Friday Update: Eleven Ten Twenty-four...

Another week, another Friday, another update. Coming to you from a cold and frosty Dee Valley, the first hard frost of the season but clear skies and a bright start bode well for a nice day. Let’s take the usual tour through the workbench…

Martijn Schokker photo.

The European shelf with no name is safely installed in the Netherlands in my customers home and he is enjoying the layout already, finding it the perfect stage for an eclectic collection. It is always love to see my models in their new homes, if you would like to see one in your own space then you can contact me for a no obligation commission. The contact form here on the website is still troublesome with tablets so if it doesn’t work there is a link to my Facebook page where you can email me without needing a Facebook account.

I seem to be popular for Dolgoch these days, this is one of a pair I’m working on at the moment. The Fourdees kit is a great basis and bringing this to life with a commission paint job might not be as expensive as you think, so do get in touch if you’re interested in your own model. This one is waiting on etched plates now before I add the finishing satin lacquer which will dull down that high gloss sheen. The Modelu crew look great, and this is an offer I’ve added for 2024, sourcing, painting and fitting these chaps as part of the overall commission.

Last week I shared progress on the 7/8ths scale Ruston project, and the etch artwork for that went off this week. Here we have more large scale, this time 16mm, and a batch of three Hudson GoGo tractors. The work starts with modifying the die cast model tractors - rather a one way modification! Junior hacksaw isn’t the most precise of tools but the variation in cut can be hidden with filler and pipework and the quality of the tooling beats anything I could easily achieve for the same money. Today I will be making a start on the wheelsets for the Ruston and cleaning up the laser cut parts for the chassis on both - progress should be relatively rapid as I have most of the components here now - along with the first prints from Manuevo - the Shapeways management buy out in Eindhoven.

In terms of my own work this week Denton Road continues to mature. This scene feels so very right, and with the 90s period represented here I’m excited to turn the cardboard cut outs in to wood. My only reticence is I’ve not solved the elevated fiddle stick conundrum yet - and I don’t want to have to modify the carcass later. The challenge is compounded by the canal bridge on the left meaning there isn’t much space to stow a support inside the layout! A friend and I were joking about Iain Rice’s fiddleyard on Trerice supported but a chain, but I might be heading the same way!

Last weekend I managed to cut the MDF and assemble Coalbridge Street. This has allowed a week of playing, sorry testing. I’ve swapped couplers from classic to scale back to classic to try an elleviate some issues with run-always and rogue uncoupling - in the end I’ve opted for foam glued to the bolster of the trucks to rub on the axles. This increased drag means the Kadee behave as designed. I’m excited by this project and the opportunity to try out a few new ideas and borrowed inspiration. The thought is currently a late fall early winter scene, so cooler colour temperature and leafless trees. Browns and greys with the colour from the locomotive brightening up the stage.

As big but little is the news that my Kaslo RS23 kit has reached primer. On the whole it’s looking great, just a small diagonal scarring on the cab I want to address before moving onto paint. This model has real presence but was so relatively cheap. 

Finally - more ‘For Sale’ and because I’m always happiest when my models go to you lot, rather than faceless buyers on eBay, they’re here for a day first. These are all modern Farish N, well detailed and full of character. Fitted with DG and lightly weathered. It would be possible if you have the boxes to refit NEM to all three as I’ve not modified the mounting holes for these, but that, in my opinion, would be a backwards step to realism. Prices? Ciba Geigy £20, Blue Circle £20, Polybulk £50. Prices exclude postage (at cost). Get in touch if you’re interested, there will be more for sale next week, but that will be HO in nature…

The sun is coming along the valley now and things are looking beautiful out of the window. I hope we enjoy some of this weather over the weekend but in the meantime, I’ll make use of it today with a short trip to Llangollen I think, on the train. The weekend, who knows yet! Hopefully some time to my thoughts… some gentle modelling and perhaps a live operating session this evening? Until next time though, more soon…

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