A bit more travelling around transpired in September, curtailing any dedicated modelling time. However, through summer I have been building the odd wagon kit here and there. I really do not need any more, but I do enjoy building and then painting wagons; there is something very satisfying about seeing them run on the layout. So first up is a GWR python wagon. Not an obvious choice for a BR blue 1970s/80s layout, but I am going to give it a really grubby bauxite finish for use in the engineers department. In my opinion this kit was really awkward to build and I need to get some primer over it to see how it looks. This will be accompanied by a GWR mink D. The mink D will also run with the engineers stock and is only partly constructed.
The finished GWR python wagon, ready for painting. I found this kit tricky to build and get the sides square to the floor.
The GWR MinkD - this kit is a dream to build!
I have also made a start on a couple of walrus wagons, the first of which just needs some buffers and a few little details to finish it off. The second walrus wagon is a long way off finished and I am just about to start a SR hopper too, to run with these wagons. There is also a lamprey wagon I finished a couple of months ago. On this wagon I tried to make some better handrails and I am quite pleased with this turned out. The herring wagon is the Cambrian kit, which for some reason is now hard to come by. This build has stalled a little, whilst I try to get my head around where all the bits go. There is also a partially constructed SR 15t brake van and a GWR Fruit D waiting in the wings, to go into the parcels stock. This is going to be my final parcels wagon (I need to stop!).
First walrus wagon; just buffers and handrails to go.
Second walrus wagon. This requires a bit more filling and sanding before adding the rest of the detailing parts.
A finished lamprey wagon, ready for painting.
The partially constructed herring wagon. This is a really small hopper, but was seen on the Tarka Line working Meldon quarry in the 1970s.
Over the next few weeks I should finish the majority of these kit builds off. This will give me some painting projects for the winter months. I cleaned up and used the airbrush today for the first time today in several weeks and got a varnish coat on the class 47. This will get a DCC sound chip next week and should be finished in the next couple of weeks. There are a number of other wagons that are nearing completion in the paint boxes, so hopefully I can maintain a little momentum with these projects. My next exhibition is in November and it will be great to have some new stock to run then.
