Right then, slightly better timed than last months update, this month has seen a number of modelling projects ongoing, along with ‘project shed’ making a significant leap forward, without any class 66’s being involved thankfully….. Oh and something a bit special happened!
First up, Oly has been doing a bit of weathering to the Bachmann Std 4 tank he has been working on for the past couple of months, she has been weathered into a condition appropriate for Scotland’s last year of steam, so is not in the best of states as can be seen:
Weathering has been completed using a variety of washes, along with dry brushing and a small amount of powder, to start building up a variety of textures, with plenty more to come…. The model has also been improved using Comet etches to replace the factory pony truck:
I have been keeping myself busy fitting 3 link couplings to a seemingly endless collection of RTR wagons, but these really don’t make very interesting photos so I decided not to bother.
More exciting is another push on the Hunslet 50550 project introduced last month – another weekend spent working on her has seen the loco receive paint, although I am waiting to pick up a few replacement parts (tank filler and cab spectacle plate surrounds) from RT Models at Scaleforum towards the end of the month.
Here she is seen in filler, having removed the tankside footsteps and handrails that were not carried by the 50550.
Having received a coat of primer she is seen here in Stoating’s workshops alongside various other stablemates.
Initial painting using Halfords Rover Damask red for the bodywork and Phoenix warning panel yellow on the bufferbeams and she is starting to look the part:
Wasp stripes have been added using a fine CD marking pen – this was the first time I tried to do this and I give it a 6/10, although it was a horrible job! Once she is weathered it will all blend in hopefully…..
Moving away from the modelling, Project shed got underway with a trip to the local Wickes, and the purchase of some walling material, which after some adjustment almost fitted in the car:
The H&S Executive then visited and told us to implement some H&S protocols before work could commence. Having surrounded the garden in orange fencing just to be safe we then found breathing apperatus got in the way of drinking tea and it was a bit warm to wear a Hi-Vi and safety boots so we took our life in our hands and cracked on the old fashioned way…….
Even Hallam decided he wanted to help, despite the heat (Obviously I forgot to take the workmate with me hence the somewhat dubious setup…):
Amazingly, despite the clear breach of H&S requirements, we both came out the other side of the whole thing with nothing more than a cut finger!
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic…..
Oly’s US fling appears to be gathering pace as the boxcars have been weathered and a loco purchased:
The loco is a Walthers Proto 2000 model of a Pennsylvanian GP9 apparently, as can be seen, it has been weathered quite nicely, more detailed shots will hopefully appear next month…..
And the special event? Well congratulations to Oly and wife on the birth of their first child, Evie, last week!! Hopefully she won’t obstruct Dad’s modelling activities too much!
Chris.
The Model Railways of Oly Turner and Chris Matthews 