Friday Update: Six Six Twenty-five…

Welcome to Friday! If you have time, grab a coffee (tea and other beverages are available from the trolley) and a seat amd join me for a meander through another busy week in the workshop…

It’s Talyllyn large and small starting things off this morning with a vintage rake in the smaller scale and Edward Thomas (ish) in the larger. We’re familiar with the 009 - although this rake isn’t Westcliff but I’m unsure of the manufacturer as they were supplied to me for finishing. The usual Fourdees Dolgoch conversion now waiting on etched plates before she can be finished off - in fact the whole rake waiting on that so I can seal with satin lacquer. I’ve a good process for these projects now and enjoy bringing them to life - but with the new Bachmann stuff coming out I fear I won’t see quite so many which will be a shame. This scale has been traditionally about hand crafted works, and these prototypes have a poignant memory for me too…

Almost the other end of the spectrum, In 16mm there is a Boot Lane Works ‘St Crispin’ kit here… I’ve done the majority of the out of the box work here and have a selection of brass details to sprinkle on before moving the paint shop. As you would expect, this one has presence!

The rest of the week has been starting work on Lametton halt - a slice of the Looe branch in OO. Thorough testing has ensued using my Irish stock, the plan, incidentally, is very close to what I had originally planned - but even at 1.2m is a little ‘short’ and hence frustrating in general operation. Food for thought though, it’s always a pleasure to run these Irish models.

Rather conveniently placed, the lid of the box gave me a chance to take a look at the concept of a coal based layout in N. I’ve sketched various ideas for this and whilst I’d love a scenic layout, it’s the operational ‘end’ of the line that makes most sense… some sort of screen for loading, inspired in large part by Cwmmawr. A fan of tracks allowing the arriving locomotive to run around without going under the loader… then the train is shoved onto a headshunt (off stage) and 3 to 4 wagons loaded at a time - and manually pushed back on to the layout ‘loaded’. Whilst not entirely prototypical, this is probably the best way to go about doing coal in the smaller scale… most locations would have gone to a more ‘trainload’ operation with modern wagons where each rake was loaded one by one without it being split. Cwmmawr lasted in this slightly awkward way until closure… in the 70s Powell Duffryn stationed a small industrial shunter on site - but I’ve yet to work out how that operation differed to latter days, a pleasant distraction never the less.

It was a few weeks ago now, but I shared the Glyn Valley ‘rake’ of 16mm stock - Paul kindly sent me a photo of them in use on his line, paired with some suitable motive power. Here in black and white, doesn’t it all look rather nice… if you’ve got a commission you think I can help with reach out via the contact form here on the website, or visit my Facebook page (link on Modelmaking Commissions page - that opens in a new browser window, you don’t need Facebook to get in touch) you can send me an email that way.

 

Last weekend a chance visit to Oswestry granted me some time trackside to see the Pacer in operation on the Cambrian Heritage Railway. Later the same day, back home, the passing of the Class 14 and 7754 on the Llangollen Railwaty. This week I’ve also enjoyed a ride on the BR blue Class 104. Each and every time the experience has been restorative. I am incredibly lucky to live on the doorstep of such variety.

Back in the workshop, the day dreams of Forest of Dean panniers and Class 14 have passed for now - indeed I’m pondering if they should perhaps be moved on? A distraction? Back to D2112 - perhaps the ‘one’ model I need, on Paxton Road, quietly scuffling single wagons around and day dreaming of my own version of Tiger Rail’s wagonload service pre-Transrail Enterprise…

It has been a tough month here really, poor sleep and lots to worry about. I’m finding my writing suffer as the brain is foggy, but I’m sure many of you can sympathise with that feeling. Long Covid I wonder, or post viral infection. Talking with friends I realised I’ve adjusted my life to cope with the symptoms so don’t notice until I try and do something unusual like Rail-ex, which completely exhausted me. Such is life… a relaxing weekend awaits, no driving, no demands, just a ride behind the 31 on Saturday I think. I hope you can find some trains, modelmaking or a good book too, and recharge the batteries. Until next time, more soon…

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