this should bring the detail out a bit more, then some satin varnish. Cheers Trev

Every cloud has a silver lining..... Just been to a company meeting and we were given A2 sized ring binders for notes and scribbling. Aha! thinks I - the front cover material (opaque plastic with a fine knobbly surface) will make excellent skylights for my first WRD building. So I had two. Might do them tonight!

Cheers Dave!

A recent mini project in its first stages.(One I started last year but haven't worked on for ages): Still got secondary colours, pipes, windscreen swipe marks etc etc to add. (Before anyone points the lack of NRN aerial, it ran like this!) Trev

Hi James, I've been following your thread for a while now, and your modelling is excellent! You've inspired me to purchase some HAA's with a view to modifying them in a similar vain to as you have, which I am looking forward to doing immensely. The 66 with graffiti was also top notch and most realistic. Thanks! Trev p.s. How did you get Ms Ellis-Bextor to sit on your knee like that?! 10 on 10!

No modelling this weekend unfortunately my back has put pay to that. However I did receive a couple of superb BDW bogie coil carriers in the post, and it would have been rude not to have photographed them....... Cheers Trev