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!!!!

Two weeks away

Well as they say time flies. Two weeks since my last post and those two weeks have literally flown by. I had to travel away with work, which has meant no modelling since my weeks hols. However, in the last few days of my holiday I managed to get the baseboards built for amberleigh and the fiddle yards, with the baseboards for the fiddle yars interchangeable with thoseof the Watergate Halt. I will put a post up soon of the track plan, etc on the new board.

Anyhow I returned from work to find a package from ten commandments with the station detailing kit and express models for the lighting kit for my bachmann class 08. These projects are going to have to wait a while as more weddings and weekend working mean that there is next to no modelling time available at the moment. I am hoping to buy a bachmann class 20 with dcc sound and a dynamis set, but both funds and time are short!!!!! As I do not have time to model at the moment I really can't justify the investment, but I am sorely tempted.......

As I was working away, the site i was working on in Suffolk had a small occupation level crossing, which you have to phone through to the signal box for permission to cross. As I stood there one morning the unmistakable noise of class 37s rumbled down the line and my collague (Martin Bates) took this shot as a double headed class 37 nuclear flask approached. I am sure it is perfect to model for prototypical class 37 operation.

Mk1 finished

I had a full days modelling today and got a bit done! I have finished my Mk1 intercity RU (as photographed). I am pretty pleased with the result, although I might try George Dents tip of using T-cut on the next one. However, I am not sure how suitable this is for a non steam mark 1? The weathering of the Hornby Shark is coming on well, as is the painting of the first walrus wagon. I have spent most of the day building a second walrus wagon, and have built this slightly different to the first one, which I think has improved the build no end. I also recieved four wagons ECC wagons and two mark 1 coaches from hattons this morning, which are now on the end of my very long lists of modelling tasks! Tomorrow I hope to be able to finish the build of this Walrus and also possibly a Lamprey. When I get the build of the walrus finished I will put up a series of photos of this build. The building of the little station for Amberleigh is coming on well and I hope to get the baseboards built for this scenic plinth at the weekend

Walrus

Well time has literally flown by over the last two weeks. We went camping in north Cornwall for the week last week and have had friends over this weekend, meaning modelling time has been non-existant. However, I now have four whole days, non interupted, modelling time. I am going to build the boards for my test track (Amberleigh), which will act as the senic plinth for my blog. The baseboards for the fiddle yards will be inter-changable with the boards for Watergate Halt, so I will be well prepared for winter modelling.

On other things, I have primed the walrus pretty much, although painting it with primer by brush, means that a few bits are unprimed. The kit is a joy to build, although I think there are a few tweaks to the build that I think will improve the appearance of the wagon no end. I have purchased a second walrus kit and I am going to build this over the next few days and post onto my blog the construction of the kit.

The scuffing up of the RU MK1 is finished and I will post a picture of that on here tomorrow. I am also detailing a Hornby Shark Brakevan and will post a before and after on this. I have also purchased an Express Models lighting kit for my class 08, which is another detailing project to start. I am also going to start detailing my Heljan class 33/2 and finish the construction a couple of buildings for my scenic plinth. All in all I have lots on the go but am thoroughly enjoying my modelling, when I get time to do it!!

NSE class 108 finishd

Well another busy week has again left precious little time for modelling! However, I did manage to finished my NSE class 108 last week. I think that this upgrade has really improved the look of the unit and with the decoders added it runs just great. My biggest gripe, is that the bachmann decoders are too big and you can see the wires through the window. However, smaller decoders cost more generally.....
Anyhow, this project turned out nicely and has inspired me to press on with the construction of my DC kits class 119 DMU and to suitably detail the other Bachmann Class 108s I have. I have two weeks off work at the moment, but am off camping this week. So it will be next week that I have some time to get stuck into modellling again, and start building my scenic plinth (Amberleigh Halt) for photographs, as well as finish some of these other projects!!!