Forgotten creation - Dapol Hawthorn Leslie...

Back in 2024 I had a Dapol Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0st. It didn't stay long, its transformation was intended for an article that never materialised...

It was Alan's photos of Manvers that prompted me to look back at all he had shared with me - and I realised, I'd never posted the photos from Falmouth Docks either, that were destined to go hand in hand with this model - and so I found the material squirrelled away in folders on my MacBook and have uploaded it now - forgotten, but definitely worth sharing...

The donor model was the black one, or dark green, I can't remember! The model wasn't resprayed, I just carefully removed the printed plates so I could add etched replacements from Light Railway Stores. The buffers were scratch-built in styrene and painted before weathering the whole model.

I was really pleased with the finish on this one - the weathering made the model really pop - that sheen set off against the dirt, the wear on the buffers, the variation on the footplate from moving feet. Drybrushed gun metal hi-lighting worn edges - all finished off with the Modelu crew and some real coal in the bunker.

She ran well too - but I sold her on, because to be honest, I needed the money! As the months have passed my industrial OO collection has thinned a little, focused on a core set of models. Another would suit, perhaps I should see what I can find around, and create another small green saddle tank for the future colliery...

If you'd like me to breathe life into your own industrial (or otherwise) steam or diesel locomotive I really enjoy these sorts of projects. Get in touch to discuss your requirements and we can come up with a plan that meets your needs and budget. Until next time, more soon...

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