VoR coach

The Parkside Dundas VoR coach in it's cutdownedness shape. Basically 1.5 compartments shorter that the original. The pair on Wood End were very similar , but built by Mr. Hill, one with a brake ducket added.
A nice introduction to cutting and shutting.

French narrow gauge photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/sets/72157633881249520/

Miles sent this through this morning. If you like your narrow gauge French and grubby then this is for you.

Turning up the Wickham

 Just to put a positive spin on the Amberley visit. I would point out that if you are in any small way drawn toward industrial railways it is the place to visit; there is just so much stuff sitting around to photograph. Here a two foot gauge ex MOD Wickham trolley. This is problematic as I do have in the box a Nu-Cast kit for same. The addition of a shortened Kato tram mech would look like a smart move.

Amberley Museum

A trip out to Amberley Museum on Sunday. The first time I'd visited as a paying punter as opposed to exhibiting. Something was different and I can't quite put my finger on it. Was it the sunshine? Or has the whole operation become a little too complex for the volunteers available? Has it lost some of the elastic band and string feel that gave it its charm before? That's not a criticism - nice weather lots of stuff running around and some interesting models, but the vibe had changed.

Nohab

In case you're wondering why I've been posting less - the reason, or reasons really. I've been offered a book, which is somewhat of a departure at Ford Towers. So a) I've been beavering away at writing it and b) because it's highly connected with what I've done here over the last few years I have the odd scenario of this page generating some extra work now means that there is a clash and I can't put what I'm working on up here in order to avoid contractually clashing. Hence the rather fleeting glimpses of half-done 4mm projects. More details as they emerge.

The above is the Nohab 2-6-0 parked up at the Nene Valley which was visited briefly on Thursday on the way to a gig in Grantham. Why is it that I much prefer the feel of this dusty oxidizing loco chassis much more than if it were all greased-up and in working order?  Colour...

Cut and shut

One of the things that doesn't seem to be done is use the Parkside VoR coach kit full length. So in the time honoured fashion a large slice is taken out of each side to make it less dwarfing. The slice is almost enough for a brake van.

15" Simplex

I'm in the early throws of packing to move and sorted through all the photos to thin them down a little. This turned up.

I'm still very taken with the RHDR's rebuild of their Simplex.