Sometimes it’s good to be distracted, not just by model trains but within them - regular readers will recognise my varied interests across scale, gauge and continent but I’m not working on a North American 009 layout so why are we looking at something distinctly not British?
I have been on/off planning a mining layout for many years, that traces its origins back to my interest in the Yukon, the gold rush and the DYMCo. This has led to a small collection of 2ft gauge models lettered for the concern - far more now, than the prototype ever owned, and all without a home. Despite thoughts last year of a solution the collection continue to live quietly, undisturbed in the stock box.
This example is the largest so far - and inspired in part by the smallest machine at the Dolly Varden mine in Alaska. This was re-sized a touch to work better on the Bachmann N Percy chassis, yes a caricature but none the worse for it.
Unlike my commercial kits this is just a 3D print - a mix of my previous designs and using some common parts to save design time. Rather than a one piece print, parts to allow clean up and prep sprinkled liberally with lots of extras including handrails, sand pipes and the turbo generator and headlights… adding character to this ‘heavier’ later locomotive. The lettering is pleasingly a mix of childhood cartoons, the Corgi ‘Western’ push along diecast steam locomotive and plastic building set and a serious attempt to better ‘fill’ the much larger tank surface. I love it.
It has been a slow but enjoyable distraction, it’s still not quite finished (couplings and some dry brushing would really complete it) but in this form I can at least move attention back to more productive projects - or free up mental space for more distractions… for is about a playful exploration - craft focused quiet time to find some inner calm, to connect with breath and the body - and the result isn’t important, as long as you enjoy it. I certainly did - until next time, more soon…
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Can't beat a good slab serif.
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