I said back in June with the Resurrection Post that I'd have stuff to write about over the next few weeks... Well here we are, two months later and only one thing written about, and that was using an article I'd already written!
Ho hum.
Part of the trouble is being willing to use my modelling time on writing about what I've done rather than doing more. I find that while the mojo gets me keen on actual modelling, I am loath to do anything but either work on the latest kit or project which I am interested in or do something from my UFO pile. As it happens, it has been the latter which has been cramping my enthusiasm for writing recently.
The 2mm Scale Association is this year doing a virtual modelling competition - submit your photos by midnight BST this Saturday (29.8.20). So I've been looking to see what I could enter and I've been doing a lot of work putting transfers/decals on models which I in some cases finished some time ago!
Those finished and now just waiting to be weathered (and then in some cases having DG couplings fitted) include:
3x Vanwides from the NGS; 2x LNWR D15 Beer Van etches in 2mm scale; a LNWR D21 Cattle wagon home printed and placed on a 9' etch from Shop 2 of the 2mmS; a Peco 9' 8 plank open kit; a restored Peco NR-5 Plate wagon; a Medfit; and a pair of GWR DD4 Cordons which I printed from Thingiverse and parked on a couple of spare Peco 10' brake van chassis.
In the to do pile, while the mood takes me, there is another Medfit, a pair of Peco NR-7s, another Peco NR-5 (this time as a twin bolster rather than a plate wagon); a bashed Minitrix 8 plank wagon on a Peco chassis, a Dapol and a Farish PoW currently in grey primer; a Peco 5 planker also in grey primer; a scratch built 5 planker on a Peco chassis, a Parkside Dundas 21t hopper, a Parkside Dundas 12' wooden body which I can't remember what it is supposed to be so will have to look it up; a pair of GWR Mink A's; the NGS Midland Railway van kit; a BR Meat Van kit (I think Parkwood but now owned by the NGS although I haven't seen it reappear); a Chivers D5 LNER Horsebox and all four wagons from NGS Kits 47 and 48! So 19 I think. I suspect there are some more out in the shed but that'll keep me busy for a while.
Whilst some of what I have done and what I have yet to do includes models which no longer meet the standards I am trying to achieve, they all still have a place to fill. The N Gauge layouts which I have - Celyn Glanfa and Hollie Wharf are both to fairly course standards due to circumstances. Whilst it would be nice to operate CG using all new 21st Century stock, the reality is I don't have enough yet. As a result, there are a couple of trains which have to be made up of pre-Bachmann tooling models. Whilst CG only needs 6 complete trains and around 10-12 other wagons for the yard, I can only comfortably have 3 trains if operating in the Steam Era (if operating in the BR Blue era, which is also a possibility, then I am fine - I've enough trains). If looking at the GWR era rather than the BR, I have even less in the way of "fine N" stock.
Similarly with HW, because it is designed as shunting puzzle using the Peco Elsie Coupling system, there isn't a lot I can do about appropriate stock. As this is not a "model" as such but something to operate, the focus is on things which work, rather than accuracy per se.
When I get around to rebuilding St Alban's Priory, I will also need quite a bit of stock and so the older versions will still keep on keeping on. The trick I think shall be to keep like with like - so the new Bachmann stuff will run with itself and the older Peco based stuff will run with itself. Most people at shows don't know the difference!
Unfortunately no photos - too late in the day and my wife and I had a deal to do blogs on Wednesday. I've at least managed it this week! Photos for next week? We shall see.
