Scottish 08 in N (N part 36)...

It was serendipitous earlier in 2022 when I was digging around to create a scheme based upon Markinch and the Auchmuty branch in the late 1980s that Graham Farish announced 08761 in the their 'regional exclusives' range...

Even more so that it was model shops in the North and Scotland that 08761 would be available from - and so my childhood model shop, Waltons of Altrincham received my order. Packed away and wrapped up before Christmas it has taken a matter of days since Christmas to be 'ruined'. The prototype was based at Edinburgh Haymarket depot, out stationed to Thornton yard - there are photos of it on the Auchmuty trip working! This weathered finish is entirely based upon the prototype photos I collected at the time BUT, why have I modelled it?

My N gauge models have been an outlet of childhood memories and favourites. I used to borrow a book called 'BR in the Eighties' (recently purchased for my collection too) from the library as a primary school child and in the front 'colour photo' section was the provincial liveried Class 47 with Trans Pennine Mk2 coaches (the fore-runner of the Sprinter and Regional Railways livery). I always found this 'unique' livery very exciting, though never saw it in the flesh. When Regional Railways loco hauled trains ruled the North Wales coast I remember seeing the 37/4s and 31/4s, and owned a lovely Lima 31 'Wigan Pier', but I digress... basically, I love the livery. The connection to Markinch, and the availability of the Grafar model was all the excuse I needed to blend memory lane with my current wanderings...

Straight out of the box it was a lovely runner BUT far too clean (as well as sporting some extra lamps and ugly huge couplings). Lamps were gone with a the flick of a blade and made good, couplings removed and their mounts cut from the keeper plate, DG without loops fitted (as usual). Hoses from the accessory bag glued in place, a length of wire under the cab (to represent the pipework under there) and a piece of styrene between the front steps were touched in with black paint. 

Weathering was my usual approach and colours but this is probably the dirtiest model I have produced in N and that is because that is how the prototype looked at Markinch - as well as being a nice way to tone down the otherwise very bright livery! A wash of 33/98 on the chassis first, paying attention to the rods and flycranks to really minimise their bulk by painting the over scale elements. Then followed building the same wash up on the body, whilst removing it with a wide flat brush. 245 used around the hinges as well, and then left to harden up. A mix of 33/98 again for the fuel spill, built up in two layers, and then over sprayed with 245/133/27004 as part of the final airbrushed blending. 

The final result for me looks just the part on Paxton Road and waits patiently for the larger N scale layout I keep promising myself. It's funny how these photos are actually at least two or three times larger than the model itself, which really shows the art of the tool makers as well as that the same methods we use in larger scales can be successfully scaled down to N. The detail in both the model and it's finish allow N to be used as we would use OO, opening up a world of small SMALL cameo layouts. What will you build? Until next time, more soon...

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