enginelane

Day 31 Warm enough for some garage time. Planted the remainder of the maize plants on the right hand side of the lift out section. Enough to suggest a field or at least a share cropper. Overhead crane in position in stone yard. Transfers for the 8Fs came to day in the post so will start applying them later.

Day 30. time spent bending up goal posts for the Sprat and Winkle couplings. Base layers of weathering added onto unpowered 8F. Transfers are coming in the post.

Day 29 project is a couple of repairs from the Kiln Lane stock box spillage. 12 ton van requires new buffer beam and couplings. the other van is a Shock van from Red Panda? The van body slides on the underframe. The fall dislodged both buffer beams. Coffee and music should pass a pleasant hour fettling.

Day 29. I had already converted a tender for use with a black five. On the rear view the tender on the left has not had its steps altered and the tender coal door space has not been drilled to create the space. The right hand has brassmaster steps and coal door space cut out. On the side view the top tender is from the older Hornby Model tender with cast metal detail. The left hand tender is the Hornby China manufactured version with as supplied axleboxes and springs. The Right hand version has Brassmaster replacement spring and axleboxes. A lot of work to gain an additional depth of 2 mm on the axleboxes?

Day 28. cab doors, fall plate added to locomotive and found the bag with more Brassmaster parts to add to the other 8F. crew added to both.

Day 27 the chipped 8F that is used on Kiln Lane brought in from the garage. It is a more recent version with the motor in the engine as poised to tender drive. It has been modified using the Brassmaster kit with an etched footplate, cast metal sand boxes and fittings. The Brass master version on the right. The cylinder cocks on one side already broken off as cast metal. Engines will be renumbered as 48123 and 48169.

Due to wet and cold weather not much to report as modelling time spent on Kiln Road stock. however this afternoon small project replacing the very small exhaust as supplied on the mobile crane that will be sited in the Team Track area . some rust and oil stains added.

Day 26 and too cold for the garage. Just a couple of small projects today. Used finer wire and left off the nuts on the cylinder drain cocks. Once painted will give sufficient impression that they are there. Replaced the vey small exhaust silencer on the mobile crane that will be in the Team Track area. Grease and oil added along with some light rusting.

Day 25. renumbered, renamed and added the detail pack for 70014 Iron Duke. All put together and then realised no crew! Hey ho. Frustrating hour spent making up cylinder drains for the 8F. Look like bent wire and little nuts which of course they are! Will have another go might be instead of putting the 3 pipes in 2 might look better on the model.

Day 24 and looking like there will be at least the same number of days again. After a fifty year gap have started to write once more and now modelling time is being shared with 1000 words a day. Will see where it leads to. Grandson Issac time to day so lots of bouncing on knee whilst he tugged at beard. What a shame lockdown is reducing opportunities to mix with other babies. modelling time spent on front end of unpowered 8F. Lifting holes drilled at front and played around with fitting front steps. Full size steps are hit by front pony wheels so ended up very thin and undersized but Model looks better with some semblance of steps. If remove the front wheel guards then will get more front bogie swing clearance so might go for that. rest of time filing away the hook and bar mounting point on rear of tender chassis to allow fitting of Sprat and Winkle coupling.

Day 23 and not a lot of modelling time today. Torpedo vents came from Dart Castings so added and roof for CCT more less completed. Still need to source 14 mm diameter brake shoes.

Day 22. expected to be at the garage whilst car serviced but garage unable to open the bonnet as latch mechanism stuck so no MOT no service. However the parts are covered under warranty so another go later this week. A shared covid project with a good friend. He has a friend with whom he travels on photographic trips but 2020 etc not the best year. However said friend always like Britannia Iron Duke and I am to rename and number and he will construct a presentation plinth. When complete and allowed then will be handed over.

Day 21 Most of the day spent at mam‘s Bungalow waiting for replacement garage door to come and be fitted so not as much modelling time but did manage to apply 3 thin washes of Lifecolour carriage grime to sides with grimy black on roofs. Will need to put away as awaiting 14 mm brake shoes and ventilators.

Day 20. Bitter out today so an side modelling day of little tasks. made progress with ex LMS CCTs with 2nd example roof made out of 10 thou plasticard. Rainstrips added though look dodgy and will be modified. took out the tender motor in the 8f and now have a free running tender and chassis. Painted grimy black and will be numbered 48175, would have a welded tender and a Royston shed engine. going to remove rivet detail buffer beam engine, replace whistle, add a fall plate, crew and fire irons then weather as in need of some care and attention.

Day 19. handrails fitted to the ex LNER CCT. Despite having packets of this and that in fittings no roof ventilators to be found so order placed. roof profile of ex LMS CCT reprofiled with bottom rain strip added. a non running 8F.Motor does not work. Old model but aiming to make it into a model that can be used to run as a couple of light engines on Kiln Lane.

Thanks, there is a Humbrol blue grey

Hi, what is the best colour match to replicate this livery?

Day 18 and opportunity to catch up on a few jobs outside without getting drenched. roof on ex LMS CCT with filler added painting of floor plate wagon bogies and number 5 kadees on the stone dust covered hopper

Day17 and a day of showers, usually when decided to venture out! Looking at the trestle parts for the trestle wagon they had to too many injection pin holes, flash etc so since the missing side is in the kit converted it back to a plate wagon. 51L steel head buffers from Wizard completes the model. Used an old tin of Precision Paints 1948 to 64 wagon freight grey and did stir it well but has dried shiney not matt. Any ideas anyone as to the problem. Despite having a load of wagon transfers no plate wagon items so order made.

Day 16 and another extremely wet day outside, cats stir crazy as they hate the rain. Some progress today. Made up new footboard for the ex LNER CCT. There is an excellent example at the end of Pickering station platform 1 of the real thing. Started to repair the smashed roof of the ex LMS CCT, needs more pieces melding in. No sign of second roof so will have to make one. Replacement buffers on other example except forgot to file a flat on the round buffers so the imaginary staff using this van cannot open the drop down end doors. Will file carefully this evening watching the telly. found a Cambrian mermaid kit. It’s missing one full solebar and axles boxes but if anybody’s wants it PM to sort it out. found another trestle wagon kit so will complete giving Kiln Lane 4 steel plate carrying wagons.

Day 15. not a lot of modelling done due to 6 month old grandson Issac paying a visit, so lots of playing horses and watching him try to eat all his toys! A food delivery was repeated and company says keep the food so will be dining out well for next few days! On the modelling front 3 Parkside kits in various stages of completion. Ex LNER long CCT is more or less complete but less happy situation with its ex LMS chums.one missing roof completely, one buffer, no brake gear, the other complete except roof in bits and not all bits are there. Missing brake gear completes its story. all destined for use on Kiln Lane as a short evening parcels train which feeds into a large formation further on down the line.

Abit chiller today but spent time feeding ducks at local lake. Lettered up covered hoppers intended for stone dust traffic using left over Wisconsin Central decals from Menasha days.

Day 14, a cooler but dry day so time spent feeding ducks. On the modelling front lettered up the imaginary stone dust covered hoppers using left over Wisconsin Central decals from Menasha Lay-out days.

Day 13. good weather outside and forecast of ark building weather next week so little modelling tasks completed today as outside jobs took priority. However did. clear up the fiddleyard of all the stuff that was dumped there and finished the fences on the wooden bridge.

Err no. I had not intended to run anything, I just ran a couple of cars through the switch to get to part of the layout and they derailed so I hooked up an engine to check and the rest is history’.