A familiar face…

I grew up with a myriad of Lima OO models but I had a pair of 47s - and my good friend Tim had four! Out and about they were often seen on the head of an Intercity train at Chester or Crewe…

Until now I’ve resisted an N gauge example. I’d hoped for a useful livery in the last collection of releases but I was safe; ETH examples were not on my wish list.

Kernow have been selling the DRS examples for £99. At the same time I have been working on detailing and repainting a Farish 37 into Railfreight with Distribution sub-sector markings. I thought ‘why not have a go at the 47 too?’ and so one arrived.

The paint soon dissolved away in IPA revealing some great tooling and neat detail. Mould lines were smoothed and the ETH and MU sockets were filled - but a glance at my Revolution 66 quickly revealed an opportunity - those moulded on handrails.

35 years ago I was taking a sharp blade and doing the same to my Lima models, paring away the moulded plastic before drilling holes and fabricating my replacements. A pleasant and circular moment, a connection through time along these ribbons of nickel silver…

In a world set on self destruction the endless doom news cycle upsets me. In these models I find quiet and solace, a moment to remember the past and consider the future. The result carries a little of myself in their form, and they mean something more than just recreating 1991 in my workshop. Until next time, more soon…

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