Carriage and wagon works

I haven't had a lot of time to progress anything on the layout recently but have spent a few evenings in the carriage and wagon works and as a result the IoSR has a new brake van and a new bogie coach with a couple of other coaches in the early stages.

The brake van is a duplicate of one I already have but the coaches are Parkside Dundas FR style variations, there will be two fairly standard third class and a brake composite similar to one I already have but better made.

The loco works has also been busy trying to get the new big diesel to run well... so far a total failure. I think its a pick up problem but have so far not had the nerve to completely dismantle the chassis to remedy it.

On a more positive note I'm also nearing completion of another diesel. This one is a four wheeler built on a Hobbytrain V20. This is a very smooth running loco which has a jackshaft between the two sets of wheels. I've used an A1 models cab, the original bonnet and some bits and pieces of plasticard and the box of bits. I can't work out how to join the two body sections together or how to secure the body to the chassis without just glueing it all together which I am loathe to do. However so far I haven't buggered up the running qualities and it looks good too.

One of the new coaches and the four wheel diesel.

The new van on the left with the original on the right with the open door.

A history lesson

Hudson Coach and New Diesel paint jobs

I'm pretty pleased with the Hudson open coach in the end, it has a livery of Snot Green and Bleached Bone. I'm still having a bit of trouble making the bogies run smoothly but this is only a bit of fiddling, otherwise a very nice kit.

The diesel looks ok too and now it will get some weathering to make it look a bit less new.

Spoiling by painting

I've been busy on the real railway in the last week so haven't done much to the layout, however I've painted the Hudson coach in it's first coat and made it look dreadful in a brown colour, I think I'll change that to something nicer. I ended up fitting BEMO couplings in the end; I think the 3D printing texture is too rough to work well. I've several more pairs to experiment with and hope to do so over the next couple of days which are my weekend.

I've also been adding some details to the new 0-6-0 diesel - slightly wonky had rails as predicted and a few other odds and sods to make it look a bit less 'clean'. Needs some more spoiling with paint and then I can weather it to cover up the bad paint work.

At the exhibition I also acquired a second Lilliput 0-4-0 diesel for a bargain price but I'm not sure what fate awaits it... watch this space.

Calm after the storm

All back safely and plugged in and working... including the bits that had stopped working at the exhibition. However I've managed to snag a few wires underneath and this has turned off the lights in the town hall and the new cafe so they need the attention of my soldering iron. I had a mammoth tidy up and in the process I've found that I have a spare street light so I can add an extra one on the new baseboard.

The weather today has been truly abominable, with gale force wind and torrential rain so instead of going for a walk with the family and the dog I've made the first of the Hudson open coaches. It looks very nice and went together very sweetly. I've tried some of the trial couplings that I've received from Tom on the NGRM forum, they are a prototype of a chopper style coupling that is designed to be compatible with BEMO style and N gauge style and look more prototypical too. They are made by the magic of 3D printing so the surface is a little rough but can be smoothed by sanding them. I haven't tried them with any of my rolling stock yet but on first inspection they seem a little long for this job. More to follow on this.

Complete coach but with the roof not stuck on to aid painting.

Close up (slightly fuzzy) of the coupling. Certainly would look better if it were shorter between where it joins the bogie and the first ridge.

Exhibition all over

Had a fun day at the exhibition, I was next to Loch Ewe Harbour so it was good to chat 009 with the great and the good.

The layout behaved itself pretty much... well the old bit did, I had a variety of problems which limited the usefulness of the extension but nothing which a few minutes with the soldering iron and some quiet contemplation shouldn't sort out.

This is StRuth next to the Corris Railway stand. Many thanks to Paul Towers and his team of tea ladies who keep the wheels of industry turning with tea and cakes.

The layout is still in the car as I didn't have the energy last night or the time this morning to take it out. I will put it back in its space and give it some time to settle down before I get back to it.

I bought three of the 009 society exclusive kits for the WHR/FR Hudson open coaches which on brief inspection look very nice so I dare say they will be next on the workbench... and then there is Smallchurch... and Port Lucy and loads of kits in my drawer... RT models new Peckett 0-6-0 on its way...

StRuth in action complete with lighting rig and map and explanation.

Ready as it'll ever be!

Well, the layout is all packed in the car ready for an early start. Fingers crossed everything was working pretty well before I packed the stock away and loaded it up. There was about half an inch to spare through the garage door... I hadn't taken the open door's end taking up a couple of inches width.

Anyway. I'm off to bed as there is nothing I can do now but worry.