A shark and a walrus

Another week passes, been working at home this week, but again modelling time has been less than I would like. However, the shark brake van is nearing completion, with some graffetti decals added and general weathering. It needs a little more to finish it, such as buffers and roof weathering, and a little dry brushing of weathering powders on the body sides. But it is coming along nicely and I am happy with the result. One of the transfers did not take properly so more weathering was undertaken to disguise this. I will see if that worked properly tomorrow.

Another project that is nearing completion is the first of the two walrus wagons I am building. This has been a really interesting paint job, using many coats suitably thinned from a variety of colours including olive green, dark rust, light rust, sleepr grime and underframe dirt. One final coat of weathering frame dirt was applied to the exterior of the body. This just leaves the final details to pick out, such as finishing the bogies, hand rails, etc. This is the first of two walrus wagons and two whale wagons that will be used with the sealions/seacows on my layout, combined with some dogfish, catfish, mermaids, etc.

I also took apart an intercity Mk1 BSK this evening. This is also going to be given a light weathering job, again using some of George Dent's weathering tips. I might even try to the tee cut trick, see how that goes. The doorframes on the rbr stand out, so I am going to weather these as well. The class 08 lighting kit, class 20 weathering job and building the class 119 as ever rest on the sidleines, so I hope to get these moving before xmas!

I am also planning to build an LMS CCT, southern CCT and southern PMV in BR blue, combined with a ratio coach B, to be used as a little engineers train/tool store. These will be the main projects combined with building the scenary on Amberleigh. I ordered some plaster bandage and woodlands scenics materials from MG sharp models to start building the scenic section of Amberleigh, only to find out after ordering that they are on back order. I find this very frustrating as they are registered as in stock. I planned to do this with my son over the weekend, but this will now have to wait. My son is building a cambrian OTA A wagon at the moment so I think we will push on with that instead.

Platerlayer Hut

Another week passes of working away and so no modelling again!! Last week I finished this little platelayers hut ready for my scenic plinth. The weathering is a combination of paints and brush on powders, but I think it looks great!!

I have a whole weekend at home now, so I hope to finish the little halt for Amberleigh and also start getting the first of the walrus wagons finished. As ever I have high hopes of getting a lot done, but am sure the weekend will fly by. I also need to purchase the goods shed, signals, etc for Amberleigh, but heaven only knows when I will get time to build them. I also need to get some tunnel entrances, some plaster bandage and some scenic kits. Hopefully with some time at home now it will all start to take shape.

Concrete PLatelayers Huts

Well another wedding, this time I was best man(!) and working away in London all week has again meant that there has been no modelling time. However, last week I did manage to finish one small modelling project, being a small ratio platelayers hut for my Amberleigh scenic plinth. I took a photograph of the finished model, and sods law, my camera died! I heavily weathered the model with paints and powders and am very peased with the result. Whilst out walking on the real railway at Woolacombe, there is a lovely dilapidated platelayers hut that I photographed to model. I am going to try to model this for my Watergate Halt layout, after I have finished Amberleigh.

As well as increasing my rolling stock I am trying to finish all the buildings for Amberleigh. Amberleigh will have a small goods shed on it, (the shed at Torrington was used into the 1980's by ICI), the platelayers hut, the small halt, plus a pillbox and maybe a house. I want to keep the layout as simple as possible, it is only meant to be a scenic plinth!! If it is simple, there is a chance I might actually finish it.

I have also recieved my class 20 DCC soundfrom bachmann, needless to say I am very happy with it. The lighting kit has also arrived for the 08. So I hope to get on with these two projects, giving each some weathering and details for use on my layout.I am away this weekend and next week, but then hopefully a run at home will follow, so I can get stuck into my modelling again.

Amberleigh

Well another week passes and no modelling achieved!!! I am away every weekday and most weekends at the moment researching/consulting, so no time for modelling of any kind. The general madness will stop in October when weekends will free up again and I will have some time to breathe.

When I did take my weeks holiday I managed to build the baseboards for Amberleigh, with the fiddle yard boards inter-changable with Watergate Halt. The photographs show what has been achieved so far. The electrics will be very basic, using an EZ controller. So I am hoping construction will be swift.

On more general things, I am amazed at the quality and quantity of new models being released at the moment. I have my eye on a new DCC sound class 20, plus the long awaited class 105 DMU, the dalpol class 22, an intercity 37/4 and a DCC sound class 50. This is in combination with more Mk1 and Mk2 coaches and some wagons. I do not think 1980's era modellers have ever had it this good, although I am not quite sure how my bank balance is going to survive!!!!