Friday Update: Nineteen Twelve Twenty-five…

It’s Friday, but no work to share this week - but that doesn’t mean it has been all quiet here! As well as painting the kitchen, a job I could put off no longer, I’ve been pottering along with a few of my own projects. Grab a coffee, perhaps a mince pie, and let’s take a look…

Following the fitting of the DG coupling to my Class 66 - I’ve discovered the small round holes in the front apron (see last Friday) were wrong for the UK models - so have filled these and started the weathering, it’s amazing what a transformation just a little Humbrol enamel can make! There is plenty more work to do on this one, but it was nice to make a start.

Another 08 project! This time an 09, this will be 09013, one of Canton’s allocation in the mid 1990s. I have used the Kernow example as the basis and all colours are mixed from Humbrol shades, as I wanted a pre-faded look to sit well under the later wearhering. This model will gain the high level air brake pipework once the bodywork is finished, so I am looking forward to seeing it shuffle about Paxton Road. The radio aerial on the roof, permitting its use on trip work on the mainline, is actually too tall(!) to fit through the end of the layout so I’ll have to carefully open up the hole with a sharp blade to permit its passing! 

The N gauge Colorado ‘Mosslanda’ now has a box! This was knocked up at the weekend from offcuts from Kenny Hill so is a bit haphazard here and there! The intention, I think, is a watercolour backscene on this one, and thoughts have turned to creating a setting that feels a little like Hanna, on the Creede branch. I’m not sure how quickly this will progress, but getting the box made means the more enjoyable aspects of the project can proceed as and when I have the motivation. This is a trick many of us could learn, to get the difficult bits done, just do them, so that the enjoyable parts can follow more naturally… and they do, over time.

This Atlas RS1 was only £25. It is an early example made in Japan and runs beautifully. I’m not sure of plans for it yet, but it was good to rescue it, and I’ve enjoyed contemplating its future. I am thinking it might have been a Ballard and Wantage model, perhaps bought from New Haven and still in the orange and green livery - but then on one side, also add the HMLX markings, as if perhaps it was picked up by the fledgling terminal operator? I have tried the Soundtraxx board from my Bachmann Alco S4 (that has been replaced with a Loksound) but sadly there isn’t quite space. That would mean a £25 model, bought for some fun, would get very expensive quickly. £100 for a decoder, £60 on KV etched details… we’ll see, I do enjoy breathing new life into old models so it will be fun to just contemplate what is possible.

You may have spotted in video and photos a scale drawing on the side of my workbench for this model. It’s a Porter, inspired and approximately to scale based upon an example at the Dolly Varden mines. I’ve taken a little liberty in adjusting things to better suit the Bachmann Percy chassis, but the proportions are about right and she sits well with the other stock. Deliberately larger, burlier, she will haul the mainline trains to the harbour. I have a few decisions to make on now I’ll assemble and paint it now, but it fits! Another distraction I know, but am itch I’ve wanted to scratch for some time.

Finally, some real trains! On Tuesday I dropped my daughter off at Explorer Scouts and continued to Ruabon, just a minute or two to spare, before the Carlisle to Chirk logs came through behind a Class 70. These big beasts have a lumpy growl that reminds me of the U boats on Beaverbrook, the U18 and U23B… it was motoring and with 20 fully loaded wagons on the hook the undulating line in this area meant she was working hard. Great to just stand and listen to it fading into the distance. Nothing quite like the railway to make us feel alive…

So today I should finish the woodwork in the kitchen and my domestic renovation duties will be complete. Yes, the kids will also be off, but they don’t get up until lunchtime so now, a few weeks of quiet - no jobs, just time with my books, my models, my mind - interspersed with time with family of course, but no work, time to recharge the creative batteries… on that note a new and rather ridiculous distraction has been started, bur I’ll share more on that tomorrow. For now, until next time, more soon…

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