"Jaws"

As reported, the mission of Friday night was accomplished. The mission of Saturday was also accomplished, up to a point. The photo shows "Jaws", the first BR Shark kit from the NGS. I suspect it will be joined by "Mako" in due course as I can see a 'need' for a second at some point. Still to go are the plough guards, brake pipes and some detailing which I am going to add to the underframe.

Specific inspiration for this one is from this pic http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/p24727758.html I am not sure if the MMT pack from the NGS contains these markings but I guess that doesn't matter - it is more the inspiration which matters, rather than the specifics.

As far as the rest of Saturday's ambition goes - the LNWR van got as far as the first Humbrol 79 coat, the two TPM HEAs got their first coat of Precision BR Bauxite and the GWR AA1 Toad had its chassis built. Some photos of one of these to determine the windows would be good but I can't seem to find any - currently thinking of doing "sash" type with a glazing bar in the mid point - suspect I will find none ever had this feature if I do however! If you do know, send me a message...

Mission accomplished - for tonight anyway!

Last night I announced I would have these wagons ready for the paint works tomorrow - and I am pleased to say (to quote Prof. Higgins) I did it.

Two TPM HEAs which are going to be given Precision Bauxite paint jobs for use as barrier wagons with the FNA kit from the same stable, one NGS Shark (with no couplings as the ploughs get in the way and I haven't worked out how to connect it to the Farish Seacow it is going to go around with) and my second 2mm FSA D88 LNWR van - much neater than the first, even if I do say so myself.

So tomorrow these will be primed ready to go in the morning - and given the forecast for here in Longreach, there is a reasonable chance they will be right to have their first top coats tomorrow afternoon while the Ladies of the Residence are out at a party. Anyway, fingers crossed. I have the transfers for both the LNWR van and Shark and I think I have some HEA transfers on a HAA sheet. Not sure, will have to find out. I will put the MMT Codes from the NGS shop up when the painted and transferred stock appears here.

As for the next plan. Well not sure. There is the LNWR coach which has had some progress, a Maunsell R0 which also has had some progress, the assorted Toads, a LNWR Signalbox plus the UFO box. I think, since I am on this roll of finishing trains, the GWR 6 Wheel Toad to go with the Mill Lane Sidings P19s is going to be next.

UFOs

No pictures - merely something to get me inspired for tomorrow and the weekend.

The UFOs are building up again - I got some stuff from the NGS and 2mm FSA as I think I mentioned earlier. This included some TPM HEA kits to flesh out the Nuclear train, another LNWR D88 van, a Shark ballast plough, a pair of LNER Toad Es for the W&U collection and a GWR 6 wheel Toad to run with the P19 wagons. There was also some Shire Scenes bits and pieces for St Alban's Abbey and the Langley LNWR signal box kit.

So the plan is to have the HEAs, Shark and D88 van into the paint shops Saturday which means they all have to be finished off tomorrow night. I have made good progress so this should be achievable.

Saturday afternoon is looking like transfers in front of the footy before more soldering Saturday night, painting Sunday morning and maybe finish the weekend Sunday night with some final transfers.

In any case, having made this claim public I had better do something!!!! The point behind the blog is to keep making progress so...

60012

I have always thought it would have been nice if BR had used the names of the LNER Pacifics on the 100 Class 60 diesels - the 34 A4's and first 66 of the A3's which had previously carried 60xxx numbers (the A3's got to 60112).

With this in mind, and being inspired by the Fictitious Liveries website I kept an eye out for a cheap 60 to come up at either one of the box shifters or eBay. Hatton's duly delivered and when the Mainline liveried 60 was up for grabs for under 40 quid (remembering that out here I get it VAT Free) I snapped it up. A dunk in some stripper and a coat of Humbrol 221 Garter Blue Enamel later and some detailing paint on the cab roof (black like the A4's) and the obligatory yellow on the front end and I was set.

Numbers are from Fox as is the LNER crest under 4491. The other end has 60012 and the Arrows. I had thought about putting the BR Steam crest on but ruled it out owing to the LNER blue colour. Nameplates arrived this week from the NGS - Commonwealth of Australia naturally. Just needs the Australian Coat of Arms and all is complete - the 4491 end is detailed from the pack which comes with the loco so at some point I will stick a little man in to drive it. Not sure what will be its usual duty roster - possibly a VSOE set?

A couple of detail pictures below - when the new camera arrives and the A4 is sorted a bit more, I will take a couple of side by side shots of the two longest nameplates to be fitted to British Railway Locomotives.

Now if the 60's had gotten to 60103...

4491 end showing the LNER Crest under the number and the red backed 23 character nameplate. Parts of the detailing pack can be seen under the buffers.

The other end with the BR Arrows. This is the end with the short shank NEM Rapido in.

MR Meat Van

Saturday was the Australian General Election - being a History/Social Studies teacher, naturally I watched the coverage and while I was watching I did something useful!

As mentioned in previous posts, I was sent a Not Quite Perfect etch of the PC Models Midland Railway Meat Van by Alan at Ultima. The biggest issue was the louvers had not etched though on both sides so there was a bit of work involved in sorting this out. After that, pretty much plain sailing. Again, no instructions but I have found this www.modelrailways.tv/images/catalogue/larger/SW23.jpg which has shown me how to approach the chassis (which isn't attached in the photo hence the gaps!). A few bits and pieces from Shop 2 and I'll be all set. The roof for this one is from the Dia 88 LNWR van - the etch for this comes with a spare which fitted with a trim.

LNWR Horse Box

The most recent item on my work bench - a LNWR 21' Horse Box from the shrunk PC Models etches being offered by Ultima. This is the bits (minus a buffer I notice!) which come in the kit plus 4 bearings and a pair of 7mm wheels from the 2mm FSA. Still to fit is the roof (a spare from the GE Etches from David Eveleigh), the missing buffer (obviously!) and then paint, glaze (not sure how with roof etch to go on but a solution will present - usually does) and so forth. I also need to find a way of doing the axle boxes. Any suggestions would be most welcome.

I am really quite pleased with this kit. Alan is, as far as I am aware, still trying to find the original instructions for this and I put it together with the aid of a photo of a 7mm kit for the same vehicle as mentioned below. It is going to be finished in LNWR livery and used on St Alban's Abbey when I get around to building it. In the mean time, I will most likely fit with a pair of N gauge wheels and run it on St Alban's Priory - or leave it standing in the yard on same as a show piece!

Next project - the LNWR 6 compartment 50' brake from the same source - or possibly the NQP Midland Railway Meat Van which Alan sent me.

GWR P19 - Part II

I didn't get much done over the week - and this is delayed given my self-imposed deadline of Fridays for updates - due to having my parents visit for Darling Daughter 2's third birthday (where does the time go I ask myself!).

What I did manage to get done was putting the transfers Richard Bardsley sent out for the P19 conversions of the Parkside Dundas Grampus. This is the first time I have used full side transfers and I have mixed feelings. It is indeed handy to put it all on - painting the side gloss white and then putting the transfer over, touching up around the edges being the plan. The one in the picture is the odd one of the five - I patch painted white and then put the transfer on in sections. To be honest, I am not sure which is neater - certainly one transfer instead of four or five is appealing but I think the finish is a little better using the cut out method. The biggest issue I now have is what to seal them with. My normal method is to use Humbrol Matt Clear (No 49 for those of you playing at home) but I think this may react badly with the Robbie's Rolling Stock transfers. I have the bits cut off the one above so I might use them to test.

In other news, a batch of stuff turned up from Ultima - LNWR coach and horsebox, Midland meatvan (thanks Alan ;-)) and a pair of R0 Maunsell brakes. I made a start on the horsebox this afternoon - progress has been good which I am pleased about since the instructions are still being found! I have to source a roof. Fortunately I have found a handy picture at http://www.gauge1trains.co.uk/p/horsebox.html which has helped enormously.

A Picture is worth...

...well a lot actually. I don't know about a thousand words (but as a teacher I have seen some 1000 word essays which have pictures springing to mind - normally cartoons with the top row of the keyboard in the thought/speech bubble!) but certainly the value of pictures to our hobby cannot be overstated.

Recently on the 2mm VAG of which I am a member a query was made regarding the tenders and cab roofs (rooves?) of the original four LNER A4s - the ones painted three tone grey/silver in 1935. The questor had plans by Roche and Beattie but wasn't sure how to proceed. Photos in Yeadon's proved that, at least as far as the Roche drawings went, they were not much help. The Beattie drawings were a little better but as far as putting the elements of the conversion kit from Langley went, the photos were much more useful.

It is queries like this and the help which I can then give fellow modellers which makes my labour of love (aka the sodding database) worthwhile. I have posted previously about the database and I have had a real roll on over the last few weeks, logging in quite a few more magazines (Steam Days mostly) to increase the collection referenced. Using the A4s as an example I have over 850 photos logged from magazines such as Steam Days, British Railways Illustrated, Back Track, Steam World and or course Locomotives Illustrated. Books such as Yeadon's Register and The Book of the A4s are the natural magnets when a question surrounding the ECML greyhounds comes up but other sources such as A J Mullay's "Non-Stop - London to Scotland Steam" can have photos the others do not which can prove just as useful if not more so. As far as the A4s go, for modelling 2509-2512, Locos Illustrated No 38 p4 is probably the starting point - it has a colour shot taken of 2509 still in silver grey.