46444

The 93xx's look good because of the proportions as Mikkel says. The Collett cab improves (in my eye) the look of the design too! Hmmm! Might have find one of them!

Don't encourage him!

Blimey Pete, Have you been on Red Bull and Pro-Plus? (Other forms of stimulants available of course) Really lovely work. Like the framed effect and that grey is nice and retro-80's. You're putting me to shame with my lack of wood working skills this week too. Are Ikea introducing a new range of scenic materials endorsed by a certain Mr bcnpete? Hence the delay in commencing the scenics? :-)

Nice work on the back scene there Al. The 93xx looks good too in the last picture. Cheers, Mark

At last I've been flushed out! Firstly, I'm really pleased Pete has done an update on CJM. The new Monopoly buildings are appropriate if they were sited next to the drys and as others have said once finished and blended in shouldn't look peculiar. The shot of the 37 behind the gate is brilliant. I look forward to seeing the working brass version soldered up. No burnt fingers of course! I didn't want to detract from Pete's entry hence my delay in replying. All I'd like to say is thankyou for the coments re: the weathering and the repaints. Jo (ewsjo) produced the stunning decals for the 153 whilst Precision Decals did the 150 transfers. Little did I realise Dapol where going to produce their 153 in FGW 'Local Lines' livery. This is one of my favourite liveries too. The Dapol Cargowagon was weathered with Humbrol enamels using just three colours mixed accordingly (Black/Tan and White) and applied with an airbrush. Then when almost dry I moistened a cottonbud in white spirit and removed the weathering from the data panels. Obviously I worked from photographs and memory-particularly of standing on Par Station watching these wagons leave with a mixture of 'Nacco's/TTA's and scrap metal wagons. I look forward to the next instalment of CJM Cheers, Mark

Evening Mikkel, I'll reiterate what others have said too. Great to see you posting again and loved the story! Glad things are better and I'm looking forwards to seeing some of your modelling again. That PC coach looks very good as well. Cheers, Mark

This is such a beautiful model and the presentation is excellent. Like Dave says the tarp draped on the tender adds to the effect and is refelective of photos seen of the class in Norkolk/Suffolk. The question is how long do we have to wait for a ready-to-run 4mm version of a J15? Best try to finish that Nu-Cast one off! Brilliant stuff!

Nice work there Nick . I've painted some of these figures too using Valejo acrylics. As Al says the figures are posed nicely. Love the yarn too! Cheers, Mark

Hi Pete, Looking good! So far so good. I like the look of the way you've tackled the 3rd rail. That 4-CEP is nice but wouldn't it look better in green? Look forward to the next instalment. Cheers, Mark

5,4,3,2,1-Thunderbirds are go!!!! Gerry Anderson eat your heart out! Thanks Pete. Trip to Wickes this morn to buy lighting and build/install removable gantry so hopefully lighting will be addressed. I'm planning on getting the fiddle yard finished as well today. The plan is to use cassettes. From an operating point of view I'm going to stand or sit at the the front of the layout using a Gaugemaster HH working from the left handside. Wiring up shouldn't take too long and point motors will be Peco. Cheers, Mark By the way Pete-You missed the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G10 next to the Thunderbirds towerblock!!!! ;-o

As some of you may be aware Juniper Hill lays of the A43 south of Brackley-unfortunately this entry has no relevance to this Oxfordshire village. I drive down the A43 to Oxford on a regular basis and pass the sign for Juniper Hill and am always enchanted by the name. Infact I've decided to call my latest project after the village although it's not set in Oxfordshire. Infact it is set no where in particular and could almost be generic. Ideas have centred around ironstone quarrying in Northamptonshire with the Cranford area providing inspiration. This would not only allow me to run my Kettering sheded locos but also run an industrial line in the mould of Thomas E Gray of 'Isebrook' Sentinel fame based around Burton Latimer. Other ideas have included sand and gravel extraction around Cambridgshire so as to run an Class 03 and even a BR Sentinel too! I happened to have a 3ft x 1ft board going spare from an unfinished project and decided to mock up some images to get a feel for Juniper Hill. Here are the photos taken on my mobile including an aerial shot illustrating the track plan. This shot show's the simple track plan. The line will enter from the right on the top line from a fiddleyard. Here's a panoramic shot giving a feel for what I want to achieve. The buildings are courtesy of Wills-and have been modified slighty. They have been finished with Tamiya/Vallejo acrylics. The Corgi Ruston Bucyrus RB19 was subject of a previous post. The recently released Oxford Bedford OWB will become a contractors bus and will be resprayed. Figures are from Dapol finished with Valejo acrylics. Really lovely figures and good value too! Here's the state of play this evening. I've encased the board with plywood/hardboard I had had previously cut. Lighting will be provided by a slot in gantry and a flourescent light. I also managed to paint the baseboard with brown emulsion and give the backscene a coat of wood primer this evening. Tomorrow I will refresh this prior to giving the backscenes a coat of greyish white. I've given the ply a coat of yacht varnish to see what it looks like. I polished the wood with fine grade sandpaper prior to applying the varnish. Not sure what people think? Opinions welcome. Trackwork will be some ancient SMP Code 75 track with Peco Code 75 points. Track laying and wiring up next. Update soon. Cheers, Mark Bit of an update on the lighting that I've achieved today. I've made the lighting gantry and used a fish tank 'Daylight' flourescent tube I had to hand which looks ok. The backscene has received another couple of coats of lightish grey and the fascia has received another coat of yacht varnish. Since the photo was taken I've filled in the gap between the two up rights to make the top pelmet flush with the sides. Track laying and fiddle yard next.

Really brilliant stuff Dave. A brilliant read and inspirational to boot! As Pete as mentioned-on par with 24. Cue 24 'ticking' music! Look forwards to the next instalment. Cheers, Mark

Blimey Pete, That last photo!I'm almost there. The painting and weathering has given a real sense of the prototype and has enhanced your structures of Moorswater. Briliant modelling Pete. Cheers, Mark

It's been ages since I last posted and truth be known my modelling motivation isn't brilliant at the moment. Before I go into full on Leonard Cohen mode I'll write about a few positive bits that have sprung from the work bench of late. One of my modelling interests is the Kettering-Cambridge line which is fascinating. Although a very rural line and one which closed to passenger traffic in 1958 the western end of the line was deep in Northamptonshire iron stone quarrying country. Pits around Cranford/Twywell where worked into the early 1970's. Now the A14 has tarmaced over large areas of the old line though Cranford and Twywell stations exist as private dwellings. The main motive power in later years where the trusty Ivatt 2MT's from Kettering and Cambridge (46444 was a regular Kettering loco used on the line), although a few Standard 2MT 2-6-0's, and the odd J15 also appeared. Kettering also had 8F's and 3F's allocated to it which would also be seen on the line too. Rarer motive power included 'Jubilee' Rooke on a iron stone train in later years and also according to one of my references the 'Blue Pullman' was tested on the line as well. Oh well! Enough rambling! Here's a few photos of some Iron Ore tipplers/hoppers and 16T mineral wagons that I've refinished and weathered. All are Bachmann products. I've used a variety of paints to achieve the weathered effects-mainly Tamiya, with some Humbrol Metalcote gun metal and a few Valejo shades. A bit of dry brushing as well. Transfers are either from Fox or some excellent ones from Cambridge Custom Transfers. The wagons are finished with Valejo matt varnish to seal and bring everything together. First up are some 27T Iron Stone tippler wagons. Here's a gratuitous shot of my superb Model Rail Sentinel. Please excuse the Bachmann decoder poking out of the cab window. The loco is on lone to a mate and he's running it on DCC. That really needs to be finished like this one day: http://www.flickr.co...N05/3118325693/ Then some 24T hoppers. Finally, a couple of 16T mineral wagons as well. The pictures where shot on my phone's camera on a mate's layout. Cheers, Mark

Lovely work Dave. As others have said the weathering is nice and subtle. Like the straw too! Cheers, Mark

Brilliant! The point rodding looks fantastic and as you said in the initial brief it isn't often seen in 2mm Scale layouts. Well worth all the effort and sore eyes I should think? Cheers, Mark

Hi Dave, I'm no expert but this has the makings of something special. I love the presentation and the overall effect this mock up has achieved and look forwards to seeing the real thing in the making. Cheers, Mark

Brilliant modelling Jeremy. The ballasting looks good-nice and subtle. The track work is nicely weathered too. I really like the weathering you've achieved on the the locos which again looks right. Out of interest. How did you do 37672? Having stood on Par Station many a time I'm looking forwards to seeing this progress. Just need a 2mm scale John Vaughan now! Cheers, Mark

Derek, Thanks for your reply. Very speedy and informative. So 26A it was then. 44543 also has the tender cab as well. Really lovely footage around the shed. I noticed that steel POW mixed in with the 7 plank PO wagons.Some lovely weathering on the wagons. The recently introduced Bachmann weathered POW set would make a good starting point for some of these. Spray on a few black patches and add numbers. Thanks once again. Mark

Last night I watched this 1950's black and white film starring Arthur Askey as an engine driver. http://www.britmovie.co.uk/films/The-Love-Match The film is very much of its time but it did make me laugh! The link above tells of the story but there is quite a lot of footage shot around a loco depot in ? the North West. Any ideas which shed it was? All very atmospheric with 4F's, 8F's Jubilee's, Compound's and a WD to boot. There is also some lovely shots of ex-private owner wagons in BR service too. I'll be watching this film again no doubt. Worth finding for some light hearted entertainment as well as some prototypical film footage. Not sure of the Jubilee heading into a tunnel at speed-then the film being rewound to represent it reversing out of the tunnel at the same speed though!! Cheers, Mark

Some lovely weathering there CK. As Rob says-be good to see the horsebox and Hawksworth too! Cheers, Mark

Morning Pete, Amazing what happens when your balls are removed! In all seriousness the transformation is stunning and gives a clear indication as to the overall look of the layout. As Jon says these base colours/layers provide an ideal stepping stone for adding texture and I look forwards to the next instalment. Great stuff Pete. Cheers, Mark