Friday Update: Fifteen Eleven Twenty-four…

Good morning from the sofa. A clearing sky, a beautiful albeit cold morning. Two dogs and no fighting, I’ll call that progress with the puppy. Grab a coffee and come and see what’s been happening here this week…

This week has seen Issue 15 of Dee Valley Mail published, and the first with me as designer and Co-editor. I’ve trawled my childhood for inspiration from the pages of period Railway World and Rail magazine in the style of certain sections. If you’re interested in seeing a copy there are two ways to get hold of it, join the Llangollen Railway Trust or visit the railway (in a few weeks once they are printed) and buy one (£3.50, 60 pages, news on all aspects of the railway, reviews of events and reports on preservation efforts, articles on the history of the route and plenty of photographs). 

On Monday I had a visit from David with Renfrew. One of his Hornby Class 08 seemed wider than the others and was catching on the platform and he wanted me to modify this front face and make good. We did it in the day and enjoyed a bit of a photo shoot for Model Railway Companion 2 - a lovely day and a nice distraction before attending my Uncle’s funeral on Tuesday. Here I am contemplating another photo angle - the platform already repaired and made good in this photo, bet you can’t tell!

A batch of etched plates arrived from Light Railway Stores so later in the week I’ve made progress on this set of 009 models. The Peckett-ish and Hudswell are for one customer, and are now finished. The Dolgoch are for two separate customers, the red one just needs lacquer and a crew, the green one is being painted. I notice Dan has released some more tasty kits in the Fourdees range, if you would like me to quote for sourcing, assembly and painting I can offer a complete service, even with etched plates, lining, weathering, crew and coal… you specify your needs and I’ll be in touch.

Whilst away for the funeral my little cut-down 08 accompanied me - something from my hand, my home and my heart to ground me during a difficult couple of days. 

Ours is a peculiar hobby, whilst many enjoy it quite passively I come across many similar souls who invest a great deal or feel that it speaks of who they are on an emotional level. I am certainly the latter, and the practice of creating the work and of sharing it, of writing about it - that is a further layer of enjoyment but more, a sort of self-assessment, self-awareness, of understanding myself a little better.

Back home on Coalbridge Street, the current muse is this track buried to the sleepers in dirt. A lovely and fairly easy task, the results are very promising. Conversation with good friends on the approach, the results, and on light weight GE switchers is a balm on an otherwise fragmented mind. It’s been a tricky and busy week, but I’m getting there…

Today is the first Friday for a long time without trains in the valley, even this weekend the steel rails will remain silent. Meanwhile, here in my workshop the nickel silver ones will continue to see action. Possibly Paxton Road, possibly more Beaverbrook… and possibly progress on Denton Road? We will see - I’m expecting a few exciting parcels in the coming days - a Rapido 44t from eBay in need of gentle repair (and repaint) for the Hilton Mears empire and the first of the batch of HEA wagons from Coventry Railworks for evaluation! I wonder if any will arrive tomorrow? Until next time, more soon…

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