Friday Update: Two Two Twenty-four…

Get yourself comfortable, make sure you’ve a drink AND biscuit to hand as this week’s update is a long one, let’s kick things off with a fresh commission…

The Hornby W4 Peckett can in many ways be credited with the birth of ready to run industrial modelling in OO. Yes, they produced the Sentinel previously, but the detail, finesse and quality of running of this miniature steam locomotive, combined with impeccable decoration meant the interest in things ‘off the beaten track’ took off, even if just sitting in sidings on peoples train sets. A few years ago, before we did the Victory and after the success of the Hatton’s (RIP) Barclay cab conversions I looked at offering some ‘post dating’ options for the W4. The cut down cab took a while to come out in kit form but it’s a massive transformation to the donor, and not as difficult as it looks. However that I suppose is in my own experience, and I’m happy to undertake the work for your if you’d like one but fear cutting into the footplate of the Hornby model. There is some tidying up and final detailing to work through on this one before she is ready for painting, but already, the squat and compact nature of the prototype exudes a brutish purposeful character.

 

Evenings this week have seen progress on a new Mosslanda concept - and one I’m not quite ready to give its own blog post to - this is ‘Severn Beach’ inspired but compressed and the challenge here, for me, was to really try and nail the bleak wind swept feel of the prototype in winter… helped by the mid 80s period of decline hence the bubble car in blue and grey, the perfect muse for such a scheme. As the story develops I’ll share a little more on both the design and some of the craft elements that will help tell that story.

Last weekend saw the opportunity to take a walk at Bala. I have found that I generally tend to avoid the town, not a fault of itself, rather the camper van toting weekenders who line the lake side car park on a weekend. The winter sees the town reclaimed by us that live here, and a sunny day and a walk with our youngest around the edge of town brought us along the Tryweryn and on part of the old trackbed of the Bala branch. This bridge reaching from the former station site back towards the Ruabon to Dolgellau mainline at Bala Junction, and I pause, and imagine how life would be different if Bala has remained as a single line terminus on a ‘metro’ network in North Wales…

Another new commission on the bench this week is a second Hornby Peckett conversion, this time from a B2. The model has seen removal of its outside cylinders and replacement of chimney. There are extra details too, which make this model stand out. In reality the prototype had smaller wheels but short of swapping this set for two packs of spares from a W4 it will capture the spirit of its prototype.

Despite plenty of wind and rain of late both disappeared on Tuesday so Janey and I headed for the coast, and Porthmadog. Probably one of my favourite places in North Wales dreams of moving there are not helped by views and experiences like this! A welcome and recharging trip, we even saw some rail activity at Boston Lodge as the ex-Beeching light railway diesel was shunting and ex-SAR bogie wagon loaded with either coal or ash shuffling around.

On a Ffestiniog theme, back in the workshop this collection of stock is progressing nicely. Destined for Ben and his Boston Lodge layout the coach is the perennial Dundas kit which still works so well, whereas the locomotives are eBay resin prints that are less convincing. Hopefully my careful hand and paintwork paint a believable coherence across the lot, they await Light Railway Stores ‘Custon Nameplate Studio’ plates before I can lacquer them.

You will have seen my GP15-1 on Beaverbrook this Wednesday. In that operating session (from Tuesday evening) it blew two bulbs. These older Athearn Genesis models use 1.5v micro bulbs which give a lovely colour and intensity but blow randomly and their life span seems very short. I’ve resolved to replace these now with LEDs and so the body is off and I’ve ordered some Lais pre-worked SMDs that should work, at least for the ditch lights. I need to experiment for the headlights, inside the cab, as the length of the light tubes might need a different solution - I’ve some fibre optic that might help.

In this months issue of BRM you’ll find Lochdubh. I spoke with Andy a few months ago about doing something a little different, an article with no instruction at all, just a ‘travel diary’, a creative writing exercise as I’ve discussed in ‘The Art…’ (my second book). If you’re interested go find a copy, but be warned I think in some outlets it’s priced at £9.99 as they’ve bundled it with a DVD!

Wrapping things up for the week, I was humbled and honoured to be nominated in the modeller of the year category of the British Railway Modelling Awards. You can vote for me (or anyone else) if you feel so inclined using the link by clocking the image above, the category is on page 6.

So as the week wraps up on customer work I look forward to the weekend. I think I’m free of ‘Dad taxi’ requirements so could manage a trip to see some real trains, especially if the log train doesn’t leave Aber this afternoon. Otherwise the European project needs wiring and Severn Beach could do with its own blog post. Perhaps there may also be time to ponder my plans for 2024. Is there a third book? If not perhaps a magazine? Or how could I move my ‘mindful’ style of video content from the counter culture to mainstream in the hobby? One thing is certain though, a new book arrived mid-week and there are plenty of other distractions so a cold beer, the dog and the open fire all feel very attractive to end the day and open the weekend. Until next time, more soon…

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