An O gauge Pub and a start on the dairy buildings

Recently I have decided to finish off a number of projects that were started a while ago, but have subsequently sat around. I am hoping that over summer I can get the layout set up properly and finally finish the ballasting, add in the backscene and do a lot of the detailing projects, i.e. have a usable model railway. Right now, the O gauge layout has stalled somewhat, after moving house and having to install a new kitchen/diner, etc.  When I finally get around to setting up the layout, I want to be able to add in some of the buildings and then move relatively quickly into adding small details/scenery around the layout.  So to be able to do that I need to get cracking with finishing off some of the buildings.

Finally finished the pub - now I just need to set it within a 'scene' on the layout.

The pub has been an ongoing project, having been close to finished for a while. Some final bits and bobs needed to be added, such as a few piece of guttering and a bit of painting here and there. The basis for the model is a Petite Properties kit and this was first my attempt at producing a model building like this. I have learnt quite a bit from doing it, especially that sanding down Polyfilla goes everywhere! However, it has turned out OK and I can see how I can improve the overall finish on subsequent models. I have installed some lights in the pub and it has a fitted interior. Modelling in O gauge does provide the opportunity to install lights/interiors as features of model buildings and quite a few of the buildings will have lighting installed.

The pub has working lights and the local landlady visible. She is well known to the locals......

With the pub finished I am now detailing one of the dairy buildings and make a proper start on painting the Quay masters cottage. After this I have the second dairy building to do, that will sit on the top of the dairy platform at the end of the layout. If I can get these bits knocked off in the next few weeks then I can really make a start with some of the basic detailing elements over the summer (once the kitchen has been installed anyhow!). The other big job, is to sort out a tunnel exit - I have now purchased two tunnel kits and neither of them fit the bill, so I am just going to have a go at scratch building something - fingers crossed. I need something smaller for the end of the layout - as the purchased tunnels are just too wide. The other thing I am planning to do relatively soon is install the water scene on the quay - I am going to buy some AK interactive water gel and give this a try - although I plan to do some experimenting first.....

Another O gauge wagon - Slaters 12T standard van

Who knows where the time has gone in the last few months - life has been really busy and modelling time has been somewhat limited. The little modelling time I have had, has been spent building some wagons very slowly in the evenings and the odd spray painting session with the airbrush. I currently have a couple of wagons nearly built in O and OO gauge, and a couple of O gauge wagons nearing completion in the paint box.  My biggest challenge right now is to focus on the finishing of some ongoing projects on the O gauge layout, particularly some rolling stock, alongside finishing off some of the basic scenery detailing and buildings. I have far too many projects half finished and I would like to move at least some of these to the finished pile.

One project that has been ticked off and is now finished is a Slaters 12T box van. My first Slaters kit took me about 6 years to get around to finishing. This 12T van was the second one I did, started in 2020, so a mere 3 years later it is finished. Undoubtedly, I have now become more used to Slaters kits and can get a really good build from them - they are great kits, but they do require a bit of time and patience. This van was painted with Railmatch paints via the airbrush and had Railtec transfers applied. All good and another one finished for the layout. The next one of these I do, I will be a little more adventurous with the painting of the body, adding some in some different coloured planking, however for now this finish is fine.

Finished 12T standard van - the rolling stock for the layout is slowly getting built......

The layout has made slow (non) progress in recent months, with only a little ballasting being finished. I am still mulling over the tunnel exit and likewise the landscaping at the end of the layout. This all needs a little more thinking about, so next steps are to finish the ballasting nd get the tunnel mouth and embankment at the end of the layout sorted. Once this is done, I can get the backscene in and really start cracking on with the detailing.