Brinkly

She looks just right: lovely job. All the best, Nick.

Hi Brian, They are lovely. I am tempted with some wartime era stock, but that is very much a long way off. I plan to have a fluid 1955-1960/1 timeframe for the layout. By late 1957 most of the lovely old auto trailers had gone from Laira, which is one of the reasons I want to model this mid-50s period as I can run No. 51 (diagram ‘P’ auto trailer) and 157 (A26) coupled to 14xx and 64xx class locomotives. The older 6-wheeled siphons were also still in operation on the branch in and around 1955/6 and these coupled behind 45/4575 class locos look particularly charming… All the best, Nick.

Thanks, Tim. I have a few 'spare' bodies, which I picked up on eBay a few years ago for the princely sum of £4 a pop... not to mention the similarly priced 64xx bodies, which are also lurking in the maturing box! Having looked around in a cupboard yesterday, I discovered a High Level Pannier (57xx) unbuilt chassis kit and one for a 64xx - I think I bought them before the first lockdown... Best wishes, Nick.

Cracking work, Alex. All the best, Nick.

Thanks for all the supportive and kind words, everyone. I hope that the new job will enable more modelling/free time. Granted, it will involve shift work, but when I've finished my day, I've finished. So, onwards and upwards. Over the past couple of evenings, I've been working on detailing another Bachmann pannier tank. This locomotive will be a model of 3629, which was a Laira engine during the 1950s (I have a nice photo of her working a freight service out of North Road). Detailing work was pretty straightforward: Replacement smokebox dart from Comet Moving the sandbox covers back Etched lamp irons (Martin Finney etch) Etched rear cab grills (Mainly Trains) RT Sanding gear linkage Grab handle on the footplate Buffer beam pipework Chequer plate on top of the buffers Modelu whistle and shield Replacement etched plates from Model Master (obtained several years ago) Fox Transfers etched shed code Modelu lamps and crew. I decided to leave the handrails alone on this one, although I might change them over on subsequent models. Please excuse the clutter in the background. Very fine etches - the Modelu lamps slide straight over them. A superior product to the Mainly Trains ones. I'm debating a full repaint on this one, however I'd quite like to retain the worn BR emblem... The real 3629 was quite grubby circa 1955 so touching up might be an option. The following job will be to complete an etched Comet chassis (00-tolerances but built with single-beam compensation). I'm hoping to do this over a series of DRAG evenings with assistance from Tim. All the best, Nick.

Hello everyone, I know it has been a while since my last post, but I thought I would share what has been happening in Nick world over the past few months. Last year, having had a huge amount of thinking time, I made the decision to leave teaching (don't believe what you read in the press about teaching being a bed of roses: it really isn't at the moment). This was an incredibly difficult decision, however, good friends Tim @Captain Kernow and the late great Grahame Hitchen @bgman put the whole process into content and were wonderful sounding boards. Back in September, GWR advertised for conductors based at Exeter and I have been one of the lucky seven who applied and were successfully appointed. I'm really hoping to get some balance back in my life again! Teaching really has completely taken over my life and I'm looking forward to finishing for the day and not having 90 pieces of marking to mark. This is my last 'proper' week (next week is residential). I know I will miss working with the children... tomorrow will be spent teaching nice things! But teaching is now about more geared up to performance managing teachers and not making sensible, long-term plans which will improve the outcomes for all children. Anyway, I have completed some modelling over the past few months and have a replacement project (Launceston branch linked) to share soon. Thank you again to everyone who has sent messages over the past couple of months. I do appreciate it. Best wishes, Nick.

Really lovely work, Tim. All the best, Nick.

I’m really glad it went to a good home - it looks very well suited there! That was only the forth van I ever weathered… All the best, Nick.

Just come across your project, Chris. It really is rather nice. I do like the S&D. It is something I've often wanted to model. All the best, Nick.

What a lovely way to remember a truly great gent. Nick.

As I'm sure many others are, I am completely stunned by this terrible news. I've known Grahame for several years, meeting him with other DRAG members at shows. Last year, when I was unwell, he would either call or message every few days to check how I was. We had some lovely chats all about everything: it meant so much to me at the time (and still does). He had such a warm heart and generous personality - his advice recently with regard to my career move was considered and thoughtful. Only a couple of weeks ago, he shared with my his latest project based on Northern Italy with me. Even in this project's early stage, his modelling talents shone through. He was a very gifted and talented modelmaker. I feel incredibly lucky to have met such a lovely man. Rest in peace my friend - I will miss you greatly and the world is a little less bright without you. Nick.

This really is such sad news. Grahame was a truly lovely man and a great friend. The world is a darker place without him. Rest in peace, my friend. I feel honored to have known you. Nick.

Nice to see you posting again, mate. All the best, Nick.

That is fantastic news, Tim. Please do continue to pass on our best wishes to Graham. Can't wait to see you back up on your feet again, mate! KBO! Best wishes, Nick.

That is the run into Princetown - I walked along there today! Kind regards, Nick.

Beautiful work, Michael. Both locomotives run incredibly smoothly. All the best, Nick.

I think several ex LMS interlopers where used on the Launceston branch in the mid 1950s. When Brian @Taz helped me with a bit of coach research a few years ago, we discovered an LMS trio at Launceston circa 1955. I suspect they were 'borrowed' from an inter-regional working when stock was tight during the summer. All the best, Nick.

Thanks for keeping us up-to-date, Tim. Keep plodding on, Graham. All the best, Nick.

All the best, Graham. Do take care, mate. Nick.

Very nice, Ian. Very nice indeed. All the best, Nick

The weathering on your model is beautiful, John. It looks so natural and has real presence: simply cracking. All the best, Nick.

Really nice, Tim: full of character! Best wishes, Nick

Afternoon all, Matt delivered the engineering prototype, which includes padlock representation. Thank you to everyone who uploaded padlock photographs - we now feel like we are experts in this field! Before we going production, we would be interested to hear your thoughts. With or without lock? All the best, Nick.

I think you are right, Tim. Regards, Nick