Lever frame

And more or less done. Here with the upper structure dropped on.  Once you start scratching the surface, you open up the worm can. I started asking how many of each colour? AotC has four points so that's the black ones done, and I reckoned two FPLs and at least four signals. That filled the frame with no spares. I re-read Tim Rayner's excellent article in RM from a couple of years back and now I get the feeling that I probably needed about 15 levers as opposed to 10. Too late now, I shall never sleep again. Maybe some clever person could draw up a signalling diagram for the layout.

Because AotC is a 'model' and not really drawn from real practice, it probably needs ground signals on both sidings, which in essence means three FPLs as they exit the running line . There would be a Home beyond the bridge, plus the starter and another ground at the far end. Would the crossover be worked on one lever? Questions... but then it's barely visible anyway.

Ratio signal box interior

Another stall point, so another sideways jump. The signal box has been hanging around on the bench for weeks, so I fired myself up to do the interior. This is one of those 'why are you bothering' moments. By the time the roof is on and it's all dark and gloomy, and there's a bit of reflection off the glazing, you won't be able to see anything in there. Plus its final position on the AoC will be at the front facing away from the viewer. However... with nothing in there it just looks wrong.
Regulars will know that I'm not one to splash the cash if I don't need to, no 12 quid interior kit for me, so a bit of subterfuge comes into play. What is needed is shapes, not hyper-detail. A table was knocked up out of a bit of 20 thou and some strip and the instrument bridge from lengths of square sprue  and the pips from the same. A sloppy coat of dark browns and all is done. Rough? Absolutely. But behind the glass there is just enough visual information to suggest more. A bench seat has also been done from the original doors on the pagoda. Levers next.

Lever frame done. Piece of 80 thou rounded off, a few holes and some strip. Most of the visual info will be colour - black blue and red with  touch of metallic on the tops. I did include the kick plate even though it'll be invisible. Below the basic inspiration

Ratio coach bash

W1 van done, less transfers which I have yet to source. Though would such a lowly piece of kit received a crest? There are many questions about this as there is only limited information and you tend to fall into the trap of looking at other people's models. The footboards for example: the Russell book suggests that they stopped just short of the second to last panel, but no one else has done this, so does this mean that it's wrong? It would mean that the end supports would crash through the springs so...  And don't get me started on the roof lamps. Oil to start yes, but at the end of its life? The post war photo suggests that these weren't replaced with gas, so I've gone with this.
A fiddly but quite fun project, and by using a spare set of plastic sides, much cheaper that the Shirescenes option of brass replacements.

Woking show

 A trip up to the Woking show this morning. Mainly to do a little shopping, but also because it looked rather good. One of the draws for me is Thirdly (above). I think this is a joy as it is pure 60s modelling with brickpaper, SMP track and mainly tweaked proprietary stock. I reminds me of all the black and white shots of layout in my early RMs - mainline running that felt busy and purposeful; something I've still not reached. The rest of the show was excellent. Full marks to the manager for getting two halls full of great layouts. The catering though.... shite. Council run venue, probably 1,500 plus trainspotters through the door over a weekend and a notice. 'Sorry the sandwiches ran out on Saturday lunchtime'. Err, were you not expecting us? Can you not make sandwiches? There was nothing else save a few ends of cake and nothing looking like lunch. Utterly appalling service and planning. If you go next year, take your own.

One thing that did make me smile was the first book stall inside the door.  a couple of titles by some bloke called Ford... whoever he may be.

Burgess Hill show

 The first of a couple of outings this month for Nigel's Svanda. All behaved fairly well though I started drawing up a list of repairs and improvements. Bouncing it in and out of the car has induced a few knocks, and there are odd bits of ballast missing and edges of scenery that have lifted and need sorting out. A phone discussion this morning about it's future and if any, which shows we would like to do with it in the future.

There were two small purchases, both off the club stand - I tend to home in on these more these days as the technology is older and I can't find three figure sums for the new stuff. This Airfix autocoach was on the list for AotC though I'm mentally back dating it a bit from this. Anyway... at nine quid it was two thirds of the price of the Triang clerestories on the dealer's stand (how much?). The previous has added a light via track skates on one bogie which are an easy remove. Now to find the MRJ article (30 something?) which tells me all the things that are wrong with it and how to fix them.
The other purchase was a Merit delivery cart which may be closer to HO than 4mm looking at the figure. Again a princely two quid.

Cutting and shutting

This is proving trickier and taking longer than I thought. The roof shows the amount of cutting of all the parts.

Svanda

Nigel and I are at the Burgess Hill exhibition with Svanda - the little slice of Norway - on Saturday. Do come and throw things.

Control

I had the opportunity to wander around bits of the named air base last week. Although you obviously have to be fairly careful with cameras in such places, this did spring out at me. Now downgraded to the office for the scuba diving team it's a cracking 30s-50s piece of utility architecture that I'm instantly drawn to. I have no use for a model, but doesn't this just cry out to be done?

Ratio 4 wheel coach side

A W1 parcels van conversion from two Ratio brake third sides. Yes it has bowed very slightly - not a problem. The painting though is. There is no easy way around this. I chose the black framing first then the brown, now onto the cream. I might go cream first next time. The only way to do it is to take a deep breath and a new brush.
It's enough to drive you back to the easy option of freelancing.

Update:

Ever so slowly managed to get one side done. If you play the 3' rule it looks OK, but I'm wowed by people who can do this well - one chap in Denmark in particular. Just a coat of varnish over this and then just touch the handles and grabs in with brass before building. I'm not looking forward to the tiny numbers. It is quite a cute little vehicle though.

Wills Pagoda

All done and perched on the loading dock on the AotC. Finished in the paint style of the Didcot Museum example which is basically in the 'official' colours; not that most examples actually ended up like this. As pointed out earlier it's five scale feet short and would need a cut and shut operation using two kits to get it perfect.

Pedants Corner:
Apparently the doors are upside down. The reference: Llangollen Railway.