Friday Update: Eight Eight Twenty-five…

Welcome to Friday and I’m glad to say it is almost back to normal in the workshop this week with a few solid days on commission work and plenty to show for it. I’ve managed to keep you all entertained too, despite the busy period with regular daily updates. Thank you as ever for the support and interaction. Hopefully that’s the busiest behind us now too! A few things to talk about and share today, so let’s see what has been going on here in North Wales…

Last weekend saw the annual ‘Sixties’ event on the railway and whilst I didn’t get to enjoy it quite as much as classic transport it was nice to see a few more trains in the valley. From what I’ve heard it was a financial success so another positive on keeping the coffers filled for now and the future. Today 31271 is out and about so I might sneak a trip in at lunchtime, and Sunday sees the Class 14 on Glyn shuttles, I’ll definitely be out to capture and enjoy that!

The biggest update this week is Lametton is ‘finished ’. Well, nearly! Just a tiny bit of case work to finish off and the platform is going to get a name board now that is agreed with my customer. Despite its presentation and largely side on viewing it still offers some nice ‘long’ shots - and here, a 108 on loan from Paul Marshall-Potter is stretching its legs, reflecting in the adjacent abandoned canal. I’ve got another layout build pencilled in for the autumn, it will be nice to see how different that one is as the time comes - I’ve enjoyed Lametton, there will be a usual video and photo shoot when it’s done.

A little gentle wearhering here too, this week. Pictured here, the start of work on a rake of wagons for Kohlenbachbrücke, David had devised an operating scheme that needed 3 more cars over the 4 I originally provided with the layout when he bought it. We’re hoping to feature this in Model Railway Companion 3 in due course…

Beyond a few more involved commissions. The Claud Hamilton 3D prints have arrived - sadly a small error on my part, not enough clearance for the front pony truck wheel flanges - so a replacement has been altered and ordered, otherwise a great fit. This will be detailed up with pipework and some custom etched pieces I must get designed next week.

In addition, a LBSC E2 I’ve been working on - the 3D print from Sparksholt Customs has been cleaned up and I’ve started assembly and modifying a Bachmann Jinty chassis to fit. More on this next week.

Lametton again, obviously extensive testing required! Sadly my customer is a little under the weather at the moment so I took a few extra shots and sent them over to help cheer them up - 1659, a Rapido model, looks rather lovely parked in the lime kiln siding, pictured across the access crossing. The blend of Peco bullhead and flatbottom rail works well, and in my experience, the flat bottom turnouts just work, whereas I’m not always happy with the beautiful but more fragile bullhead examples.

I was rather excited to see this Transport for Wales 150 in the Bachmann releases this week, for the Farish range. 150213 is a unit I travelled on to Warley back in 2023 - and I have a massive soft spot for the prototype. An example has been duly pre-ordered, despite the rather eye watering price tag! I was genuinely excited - a fantastic example of what can make the ready to run part of this hobby so wonderful. Surprise, anticipation and hopefully satisfaction when she arrives nearer to Christmas.

We’ll wrap up with another log train. A mid-week run down to see this, it comes through Ruabon from Carlisle shortly after 7pm making summer photography relatively easy. These big ‘ugly’ General Electric Class 70 diesels aren’t all that bad - they certainly sound a bit nicer than the Class 66 (though certainly not classic traction). Getting out can be really therapeutic - I had been struggling a little and the drive, the wait and the experience were just what I needed. A gentle recharge, with enough time to reset and return home calmer and with more patience. 

As I mentioned earlier, this weekend offers some great local train opportunities - plus a few little modelling projects (I’m still finishing off Gerald Road so it can go for sale). I hope you manage some time with your hobby over the period, until next time though, more soon…

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