Friday Update: Three Two Twenty-three…

A fair few commissions heading home this week via our wonderful Royal Mail, and yet more arrive. Whilst there is less to show of physical work I have been busy never the less...

Not one, nor two but five Rapido Hunslet 16" tanks arrived this week for make over into Beatrice as preserved (rather than the NCB red supplied by Rapido). To this end I selected the black example as a good starting point (less lining to content with, the right chimney too). After a quick test run, these are now all in pieces, lining and printing removed and a coat of primer applied before the green arrives next week. In the meantime I need to look at the photographs and draw up the lining panels, which should make replicating the fine livery a little easier. Nameplates ordered (and delivered, excellent service) from Light Railway Stores which offer examples of all the Rapido models if you want to pimp your own example. 

Another visit to the coast allowed a quick stop off at the station in Barmouth. I'm trying to visit much of the line from the other side of the fence before a ride later in the year, all as background research and finding that deeper connection to place, a sense of space for the new project (more on that over the weekend). It was interesting to see the kick back siding behind the Co-op which over the years has seen use for loading and unloading stock and on track plant. It's a bit of a miserable place on an overcast cold day though, Y Bermo, the high cliffs right behind and the deserted town out of 'holiday' season. I'm sure it's not, but it feels like a bleak existence.

  

A chance purchase on eBay arrived - and has already been sold on - a Network Rail 37. Good news is this will be joining George, my co-conspirator on the Cambrian project's collection. I've lowered the body by about 1-1.5mm but filing down the light boards at each end of the chassis - this makes a massive visual difference to the model, a real transformation. She runs beautifully to, as you'd expect from Farish. Now George has a pair we'll see what he produces next to run with them!

Finally a parting shot of my own Beaverbrook. It's been a funny week with waiting for materials (the wood has finally arrived for the layout commissions now, and I didn't have the paint for the Hunslets, nor the etches for the Class 91) and so I've dug into the new book. Having found starting this quite difficult, wrestling with some sort of contents list I just made a start. Day 1 was pretty slow going, just a page of writing achieved but by the end of the week I've got 60% of the conversational elements of the book well in hand and the message I want to share are flowing naturally onto the screen (and eventually on to paper). It feels good to have made this jump, and I'm nearly in a position where I can begin to lay out what is written which is a great milestone. Hopefully, all being well, this may even be published later this year!

This weekend I'm pondering a trip to Shrewsbury on the train, along with some modelling time. We'll see how it pans out, the weather looks quite nice on Sunday but I'm on Dad's Taxi duties, frustratingly with a big 3 hour gap in the middle whilst an hour from home! Perhaps I should take the laptop and do some more writing! Next week is going to be a short one with prep for the Doncaster show and then travelling across on the Friday. Although the layouts are all ready I've not looked at what stock I'm taking, or even 'dressing' for the display table! Aaaaahhh! Anyhow, enough time to get it all sorted. Until next time, more soon...

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