Stanley the Baldwin in 009...

I did own a Bachmann Baldwin for a while, I bought a model of 590 and turned it into Snailbeach number 4 - and then Bachmann announced they'd do that version and I lost interest and sold it on...

However, after a trip to see John Wooden and his 'Isle of Stoner' 009 layout I fell in love with his pair of Baldwins, looking very much at home amongst the other stock on his layout. When I got home I dug out the Wild Swan book on the Ashover and enjoyed flicking through looking for inspiration.

Then the thought struck me, the Ashover closed about the time that Russell appeared at Norden. What if the clay company also sourced a Baldwin cheap from Ashover? Hence the project was born...

In the book it notes that several of the last in operation at Ashover gained a cab back sheet, as they stopped turning them when passenger service ceased and the track and triangle at Ashover went out of use. I believe Hummy had just a wooden sheet (there is a poor quality photo of her on shed with something that looks wooden) but there is a picture of Peggy with Guy's old cab front added as a cab back. This is what I wanted, something to make my model unique! I drew up a cab rear in Sketchup (seen in a previous Friday update) and had it printed on the Narrow Planet 3D printer. It's come out lovely and with a little surgery to the roof of Hummy, fits perfectly.

Next up is a repaint and renaming - I'm going for the same green as Russell, and the name Stanley. Really as a nod to the Reverend Awdry, but also perhaps because of the interwar Prime Minster 'Stanley Baldwin' giving the Baldwin a nickname.

More soon...