Friday Update: Twelve Six Twenty...

A few 4mm scale updates in this weeks round up from the Dee Valley, much cooler and wetter here this week, and hence much colder in my workshop - I really must get a log burner in here at some point...

First this week are a pair of future Planet Industrial products... the first, the Pensnett cab (and buffers) for the Hatton's Barclay have been seen before - now painted in satin dark green. Some custom lining transfers I've designed are currently being made, orange / black / orange as per the prototype - and as with quite a few projects at the minute, waiting for etches (roof, works and name plates!). Sitting alongside is an Oxford Rail 7-plank wagon. This has been stripped down and repainted in Pensnett Railway livery (suitable only for the last few years of operation) with a new transfer set that will be released through the range alongside the cab kit when it is finally available. I've a second pair of these wagons to work on, at least one of these will be in Earl of Dudley (E D) lettering, there are three sets of markings of each type, and six sets of numbers on the transfer sheet - all drawn and adjusted by hand to match photos in the Ned Williams book on the Earl of Dudley's railways.

The Hardy's Hobbies Hudswell Clarke model is progressing - I painted in LNER Doncaster green, and have designed some double white inverted corner lining for the tanks and cab side. This will really finish it off, although thinner cab window spectacles would have helped - the roof should add a little finesse. It's been a quick and fun project, I will write a second instalment when it's finished.

A pair of narrow gauge green saddle tanks are also moving forwards - the Narrow Planet Bafgnall, and 6point5 Manning Wardle - both will be lined in the next week before a light weathering. These are painted in Humbrol 131, with matt black 33 parts and signal red 174 buffer beams and rods. They're so tiny compared to the other 4mm commissions I've been working on - and it's nice to work on an older of my kits, the Bagnall, and remember how nice a model it produced. This one won't be named but is inspired by the finish on Pixie.

I've been reading the Middleton Press book on Colonel Stephens, which has been a fascinating read. It's a book that has sat on my bookshelf and been thumbed through for the narrow gauge content before but never properly read. I picked it up after reading the OPC book on the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway, and as a result of reading it have bought the Wild Swan 'Kent and East Sussex' book which is up next on the reading pile... nothing should be read into this in terms of modelling, my reading is all around the subject of railways and I've only just finished reading about Slough Estates, Trafford Park and the Manchester Ship Canal Railway.

Finally this week, a second hand copy of this old Wild Swan book 'Cottage Modelling', I wanted some inspiration for both the engine shed on Point-y-dulais, and I also have fancied building a more detailed and older looking building, with no layout project in mind for it, for some time and try and push my skill and experience level by adopting some of Chris's ideas and techniques. I'm still early days, but already have discovered that I'm unlikely to be able to find the card used! To be honest, I'm not sure how much of the technique I'll use on my first building, the shed, because it needs to blend into the layout, but I am keen on trying out new things, so will build a card building after that - not something I've done since childhood when I built the station building and engine shed for a Hemyock inspired micro layout - the station ended up on Creech Bottom and I've still got it in a box for potential re-use at some point. Anyhow, I will endeavour to keep posting content most days, thank you for reading and have a good weekend. More soon...