Friday Update: Twenty-four Two Twenty-three…

We made it, it’s Friday and it’s wrap up the week time here on the blog. A mix of day trips, commissions, new arrivals and future plans so get yourself a drink and settle in…

Paxton Road, as I mentioned last week, has been a real tonic and allowed more self reflection in why it has been such a success. Location agnostic is one thing, but as Chris mentioned it’s almost like I’ve invented he model railway equivalent of the Tardis, not only the ability to move through through space and time but in a funny parallel, bigger on the inside! A new arrival is this box fresh Farish 47, and despite teasing from Paul about scope creep this is very much another childhood throwback. I grew up with Lima 47s, I cut my teeth on them. Out on the mainline I saw Intercity and RfD liveried examples at Crewe. The Tinsley fleet in the early 1990s saw service across the country at the end of ‘Speedlink’ and as such my own miniature will do the same. Unlike the 26 which says Scotland, and the 50 which says Cornwall the 47, like the layout itself, says anywhere. It will go through the usual detail and weathering process given time.

In the workshop progress on large and small, and first up we’ve a quintet of Rapido Hunslet’s I’m refinishing for a customer as Beatrice today. Work so far has focused on paintwork so what you see here is that I’ve managed to finish this stage of respirating the bodywork and hand painting stripped down chassis and reassembly. Next week will see the custom lining drawn up and decals ordered, these are going to look superb when finished. If you’ve got a particular prototype you’d like me to recreate based upon a ready to run example then so get in touch for a fixed price personal proposal.

This Bachmann 009 Quarry Hunslet started life as Nesta but is slowly becoming Statfold’s Jack Lane. I’ve drilled holes in the front buffer beam, removed the pipework and cab safety valve, raised the boiler pitch and fabricated new dome, water filler and sandboxes. Paintwork next week.

Mid-week saw a quick trip over to Porthmadog but alas the shop at the station was closed so I couldn’t buy any books. Rusty rails a sign, like most preserved railways, that sadly trains aren’t returning until Easter. I’ve got a trip on the Talyllyn this coming Sunday though, so not all doom and gloom, I’ll try and do a write up next week.

This is ‘Shades Of Mountain Ash’ coming together, and now track is fully laid. I will be wiring up for DCC operation and the frog juicers will be hidden in the embankment and under the bridge, bottom right in this picture. This plywood box structure is about as large as I’d suggest making a single box cameo, but I hope it will be as successful as Renfrew in capturing a place and time. The mix of track weights and the catch point protecting the BR metals all chime true for the location and era we’re channelling here, and once she’s wired up I’ll progress both this and Bishopsbourne to scenery. If you have a layout you’d like help designing, my layout design process starts from just £160, get in touch to discuss taking things forward.

I’ll sign off this week with a sneak peak of what is coming next, as Paxton Road 3 breaks cover. This N scale cameo will be a little longer, at 70cm and a tiny bit deeper but hopefully will continue the successful formula. A mix of industry, wagon repair and a track along the back to an off stage industry give a whole range of shunting. The arrangement of track and structures is no where in particular but will allow cameo scenes and by controlling the viewing angles I hope to evoke the same feeling of space that was achieved in Paxton Road 2. I need to pick up some wood for this, but the track is here and I’ve built the uncoupling magnets already, as a pointless exercise it will progress quickly, once work begins.

As mentioned above I’m off to the Talyllyn on Sunday. I hope you can find some time for your hobby this weekend, and in the meantime enjoy the rest of today. Until next time, more soon…

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