On hire: RSS 08 arrives for Hilton Mears...

I swear these things are breeding. This RSS example is the fifth Graham Farish Class 08 to join my 'collection' of these venerable and reliable little models...

It's arrival marks a serious commitment to creating the Hilton Mears 'Modern Goods' scheme - itself born from an interest in recreating 'current day' operation inspired mostly by AV Dawson's 'Middlesborough goods'. The Farish 08 is a known entity. In current form, Next18 socket sits atop a quiet smooth and low current 'coreless' motor. The drive picks up quickly but is well geared for prototypical operation, the pickups on all wheels and metal body ensure good performance - they are perfect models for my kind of N gauge layout (hence why they keep multiplying I guess!).

 

Why an RSS example then? Well I've quite liked the model since it was released, and it was a good price too - but that's only part of the story. There is more to this than just an attractive prototype. In my mind Hilton Mears are operating a real freight terminal - and had relied upon 417 for some time. Expanding traffic (I pre-ordered a set of the lovely looking steel wagons from Revolution) meant more power was required, yet rather than purchase another shunter we looked to the hire market and 441 arrived shortly afterwards from RSS... the model's back story mirroring what often happens in today's reality adding depth to my story, to my enjoyment and to the art of the eventual layout.

It arrived with ladders and excessive marker lamps and lamp irons - but a few neat cuts with a blade and touch up of paint and she was ready for detailing - DG couplings, air hoses and a bar across the front steps and then weathering. Nothing rocket science here, first a mist of matt lacquer across the roof and bonnet top as this seemed too shiny and then my usual 33/98 blend (gosh I hope these paints never become unavailable - I notice Humbrol have discontinued enamel 72 recently and so I'm on the hunt for a few tins 'for stock') in various quantities as a wash, mostly removed from the body work and worked around the chassis with neat 98 and 33 to add light and dark based upon prototype photos. A little 133/245/27004 mix over the roof with the airbrush and she was done (by the way, 133 and 245 are also now discontinued!). 

She is such a sweet little thing, running well out of the box. Posed on Paxton Road I can dream of the layout that will come, there is no rush, the story will write itself when the time is right. Until then, I can enjoy the process of collecting and detailing models that both appeal and enrich my experience of the hobby. Until next time, more soon...

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