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It has been a busy week here with some new commissions starting but slow progress on the existing ones mixed with GCSE results and planning for a week off next. It felt, putting this together that there was less to share, but I’ve managed to cobble together a few photos nevertheless. Let’s take a look… There are a few big steps left on the current 009 layout build - but I have managed to fit the…
I knew I would have to tackle this, to address the factory fresh stainless steel finish of my Rapido RDC. A wash had transformed the underframe realism but the bodywork remained, gleaming, beautiful… These machines spent their lives working hard - and I’m not able to rely upon memories and feelings to inform the models finish. Instead falling back on photographs and a sense of their character…
Creech Barn has never really reached its full potential. Sure it has been enjoyable to build a share it over the past four years but despite still deeply loving my European 009 models I just haven’t found a connection with it - not helped by living in a box… I advertised it for sale a few weeks ago and the purchaser asked would I consider finishing off the last details. I can’t say this was…
With news that DB Cargo is for sale , the idea that ‘Modern Goods’ would depict the current rail scene is already hopelessly dashed. Whilst I am no fan of some of the firms decisions, DB and their wonderfully bold red locomotives have been a feature if the British rail freight scene for 19 years… Down on Paxton Road not much changes though, the bold red Shed looks great (sounds great too) and my…
“And now for something completely different” - I love my job. Sometimes projects come along that are completely unique. I was asked recently if I could convert a Fleischmann M62 in N scale to the North Korean K62 … Almost without knowing the scope of work I hoped it would come to pass for it just sounded interesting. In fact the conversion was basically just a repaint if the Fleischmann model - so…
Sometimes I find it’s good to jump from one project to another. The piece or work required may be fresh, or favourite. The task may be bigger or smaller matching available time. It is like finding the right piece to fit life’s jigsaw in that moment… This small plastic van from Oxford Diecast (none of it appears die-cast, that’s a good thing) is one such distraction. The pen behind shows it’s small…
I have long respected those artisans, modellers, artists who master not only the application of paint to reflect dirt, but who master sheen too, to create a model that just sings with colour. Texture, shadow and wear and tear implied by just paint and lacquer… In the past I’ve practiced this myself - both before and after the dirt. I’ve polished Hornby steam locomotive pain finishes before and ’ve…
Welcome to Friday, and a hot one but we’ve broken the back of the heat wave and today promises to be cooler with a fresh weekend and week ahead. If you’re comfortable let’s take a look at what has been happening here in the past seven days… Last weekend was pleasant, blue skies and comfortable mid twenties heat… my partner and I took a walk up near Arenig, and heading back is this view of Llyn…
I was talking with Will Lloyd (Rye Sands) recently, and we both reflected how building a structure is a sort of promise or commitment to a project. Will reflected that perhaps it’s easier to let stock come and go, but a structure is personal… I think he is right - and not just because it is made by us, but because it captures something of our passion and intent for a particular prototype or layout…
In my quest for an introductory step for modellers in N, wanting to get started but not confident to build turnouts, I’ve taken a second look at Peco Code 55… Its robust and reliable construction and ease of use are huge benefits - however it has one massive draw back, one exacerbated for British use by two axle short wheelbase wagons. The gap in the frog is massive! This is a design decision. To…
A couple of weeks ago I kicked this ‘simple’ conversion project off with an introduction on the blog . You’d be forgiven for thinking that all this British N had been forgotten with the plethora of Canadian ramblings but no, the flame of Speedlink era freight continues to burn brightly here… In that introduction I shared how I would use the N scale ‘Cavalex’ PGA as the basis for the conversion…
