Friday Update: Twenty-four One Twenty-five…

How did it get to Friday again? This week seems to have flown by - at least for me. It's not quite as cold, but it's damp - so in many ways it feels colder. My foot warmer is getting overtime! There is a right mix of things to talk about again though - lets take a look around...

This photo sort of epitomises the workshop - always a blend of materials, scales, prototypes... and stage of construction! The NGG16 is waiting for the final invoice to be paid before it is shipped, the Hudson GoGo is ready for paint and the Barclay has been the main focus of work this week, that's about to go for primer.

Even bigger is the Ruston 44/48 project - all four slots of this batch are now full, and I don't think I'll do another one, its not my favourite prototype, a little ungainly to my eye but certainly burly! I received the laser cut prototype parts to fabricate the fuel tank, cab and a structure for the bonnet to allow the doors to be added. These all worked as intended, good news, so production quantities are on their way. These will be sanded and smoothed before detail overlays are added - bringing the otherwise boring flat surfaces to life with bolt heads, weld lines and such.

Pictured here earlier than the first photo - the Andrew Barclay is from a High Level kit. I built the chassis last year, but I've now been asked to finish the body as well - just to primer - but it's almost as involved as the chassis. This, would you believe, over all these years, is the first boiler I've had to roll myself and it's come out pretty well - certainly very pleased with this first effort. The kit is well designed, if a little fiddly in places and I stuck with my usual belt and braces 180 and then 145 degree solder as things progressed. The Antex 25W iron is just about man enough for a body like this, but I've always got the 40W one in the cupboard for larger kits. Even the cab fittings are soldered, only a few tiny last minute details and the white metal fittings were glued in place.

Distractions distractions. Denton Road (more on that later) and Coalbridge Street are barely underway and thoughts turn to the next Mosslanda and Lack shelf layouts. Polish 009 suits the former, Irish OO perhaps the latter. Both of these 'themes' have been long entertained, I wonder, in these forms could they flourish? Or should I focus on building primarily an exhibition layout next? 

It comes down to space - and a distinct lack of it. I have no garage, loft or shed suitable for storing an exhibition layout. My workshop is filling up quickly with smaller layouts and shelves - but I can just about fit these two by juggling things about in terms of where I store parts and materials...

Space - a problem I'm sure many of us have... and more of a concern now here, because for once I'm not ready to move on any of the layouts that call my workshop their home.

I mentioned Denton Road - well I've just taken delivery of a one piece print back scene based on my artwork - which will need cutting slightly to fit, but that will probably wait until I've finished scratch building the structures. The 60s office block is now in plastic, behind the centre of the layout - I might add the roof of a Victorian structure to the left, we'll see... the rear platform and station will be my next focus though, and then all the various elements are 'made' and just need painting. The idea is all of this will be done BEFORE the track is ballasted - which might sound a bit off, but just the most sensible way of undertaking this one I think. Turning the lights on I'm still excited by the composition - it still reminds me of those urban northern cities that inspired the build.

Beyond the current layouts though, Lochdubh continues to fascinate. As the weeks tick by the stock progresses - the most recent being the repaint and rebuild of the Dutch liveried Farish 37 to represent 37025 in 1984. This has reached an advanced stage now with the weathering in hand - and here, this work in progress shot posed on Paxton Road (bogies still in virgin plastic - and the roof needs airbrushing) feels so exciting. Every time I drift off to other exhibition layout ideas they fizzle out and I return to this N gauge branchline and the promise of creating a little bit of make believe, a time machine with real character in N - to show case the art of the possible, to take my story to a wider audience... then reality kicks in - no space. In the meantime, the stock is great fun to create - and using Lochdubh as a stage set, I can ring the changes and tell different stories in a compact form for now.

The weekend is due to be a windy one - if it permits I'll head out for some trains at some point. I've also got a load of IKEA furniture to build with my youngest for her bedroom refurbishment - oh, and two rather lovely books about the Valencia branch in Kerry arrived and I've only managed a cursory dive into their pages of potential inspiration so far - perhaps a chance to enjoy them, indulge with a coffee, toffee waffle and half an hour or quiet. Wherever you are, whatever your plans thanks as always for stopping by, for reading the blog, getting involved, supporting me in whatever way you can. It is always appreciated, I hope you have a good weekend and until next time, more soon...

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