Friday Update: Five Five Twenty-three...

Well it's been a short but busy week here, further progress on the book, commissions large and small and now, as you read this I'm on the rails again heading south to Bexhill...

Although subject to change, here is the draft cover for my new book!

Exciting first of all to share the draft cover for my new book, titled 'The Art of Railway Modelling'. Packed full of ideas, inspiration and plans this sequel to my previous title 'Small Layout Design - Handbook' will follow the same style and take the conversation from tips and tools through on to the craft and telling the story, and considering how this impacts the models we create. I'm in the closing stages of writing the content, then a few weeks of proofing, design is nearly there and then a few weeks to print - all being well you should see this available towards the end of the summer!

The other 'big' thing around here this week is the SAR Class 91 in 16mm/ft scale. Seen last Friday in the raw, she has now been primed, smoothed, primed again and now with a first coat of orange (which again has hi-lighted a few spots that need smoothing further!). The etched parts, separately crafted doors, replacement grills and extra detail lift what is otherwise, to be frank, quite a poorly detailed base model to something more akin to what usually rolls of this workbench - so I'm pleased the combination of such disparate sources of material have come together so successfully. I'm itching to get this one finished, so I can begin work on the 2023 Ruston LB commissions, as I need the space for them as they move from flat pack to 3D!

It was lovely to receive a few photos (below) of recent commission 'Bishopsbourne' with it's raison d'être in place, the Boche Buster model and associated train including ammunition wagon. I'm glad we managed to ensure the tunnel mouth gave adequate clearance during the design process! (photos by A. Evans).

 

So with the Coronation weekend ahead, and for me, a few days solid work on Planet Industrials projects behind the scenes with the promise of a trip on a steam railway in the area I should be fully 'railway'd out by Monday! I hope you can find some time to work on your own models, or at least enjoy some quiet moments with a new magazine or favourite book. Until next time, more soon...

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