Friday Update: Fifteen Nine Twenty-three...

A busy week as I prep for the exhibition this weekend whilst also painting up large and small commissions alike. The weather has turned damp and cooler, partially a relief although the wet weather plays havoc with painting models...

Luckily alongside painting I've also been working on a few layout design commissions - which I hope to share in the coming weeks as they draw to a close. The prototype Bagnall diesel locomotive is painted now and ready for the works and number plates - the design of which is just being finalised so this has gone in a sealed box for the paint to harden up whilst the plates are sourced. This model is the prototype of a short run of kits that will be available later in the year - and the first model in this new approach, of front loading the design cost into the kits and only selling a limited number - once they're gone they are done and we'll be onto the next thing! Keeps it fresh for us, and stops the holding of stock of slow moving older models.

I have finally tracked down a suitable donor chassis for the Kaslo Shops 'SWEEP'. This is a Lifelike Proto Alco S1 chassis which is DCC ready with a 8 pin socket. I will be adding ESU Loksound and LED lights as the build progresses, my current concern is around the truck design, and the best way to mount the kits 'Flexicoil' switcher frames to the Lifelike trucks. We shall see - I have a plan, I just need the time to take a look at it!

Another model on the bench this week has been this old white metal kit of the Ffestiniog Railway's Alco 'Mountaineer'. I have removed the former owners paint job and smoothed the resulting finish - this coat of primer shows there are still areas to finesse. The cab has been modified to represent the locomotive in more recent times - which was easier than I had feared and required only a razor saw and some patience.

Out and about I strolled down to the station on Wednesday to watch the 12:07 departure from Glyndyfrdwy for Llangollen. Well loaded and the DMU looked well finished - but every time I see a green 108 with headlight and plated headcode box I want to cry! What I would give to see a blue or blue and grey example running in the valley again. I can dream...

A new book arrived mid week, I’ve been interested to learn a bit more about what was happening to Railfreight after privatisation - this is what I was experiencing in small pockets in the years I spent most time using the railway as a passenger, the end of the 1990s and early noughties. I’m not sure I envisage any layout schemes from this, but just as I have books on Scottish Branchlines in the 1950s it feels equally as important to consider early privatisation as part of my comprehensive library - something I often fall back on when working on your layout design commissions.

I hope you have a relaxing weekend planned - if you're about on Saturday don't forget I will be exhibiting Paxton Road at Corwen Station all day on the platform. It would be lovely to see you there - I will also be riding the trains on the Sunday with good friend James, so if you see us about do say hello. If you can't make it up, then I hope you find some time for this wonderful hobby in your weekend. Until next time though, more soon...

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