The Generator Game

Norwegian generator van chop. I have no idea whether this will work or not. The donor van was only four quid, so I haven't lost much if it doesn't.

7mm narrow gauge flat wagon

During the visit to the Bluebell over the weekend it was felt that I had to look round the 'toy and collectors fair' that was attached. I don't usually bother with them but I did pick up a Triang wagon for 75p. They're not particularly common, but I thought the rising 7mm ng layout would need one flat wagon. So after butchering the Triang to its minimum, a simple top was built with a 40thou scribed Evergreen floor and a BB/solebar assembly from 60thou sheet. Nominal bolt detail has been added, just a little strapping and paint to go. I took the dimensions from the Snailbeach coal wagon previously built as the same chassis is used, however after I'd got this far I thought that a flat would have transverse planks not longitudinal ones like the coal wagon... never mind.

There is a working title for this new layout Upper Dodsworth. There is a DODworth near Barnsley so not that far fetched. If you can think of something else... on a postcard please.

Svanda warehouse

The warehouse for Svanda more or less done, the fire escape supports will be added in situ. I was trying to get that air of 'in use, but very tired'. I think it could do with a couple of things like lamps etc. However we'll see what it looks like when on the layout.

C Class 0-6-0 backhead photos

 After  a not too small amount of pressure, a trip to the Bluebell was quickly organised for Saturday. I'm not a great fan of the line though it's very well stocked with 'stuff'. However it is only ten minutes away. Our engine for the day was the C Class so bearing in mind the forthcoming Bachmann model, which I may even buy (don't ask) some photos were taken of the cab and backhead.

O-16.5 hand-built points

Aside from a little painting there has been much work on the slightly forward planned 7mm ng project. To that end I've been filing away at the nickle silver faster than a 13 year old boy goes through a box of tissues. Nothing startling in the above, the construction of these is covered if you click through the labels link. Needless to say the pointwork is now finished, just plain to do. Now though I've run out of the scrap rail donated from Dave Willet's HO layout. This is a bit of a bugger as I was hoping to do the whole lot out of recycled 8" lengths. Now I'll have to visit Gaugemaster.

Looking at the stats for this page and taking averages and lumping them into a monthly figure I realised that this page gains as many views as the monthly circulation of some of the lesser model magazines. May I take this opportunity of saying thanks for your continued viewing. Have you not got something better to do?

Painting the mill for Svanda

Although it may not seem like it from where you're sitting it's been busy here. Yesterday a bit of 7mm ng planning, or more to the point checking and bouncing a few ideas around. Generally though it's been point building (which has been done to death here so I won't bore you with it) and the building up of washes of paint on the Svanda warehouse. The oh so fun roof is more or less done with various greys and green and grey washes, and now building up what I hope will look like flaky paint on the clapboarding using white with a little light grey mixed in and washed. This so the creamy brown bleeds though a little. Did I mention the rather delicate fire escapes at the back? Later.

What did become apparent yesterday was the 95% aspect of finishing things. There are still one or two things to go on Tal-coed as well as possibly increasing the stud on Rhiw. And there I am wandering into pastures new. But don't we all do that? Focus dear boy, focus.

7mm narrow gauge points

It may have been noted that there has been a little more 7mm work going on. This all stopped at the beginning of the year to make way for Tal-coed, and then beyond that Svanda. However as a little break from painting the warehouse I started doodling around with some lining paper and a few bits of stock. I think... that it may be possible to build something small and testy in 7mm ng on a standard board - that it one that is 45" x12". Two more points will be needed. You don't want me to go all through that again do you?

More Laurie

This morning CP sent some scans of 70s MRNs featuring Laurie; here after the old Central Hall exhibition. He pointed out that this para was sobering for all of us who exhibit, which the first part is. However the second sentence is... well we've been there too.

Granvin Warehouse for Svanda

Painting again. This warehouse built by Nigel for Svanda from plastic. My brief... to paint it. So far a  coat of artist's acrylic grey on the roof and Humbrol 29 on the body as base-coats. There's a lot to do

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The prototype inspiration at Granvin.

Buildings worth modelling 1

A handful of times a year I drive through St. Reathem and Norwood  in S London. And every time this corner grouping catches my eye. Urban buildings such as these make up most of our lives and fit the usual modelling periods and yet are rarely tacked. These two adjacent blocks with the alley between would fill hours of modelling and yet less than six linear inches in 4mm. But there is such a challenge, and therefore a satisfaction involved. We pass this sort of stuff every day and take no notice, and yet careful study of these three shots should bring out the modeller in all of us - the varied rooflines, pipework, different window designs and angles are a gift to those long on time, but short on modelling space.

Maybe we should stop all those competitions like squeezing a railway into a pizza box and instead encourage people to aspire to reproducing everyday - but highly complex - work like this.

Minicraft 0-16.5 coaches

The pair now populated and done all except a TL coupling on the LH end. This has been a bit of a coach week, these two sandwiching two very long Norwegian modern coaches for Nigel's Svanda  which needed an oh-so-light weathering. These two have though somewhat more character. As I mentioned there are parts enough for four more variants in the loft.... possibly. Don't hold your breath.

Minicraft 0-16.5 coach

And with the Slaters stiff-necked figures comfortably positioned with their arses sat in UHU and the roof on, coach No1 for the 7mm NG project is done.

Please be seated

Another one of those tidy up jobs nearly done. I bult  a pair of 7mm (ish) Minicraft coaches probably 6+ years ago (there are four more to do). The kits prior to that were something of a holy grail and there was at least one maufacturer who ripped-off the moldings thinking they would not reappear. With a couple of modifications the coaches aren't a million miles from Tal-y-llyn shape and size though I believe are 1:45 scale  and 3'6" prototypes.

Now with three wooden Slaters figures in I can get the roof on. With the shirt packet 'glass' slightly yellowed over the years they are almost invisable, but just enough to give a little life.

Age

Whist at the Alesbury bash a couple of weeks back, a little time was spent at the Agenoria models stand. One thing that caught my eye was a planned kit for the firm's namesake loco - I started dribbling. Could I build this? It would be fiddly in the extreme, but would fit the basic premise of the O Gauge project. Then yesterday I flicked open Branch Lines To Stourbridge at a well known library and there it was again. I've no idea how much this kit would cost or if it's do-able. However the case for trying is building.http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/agenoria/agenoria2/history.htm