Friday Update: Three Three Twenty-three…

Inset day Monday means it’s been a short week here but still a few projects to share, warts and all along with updates on my current muse, Speedlink era British N. Grab a fresh cup of tea/coffee and settle down, I’ll take you through it…

The Bachmann Quarry Hunslets are everywhere, these diminutive, cute models deservedly have garnered both critical acclaim and modellers attention. So what do we have here? As I’ve shared previously I’m turning this ‘Nesta’ into Jack Lane. Before he holiday I’d undertaken the physical work, this week has seen the colour and lining build up, the latter the same type as used on Edward Thomas recently, the result is very promising. There will be a small intermission on this one though whilst I wait for custom etched parts from Light Railway Stores.  

In the other workshop work progresses on layouts and Shades of Mountain Ash is now wired and tested for DCC and working as planned. The various bridges are now being put together, the pair of river bridges and the road over bridge. I’m just waiting on some brass rod to be able to fit the wire in tube mechanisms and then basic scenic work can begin on both current layout commissions.

Trying to make up time lost last week I’ve also been making use of the lounge for an hour or so in the evening and this lining destined for a Rapido 16” Hunslet has been a bit of a test in terms of colour separation planning but all being well the finished decals will arrive from my supplier today. I can’t wait for these to go on, the transformation will be awesome and the ability to draw and test them in paper should mean a perfect fit.

My own muse at present is the renewed enthusiasm for my ‘Speedlink’ era British Rail N scale. To that end a few more wagons have arrived and since moved through my usual coupling replacement and weathering process. First of all a before and after above, the Farish VGA is an older model but captures the character of the prototype well. The weathering on these was the ‘terrible’ variety but some gentle work with some IPA and a cotton bud did remove some and a re-wash with my usual shades (Humbrol 98, 33). Since this photo I’ve added DG (glued flat on the wagon floor and they match well to other items) and touched in the end handrails in pale grey.

The SPA wagon shown here is also new (to me) and lovely indeed, some neat tooling, this was a pristine model and so a wash to tone things down, wiped off vertically to create some visual texture was followed with a sponge and some neat 98/33 stippled on. When this was almost dry I wiped down vertically with a thinners moistened wide flat brush. The OCA was an early purchase on this journey and came factory weathered, much more acceptable but too uniform. A wash and a light stippling have lifted the finish here too, the pair feel ready for various loads I intend to make to mix things up. I’ve always wanted to model a load of the concrete undersea cable mattress since seeing it in a similar SPA wagon in the early 1990s. We’ll see what’s possible.

Paxton Road (2) is still seeing daily use and this continued focused operation has me itching to start on its slightly more ambitious replacement. A few neat 3D printed details for the warehouse area have already arrived so it’s more a case of when to start, rather than should I start. That said, I’m feeling the effects of long Covid more than ever at the moment and by Friday’s I find myself wiped out. The weekend which could be a chance to cut some wood and make a start is more about resting and recovering enough to do another week of work. I’m lucky though in the fact that I’ve probably got the best job in the world (for me) and although it can be a struggle at least I love what I do. After trains trains trains last weekend I’m not sure what I’ll get up to but hopefully you all can enjoy a bit of hobby time whether that be a book or magazine and a coffee, walk on an old railway line, modelling work at home or watching trains trackside. Until next time, more soon…

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