Commission: Taliesin in 009...

I’ve been building this Backwoods Miniatures Taliesin for a customer now for a few months. The build included finishing in a version of its current livery with custom designed transfers...

I had feared it would be a tough build but apart from some old plastic that was brittle on the cardan shaft ends, it actually went together relatively easily, although the clearance on the cross head and coupling rod pin are very tight! It even works as a Fairlie, with the motor fixed in the cab driving a gear train reduction in a pivoting bogie. Initially very noisy it’s settled down to be a quiet and slow running model.

Construction followed the well written instructions, and as this time I was working with a fresh kit, unlike the Garrett recently completed, all the parts were easy to identify as I went from the diagrams. I left the brass handrails and window frames unpainted, and I turned the dome in the vice to polish it up from its raw cast appearance. The model was primed and painted by airbrush, starting with the rich red colour, before hand painting the black parts around each panel. I designed the transfers to include a black edge, so that this wavy line disappears under the transfer and looks really neat.

Transfers for each panel were produced as one piece, and although take time to get right at design, the result is a perfect fit very quickly. Finished off with Ffestiniog crests from Endon Valley Decals and plates via the Ffestiniog Shop by Narrow Planet. Once happy it was sealed with a few coats of dull-cote which toned down the gloss paintwork nicely, whilst keeping the matt parts visually different. Finally glazing and couplings were fitted, a Narrow Planet Bosna at the front, and a pivoted Bemo at the rear.

The finished model is now heading back to its owner, I’ve enjoyed the build working in 009 again after a period in larger scales. If you’ve got a kit in the drawer that you’d like me to turn into your dream model, then get in touch via the form on my website, Facebook or the forum messaging, for a personal proposal based upon your unique requirements. Until next time, more soon...