Friday Update: Twenty two twenty-six…

As regular readers will have noticed I’ve been away from the bench a bit this week and with two days of Trainspotting posts already since Monday that perhaps indicates there is less to share today - but not nothing - so get comfortable and let’s take a quick look at what else has been going on…

The new Berwyn Explorer, a gently revised and heavily promoted Berwyn Shuttle, has been operating this week - Saturday saw the first train of the year, and the service continued on Sunday and Wednesday - as well as returning this weekend, then a break until March before more trains - and I think - along the whole railway once more. Doing an impression of a 90s heritage repaint, the 108 arrives at Berwyn with the 11:00 from Llangollen on Wednesday, another cold cold cold miserable day.

I have managed to get a coat of satin lacquer on the Backwoods NGG16 - giving the model a deep lustre which looks lovely and should ensure the etched brass plates don’t tarnish. Just glazing and assembly left on this crazy project - I wonder if I’ll ever see another to work on?

There is a bit of a back log at Rail-tec so the usual turnaround extended to over two weeks - still the renumbering transfers arrived and have been sealed on the Bachmann 25 this week - the chassis is weathered so I can press on with bodywork and roof weathering this afternoon. We’re nearly there with this one - my own lurks behind.

Not a great deal of personal model making but the ‘spare’ Farish 08 parts are looking more like a prototype stripped for spares or overhaul. The roof was cut out and a Rusty Rails 08 power unit installed. The front cabinet was carved about and replacement doors and some parts added inside - more representational than accurate but I think it looks the part. Faded BR blue awaits in the paint shop.

Not pictured, but important, the casework for Night Shuft was made and assembled last weekend - and the baseboard and roadbed for Cwmbach has also been formed and sealed. Next up on the latter is wiring the frog polarity switches before I glue the turnouts down - so visible progress and edging closer to running trains on this slow burn but important next cameo project.

Today I’m looking forward to meeting up with my friend, George Williamson, to eat biscuits drink coffee and day dream about joint project layouts. Later on as I said, hoping to finish those two commissions off so I can start some new things next week! I trust, wherever you are, that you have had a good week and a relaxing weekend awaits. Until next time, more soon…

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