Friday Update: Twenty-four One Twenty...

I've been pushing on with large scale commissions this week, as well as finding time in the evenings or between models drying to press on with my own Hunslet diesel in OO gauge, but the weather here in North Wales has been dull and grey and in the valley we've spent several miserable days under the fog...

Wednesday saw a brief respite as I travelled to Wrexham to get some materials and popped into see Steve Milner at work, taking along some of the 'work in progress' to show him. Nice to catch up and discuss ideas, I'll be back in the next few weeks to use the laser cutter!

The Ruston 20DL has now been painted and I'm leaving it over the weekend before starting weathering. I always have had a soft spot for these slope sided Ruston's and building this model has been lovely, and I really do like it - I may be tempted to do a short run of them this summer alongside the 2020 Hudson Hunslet batch. If anyone is interested in a model then I would be able to offer this for £1100 including batteries, radio and drive - along with a custom finish of your specification be that exhaust scrubber, roof, weathering etc etc. Get in touch if you're interested...

The trio of Model-earth wagons were finished and posted earlier in the week - I hope to have photos of them at their new home in the future. Pictured here before departure with the Dyfrdwy Tramway's own Alan Keef K40. A new commission due to start will see a second Alan Keef design constructed, more on that in a few weeks...

Between painting the Ruston I've also managed to progress the painting of my OO scale Hunslet, which is nearing the point of needing it's own 'update' post to document all the progress. Suffice to say after being primed last week it has had three coats of paint applied now (white undercoat, yellow and green) with the yellow masked to give the distinctive wasp striping and edging to the sides. I've ordered some dry-rub lettering to apply the markings.

Finally the Campagne Locotracteur is nearly ready for the paint shop - the roof has now been added, this will remain 'loose' so that a crew can be fitted and removed as required, or the model run without a roof, as the vertical posts slot into the chassis so can also be easily removed. Not visible is the wiring, which is also now complete - this model has Deltang based RC and ITT sound card, the speaker will be hidden behind the front buffer beam under the chassis, batteries and cards under the bonnet which is removable. Next up, I need to add some details to the roof supports before priming, as well as drilling holes to fit the cast brass Talisman couplings.

This has been an involved build, and included some head scratching on how to produce components and shapes in scratch built styrene but I'm really pleased how it has come out - again this custom model could also be yours for £1150 without sound, £1250 with sound fitted. Get in touch if you're interested in your own custom model.

For now, enjoy the weekend - it's a busy one here, so I'll be looking forward to a rest next week back at the workbench! More soon...