GWR P19 from Mill Lane Sidings

Richard Bardsley is a brave bloke - or nuts (there is a chance of both). He decided that the Parkside Dundas Grampus could do with some alternative ends which would provide modellers with the opportunity to produce either the GWR P19 ballast wagon which gave rise to the Grampus or the Rudd, the rebuilt air braked version of that noble fishkind wagon. Having organised same - and presumably found the readies to pay for it - he asked for those keen to have something a little different to put their hands up (or rather into the pockets) and help out.

Being a sucker - and also looking for something different - I hit the books and decided that, tempting though a Rudd was (see the list of Australian Prime Ministers at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Prime_Ministers_of_Australia - and given that the 26th managed to lose out to a Red Death there was the thought of a EWS 66 to haul it - or push it...) it was too late for even my dabble in more recent railways of Britain so I plumped for 5 of the GWR P19s.

These arrived in this mornings post - can't tell you if it was fast or slow as I can't remember when Richard announced he had posted them - and the example above was built tonight. The other four will probably get done tomorrow in front of the Footy. All that is left to do is fit couplings and organise some of the transfers organised by Richard with Robbie's Rolling Stock.

Anyone interested in getting same can get in touch with Richard via the Mill Lane Sidings website (http://www.mill-lane-sidings.co.uk) where other oddities can be had - I previously have built some of his GWR Aero Wagons and rate these amongst the most challenging but most satisfying kits I have built. I think the Aeros are now only obtainable via the NGS shop.