Foreigners on the Isle of Stoner…

Yesterday I took another trip to the Isle of Stoner, the opportunity to have a catch up with John whilst giving a few of my unused models a run is one not to miss...

The C2, described recently on the blog, has not run in anger on any layout, period. The chassis was a good runner 8 years ago, but after a long period of inactivity and heavy modification it isn't quite what it was! That said, it is a Fleischmann. By the end of the visit the model was running much better, and the excitement of seeing it action, actually hauling a train was wonderful. Thank you John!

Of course, there are no timetables on the Isle of Stoner, and if you want to stop for a photo run past, then just let the driver know! 

Of course, the street above a stone embankment is so heavily cliched but nevertheless feels just like the layouts we enjoyed in the modelling magazines of our youth. That is doing a dis-service to John, as the Isle of Stoner is a wonderful model, full of character and consistently executed so not one element jars, the mix of methods and materials works really well and the population of figures, usually for me a big turn off, feels very much part of the layout. One of my favourite things yesterday was spotting a cat on the roof of a carriage! Lovely little touches.

As well as giving the C2 a run, the DYMCo Porter came for a trip, and saw passenger and goods train turns. The last run of the day saw a delivery from Zorin industries, no one asked what was in the crate thank goodness...

All in all, an enjoyable few hours and one to repeat again in a month or so, with luck. Getting back to the wider world post-pandemic is a wonderful tonic for me - I have missed the chance to talk with fellow modellers and enthusiasts. I hope you're able to do the same, in the meantime, more soon...