Long time, no see

It has been pointed out that I haven't posted anything since before Christmas, so happy new year everyone. I've been very busy at work and home life has been frantic too so I haven't had much time or inclination for modelling recently but I have done a few things.

I treated myself to a Christmas present of a Narrow Planet O&K and really enjoyed the build, while building it I noticed that I had done some things better on the new one than on my version of Eigiau which is a variation of this loco so I also took the opportunity to make some modifications to bring it into line. I'm very pleased with both of them but can't bring myself to weather the new one just yet.

Playing trains on the dining room table

 

Engine house at Parys Mountain

 

Remains of windmill and some atmosphere

 

Something I've been toying with for a while is building an HOf layout using the Busch working track and a quantity of the left over Auhagen plastic track to extend the apparent workings. I haven't decided what to do yet but I have spent some time walking round the old copper mine at Parys Mountain on Anglesey and the quarry at the Breakwater at Holyhead and they have given me some ideas. Unfortunately they haven't given me either the time or the money to progress the idea but a plan is gradually fermenting in 'the little grey cells'.

 

I finished off the dodgy printed coach and I rather like it, the surface doesn't really bear close scrutiny but at the usual viewing distance it is fine so I now have a nice rake of green four wheel coaches.

One other coach has joined the fleet too, inspired by a kit bash by Charlie Insley which I had seen at Warley show I had a go myself.

The chopped kit awaiting assembly

 

The kit in question is the Five79 RC810 Innisfail tramway coach which in itself makes a very nice compact bogie coach. What Charlie had done was to add balconies at each end which I rather liked the look of.

 

 

Here is the finished thing accompanied by the Minitrains Bagnall and a PECO slate waggon. Talking of which the latest new RTR product from PECO is two sets of FR 2 ton slate waggons.

They have detachable close couplers in NEM pockets so you can have nice, close coupled rakes which are shuntable and have standard 009 couplings on each end. Very clever. They also come with removable loads which are hollow should you want to add some weight which I think I probably will. I tried a quick bit of weathering on one to make it look rather more careworn and I think it looks great as a result. A dry brush of dark brown, then some very thin orange on top then a little black on the axle boxes and coupling faces to represent oil. I'm aiming to have a few tatty ones and a few cleaner ones in my rake. I'm also going to add a Parkside 3 ton one with PECO NEM pockets on so it can have close couplers and function in the rake.

Next thing is the Model Railway show at the Llanberis Slate Museum where I will be playing with Underhill Town. The show is free and there is lots to see and do aside from the layouts. 22nd to the 24th of Feb. Always badly advertised but always a good do too.