Friday Update: Eight Eleven Twenty-four…

Welcome to this post half term round up of progress here this week, not much to see but more to report. Let me distill the essentials for you over morning tea/coffee…

Steam on the Llangollen Railway last Sunday, 3rd November. 3802 approaches Glyndyfrdwy. Even in the gloom the valley always feels green.

Some weeks I have lots of visible progress across all sort of commission work but this time most activity has been ‘behind the scenes’. I mentioned Compendium yesterday, they have arrived and gone - which involves a bit of a merry dance with our lovely Post Lady who drops the stickers I order online off, carries on her round and pops back to collect them later! Thank you Rhian! The first UK copies should arrive on your door mats today, with the balance tomorrow, overseas will be early next week.

Beyond Compendium I’ve been busy working on the next Dee Valley Mail for the Llangollen Railway. This is a volunteer effort and done for the love of it but gosh, hours and hours are swallowed in the layout, design and minor editing of even an ‘in house’ magazine like this! This is the first one I’ve led on design, after helping Terry get started earlier in the year - and I’ve included a few nods to childhood with the motive power sections having the feel of Ian Allan publications and Rail magazine! It is nice to be able to do something like this, I’ll share the online version here when this issue is launched.

More work ‘in print’ has seen a top secret project head for a test print - more on that soon enough, but I’m exited about it. Finally ‘Small Layout Design - Construction’ is in progress at last! Well over half the book is laid out but there remains a substantial amount of material to get from in my head and onto paper.

Beyond paper I’ve designed and received some more 3D parts for the Ruston 44/48 - and have more to get through and order in the coming days, but the end of CAD is in sight! The Hudson GoGo are beginning to receive the bodywork but I’m waiting on some styrene strip before I go any further so I can work on all three at once.

The physical work I can share this week however is all from my own various projects. I’ve been working on the RS23 (above) for a few months now - however, with Warnerley fast approaching and the promise of some ‘short line’ stock to help Paul with Maple River I thought it would be nice to get it across the line. Painting progresses quite quickly when it’s planned, and you can see I’ve got as far as decals. Still to work through are how I’m going to add the headlights and how heavy the ‘Alco’ weathering should be!

A few N gauge kits were also shown in the same photo as the RS23 last Friday, and these two have progressed with decals and sealed with lacquer. The star in this photo is the ICI tank wagon. I’m really pleased with how this gentle re-working of the N gauge Society kit has worked out - spending the time to modify the tank mounting framework was worth the effort and marks this as ‘different’ to the other tank wagons I’ve built from the same kit. She rolls on a Coventry Rail Works chassis with fine Mosskito 6.2mm diameter 3 hole disc wheels. In the background the N Gauge Society ‘Rudd’ is also ready for weathering, alongside a new Rapido OAA. I’m planning on working on these three alongside the RS23 in the coming days, so expect to see more news on their progress next week.

The final thing to mention is progress on Coalbridge Street. This small slice of ‘New England’ is not only the third part of the Pont-y-dulais story, nor a 10 minute layout in my workshop -  it is another experiment, a chance to practice ideas and try out new materials. I’ve laid cork outside of the rails (not under) to bring up the ground level so the track appears buried in the ground. Work has also started on sleeper colouring (another Mindful video this week)…

Considering composition I’ve been pondering the left hand side - and whilst the structure isn’t very ‘Claremont and Concord’ as such, it feels right and will give some great photography angles. The line behind drops down a slight gradient into the yard, originally the plan was for the road to head up along this so the track was buried in tarmac, a caricature of so much street running in Claremont. However, together and with some trees at the back, this feels too tight - and whilst I dislike roads disappearing into nackscenes I think this might need to be the case here… I’ve got time to work up the composition so will try a few more ideas whilst I paint sleepers on the right hand side!

One thing that has worked, is the weaving of sea moss with the Woodland Scenics forest canopy material after it has been de-seed headed. The colour isn’t quite right - I’ll try and airbrush on some suitable shades, but the shapes and textures - more, the density - feel like the effect I’m looking for… I wonder if just a smattering of flock on the sea moss would suggest the season? Another experiment another time!

Eagle eyed readers will notice the new arrival too - a GE 45t from Bachmann, I’ve removed ‘Bethelehem Steel’ from the cab sides and added a simple ‘2’ for now, but longer term a repaint into a faded green with WTC markings is on the cards… the Wantage Terminal, of course.

The weekend beckons, but another day of puppy sitting will no doubt have an impact on both my sanity and productivity! I trust you all have a relaxing few days, and a chance to remember the sacrifice of many on Sunday. For now though, until then and next time more soon…

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