Dawson Creek: Porter details and a plan...

So aside from the obvious teasing about the name similarity to a 90s teen drama, my plans for Dawson Creek continue...

First we have the Porter. I've finished smoothing the print so have started fitting the details. I want to keep the bell and whistle in raw brass so my intention is to add these last, but I've fitted the sand pipes, handrail and the bell mounting. I still have to fettle the headlight to fit, and then it will be ready for some primer...

It looks good in profile, and is lovely and cute, but it's not small... in fact it makes the chunky davenport look low slung...

Here you can see the DYMCo transfers have had Micro-sol applied so that the decal backing has completely vanished. I'm VERY happy with the finish on this little locomotive, it just needs glazing and the motor painting black, and perhaps a little silver to the headlight.

I think the combination of etch and print has really worked very well on this little locomotive. I'm very pleased with the rivet detail on the cab front and back, and the 'Davenport' on the bonnet sides.

The two locomotives may be joined in the future by one of the line's original small Porters, an 0-6-0 (to spread the weight and lower the axle loading) with wooden cab (in reality I intend to add a 3D printed cab to the Minitrains Porter to make it 009 rather than a hybrid scale.

Finally, I've been doing some planning and can share another idea for a layout. This time the track plan is shamelessly stolen from Tim Ellis, from a small roundy roundy he's built but never finished. I'd expect this to be about 1.5 x 3 feet. Tim used N-gauge Set-track points, I need to decide between using Peco 009, Peco 009 Setrack or Minitrains...

The concept is not fully formed, but I wanted the ability to leave trains running hence the continuous run, I wanted a dock for loading supplies from the Klondike river, I wanted a small loco shed and depot and a few buildings, and a feeling of space... The second side is still not formed in my head, but I have wondered about a dredge site perhaps... We'll see...

The name? Dawson Creek (or Dawson's Creek - not decided yet) is a mix of the Dawson City and then also the Bear Creek and Coal Creek and Bonanza Creek's that were mentioned in railway histories of the area.

More soon... probably sketches and a little modelling...