Friday Update: Five Nine Twenty-five...

We made it - it's September! Survived not only the summer holidays, but the worst of the heat behind me too and the wonderful Autumn ahead. I love this time of year and I can feel a spring in my step as I watch the girls settle back into the school routine and the workshop becomes quiet once more...

Last weekend was busy running around doing last minute shopping for the kids, and a trip to meet a customer and hand over a model (more on that in a moment) but I did manage to watch the last train on Sunday, and caught this rather awkward juxtaposition of old and new caught at the crossing in Glyndyfrdwy. I will never tire of having this wonderful railway on the doorstep.

We're jumping around a bit this week, but here is another bit of 3D CAD completed this week for another project - those who know, will know - those who don't can wait another few days before I can write a proper post about this rather peculiar project! I'm hoping to try out a new print supplier for these ones, a useful experiment on this personal project, that can help with commissions in future.

Most of my time this week has been working on the Alan Gibson O2 - and she is ready for paint! It has at times been frustrating but I think the end result is worth it. I hope, with a prevailing wind, to get some primer on next week and let it harden for a week or so before pressing on with painting. It will be finished in lined malachite green with British Railways 'Sunshine' lettering - this means it's quite the job, in terms of lining so don't expect a quick job - I will be taking my time!

Back to the personal, and a great win on eBay - this Boston and Maine 40ft car is from Kadee and sublime - it will be lightly weathered and toned down, but I wanted to feature the blue on the layout as a contrast to the browns of the scenery and red of the shunter. I've got another project ticking along for Coalbridge Street too, some 40ft pulpwood cars, but that's currently stalled whilst I design the decals!

I mentioned last weekend I dropped off a new locomotive with a good customer and fellow 7/8ths modeller on his way to the Llanfair show - he asked if I'd take a look at one of my old builds, Cacwn (the Ruston LB). This had developed a gearbox fault, not helped by the masses of lead now crammed under the hood and chassis. The drive components are a tight interference fit, but if the wheels have lots of grip then it isn't they who spin, but the drive! I've stripped it down, serviced the gearbox, reset the bevel drive gears and Loctite'd the drive sprockets in place - all within a few hours, so I could drop it back with my customer on his way home!

We'll wrap things up with a view of the chassis from the 009 C2 - the Fleischmann motor is tired, and I'd like to breathe some life back into this model so I've sent it off to Sven at Tramfabriek to work his magic on, as he doesn't offer the BR81 in his current range - I shall report back shortly, but I expect the usual excellent service, highly recommend his motors and components, I've used them in several projects over the years... so that's 009 featuring twice this week - what is going on? There must be something in the water... alternatively I wonder if Chris's G9 adventures and some nostalgia for the 009 I remember from ten years ago is bubbling under... we'll see how things go, but it's just nice to revisit old models and remember friends, layouts and adventures.

This weekend sees a Class 60 heading to North Wales on a UK Railtours trip to Llandudno, so I'm wondering about heading out on the road to track that down. I've never seen a Class 60 in the flesh, can you believe, so this would be quite the catch - I remember my old Lima model from my teens, they were such massive but exciting machines. I hope you all have a relaxing weekend, and apologies for the gymnastics in today's post - the Mac uploaded the photos in a strange order and I just went with it! Until next time, more soon...

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