SPA weekend…
It’s interesting that certain models and colour schemes still command such elevated prices on the second hand market. I’ve wanted a flame red SPA since I began dabbling in British N gauge a few years ago but they’ve always been north of £40. I caved and bought a Railfreight metals one, and more recently a civil link ‘Dutch’ liveried example… However, neither was red! More, the grey and yellow liveried example just didn’t feel right. I tried weathering, I started adding a load of sleepers, then concrete trunking. Nothing worked. I couldn’t repaint it as the yellow is so thick, and would snow through any later paint scheme and I couldn’t strip it down to wash in IPA as the chassis and body seem bonded. I was close to selling it… Then over the weekend I was enjoying one of the Michael Rhodes ‘South Wales’ books from Platform 5 and in Cardiff Tidal sidings was the answer… sheeted loads! These loose tarpaulins covered coiled wire loads from Allied Steel and Wire, but importantly, cover...
