46444

Evening. A quick update on 9717's progress. Following on from starting the weathering yesterday I muttered a few words about opening rear cab doors and adding lamp irons etc, My mind was made up when I re-read PMP's blog for Albion Yard set in the Forest of Dean capturing the works of Ben Ashworth nicely in model form. Other than the rake of Berry Wiggins tank wagons which kind of encapsulates the Forest is the close attention to detail Paul has applied to the ubiquitous Pannier tanks based on the Bachmann model. Here's the link to the excellent blog and well worth a read through. Brillaint photography and some pictures of the procedure I followed when modifying 9717 this morning. http://albionyard.wordpress.com/ Here's a photo of the bunker end having been modified with open rear cab doors, lamp irons bent up from staples and the cab roof shutter opened up-replaced by one cut from brass sheet. I also cut the moulded coal away having removed the bunker moulding from the cab . In doing so the green semi-circle (Think this is the hand brake housing) comes with it and needs cleaning up and gluing back into place. I then gently sprayed Precision GWR green to affected areas requiring touching in. This appeared to be a good match for the Bachmann GWR green. The front end has received the full complement of lamp irons once more bent up from staples and touched in with Tamiya NATO black. Also you'll notice I've given the cab sides a blow over of Precision GWR green to hide the printed number plates ready for the Fox etched replacements and the weight restriction spots. Next job is to make up the sand box rod pulls working from photographs and add the buffer beam numbers. Cheers, Mark 19.43 As an addendum this morning I took a photo of the sandbox pull levers I made up from brass rod filed flat. The picture illustrates one side affixed with genuine GWR Blutac! So I'm led to believe. Not sure whether to go down this route or get the RT Models etched ones. What do you think? Cheers, Mark

Already CK at this early hour of the morn.

These coaches sound like a labour of love but you've made great job of them. I've a few projects sat in drawers or on the work bench which require some attention and when you do resurrect them its a great feeling. As you say-how long for a RTR version of these coaches? Cheers, Mark

Morning Pete, Thanks for the comments. Yes these shots of the Pannier are on JH-so no rapid layout progression. Agree with you about that corner. It's one of those jobs on JH I need to address-either that or I need to learn how to Photoshop out the line in the sky. As for plans etc I'm working on it at the momment-especially regarding the quarry buildings but I'm thinking these will be more off stage with a wing hiding them so you'll only see the front of them thus saving a great deal of space. Thankfully the TVG quarry crushing plant loading point wasn't huge and neither was the track layout so i'm sure it will adapt to a micro nicely. Cheers, Mark

I never realised until today myself Robin. I'm about to find out how small those letters are! That's the one Robin with the Trusham address-not the Hennock address with biege panel on the door. Also on the POW Sides home page is a Scatter Rock wagon too. These wagons would have probably been in a terrible state after the war so expect replacement planks etc. I'm right in thinking these private owner wagons belonging to quarries were not pooled like coal wagons etc during the WW2. There was also a Marcroft repair depot at Trusham quarry so the wagons were leased I would imagine. Looking at my references the GWR used the quarry for its ballast requirements too. Cheers, Mark

Thank's Nick that's what I thought but didn't want to presume. Looks like Bachmann were a bit premature with this model and the 'yellow' spot. Cheers, Mark

Here's a link to a thread on here.... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/50947-r3067-class-31-diesel-electric-locomotive-31256-railroad-range/ Cheers, Mark

Thanks Robin. Thought you'd like this blog for some unknown reason! I've a few POW Sides kits to build for the TVG and Scatter Rock wagons so you're safe. Thanks for the link too. Cheers, Mark

A new blog for a few things Great Western. My current project Juniper Hill-based around the Northamptonshire ironstone quarries is getting to the point where the number of jobs to do is becoming less but it is by no means finished. It is booked for a few exhibitions so will continue to be part of my layout thread. Somewhere I wrote about having a few core interests one of them being the delightful Teign Valley Line in GWR times that ran between Heathfield and Exeter and closed to passengers before Beeching came along in the late 1950's. However it's not passenger traffic that interests me-it's the industry on this picturesque line. There where a number of quarries along the line (There's a theme here ) around Trusham (Teign Valley Granite) and Christow (Scatter Rock) which provided a good source of revenue for the line especially the Trusham Quarry. I'm planning on building another micro layout based around the Teign Valley Granite (TVG) quarry at Trusham in the near future so this blog will have a few relevant postings. One thing I really hope to achieve is portrying the GWR post war in a warts and all approach. Down the line in Newton Abbot the express trains hauled by Kings and Castles stop or pass by but this is of no interest-a Pannier/Prarie shunting a few wagons at a quarry next to the River Teign captivates me more. First up is a Bachmann Pannier tank in late GWR livery that I am weathering and modifying to represent Newton Abbot shed's 9717. Robin (gwrrob) kindly provided me with GWR shed allocations for South Devon post war so this will be the first of two Pannier tanks you will see. The model was an ebay purchase for a good price and is in excellent condition. As you can see from the photos I've started putting on a base coat of weathering using the usual Tamiya/Vallejo acrylics applied by airbrush or dry brushing. I've also applied a coat of Johnsons Kleer as well to give a lustre to the finish. The numbers have been removed from the buffer beams with the aid of a glass fibre pencil and will be replaced by Fox ones hopefully this evening. The number plates are on order from Fox. The title of this entry refers to spots-in this case GWR weight restiction spots. I've a feeling that the GWR gave these Pannier tanks a 'blue' spot later changed to 'yellow' by BR post Nationalisation. Can someone clarify this please then I'll rectify it as Bachmann have put a 'yellow' spot on. Power classification is 'C' I presume? With regards to positioning of the spot did it vary or where they always above the number plate. As you can see from the photos Bachmann have postioned it higher up. Finally, Jonty Chambers renowned photographer captures the soon to be 9717 simmering in the Teign Valley during 1947 whilst visiting his sister in Moretonhampstead. I'm planning on adding the sand box pull rods, lamp irons and possibly opening the rear cab doors too. Watch this space! Cheers, Mark

Truly brilliant pictures Rob with great atmosphere too. All on 5ft as well! Keep them coming. Cheers, Mark

Morning Alex, Good to see another post. Some nice shots too Your Hudswell Clark looks nicely weathered, the effect captured well in the sun. The Wissington Railway has a lot of inspiration and I can see you developing this idea. Like Neil says-certainly the way to go! Cheers, Mark

Really lovely finish Andy on that Mk 1. The home brewed shade of maroon is looking good-though I'm no expert. As for the lining excellent work. You'll be lining up Castle's next. Cheers, Mark

Evening Robin, Some great shots of the Castle but I really love the ones of 4547. Real shades of the Teign Valley Line in those photographs-something I hope to achieve in the future. Brilliant modelling and thanks too for those kind comments. I know what you mean about etched nameplates having a tendency to turn to buckled metal at the touch of a knife blade. Mentioning no names of course. Cheers, Mark

That's what I like to hear Mike Cheers, Mark

You've started something now Robin with the signals. Signal wires and point rodding next. Like the 'Plymouth' Toad by the way Cheers, Mark

Morning, Finished modifying the Wills goods shed. I've painted the roof using Vallejo acrylics following a blast of Halfords primer. Windows boarded up too now. Here's a shot on the workbench. Terry and Marbles stand on the loading step still-think Marbles must want feeding! Here's the shed back insitu. Just need the GPO to come along and reconnect the telephone line. I do think the corrugated tin roof is more appropriate for this setting along with the boarded up windows that reflect the run down state of the quarry systems. Finally, going back to the ironstone theme of the layout Cranford is seen shunting a few wagons about. Looks as if there's been some rough shunting somewhere along the way by the state of the front buffer beam. I'm just waiting for Robert from RT Models to send me some of his excellent J94 bufferbeams to replace the front one damaged at the Rushden show. More soon. Cheers, Mark

Morning Pete, Hopefully this morn in the modelling room at work you've come away feeling more positive following a laser cutting and bending of perspex session? From what I can see of the pictures your modelling looks good and up to the usual standards I know the clock is ticking but I you'll get PWIAB into a presentable state ready for the exbo. I think there is a tendancy to start worrying before an exbo as others have said-but just keep focused. I knew JH wasn't ready or ready as I wanted it to be at its first exbo and I felt the same. In the end I thought that if I start rushing things they won't be right so I left alone. Post exbo, as you've seen I've been tinkering getting things sorted. Not many people build layouts like you do Pete with the logistical and time constraints. Don't be too hard on yourself and come the exbo and you're running trains and realise what all the hard work and worrying was about. In return you'll have brought enjoyment to the punters and ultimately yourself. Know of any good female cookery show presenters other than Fanny Craddock? Cheers, Mark

I've been cropping a shot of 60019 in the sequence I took yesterday as she rounded the curve-bit of clag and lots of heat haze. Forgot to say-we got a good blast of the horn too as she passed under the bridge. Cheers, Mark

Similiar shot as Tim's above taken from the Harrowden Lane road bridge near Wellingborough this afternoon of 60019 'Port of Grimsby and Immingham' ('Wild Boar Fell' sounds much nicer!) on the Colnbrook-Lyndsey tanks in glorious sunshine. Cheers, Mark

Good morning. As I said in my previous entry I've a few detailing jobs on JH to complete. This includes some signage. Here's a couple of signs I made up from the Ratio cattle dock kit I had going spare. Painted, dry brushed and weathered with the usual source of acrylic paints. Also I'd mentioned about the goods shed roof being replaced with a corrugated iron affair as opposed to a neatly slated number. Again Wills sheets cut to size and barge boards made from scrap plastic strip. The ridge is made up from a piece of aluminium tubing with pieces of fine Tamiya tape placed in situ along the tube to represent the concrete sections. I'll give the roof a spray with Halfords plastic primer this morn. Eagle eyed readers will also not I scratch build a lamp above the loading door from parts off the cattle dock sprue and I've decided to board up the windows. These boards will be sprayed and painted too. Update soon. Need to work out how to scatch build the yard light and carry on with the scenics. Cheers, Mark

That's renowned local photographer Jonty Chambers.

Thanks Tim-Likewise. I'm sure we'll bump into each other again soon. Good shot too. Did you get a good one in as it started to pull away from the signal as it rounded the curve with loads of exhaust by any chance? Cheers, Mark