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Cornish Engine House
The latest building for my Forest of Dean project. Knocked up the last week on and off; a scratch built 'Cornish Engine house', which would have been used to pump a mine free of excess water. It's made...
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On track...
Forest of Dean Project update...Cork sheet as a track underlay is so 2007 darhlings... I lay my track on 6mm foam board, then insert and glue it in to the diorama case. It's much easier to align the...
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Ahead of its time?
Dug this late 1970s Airfix 14xx out the other day. I recall it was one of my first weathering exercises around 1980 using airbrushing and dry brushing. I also added etched cabside plates. The body with...
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Tuesday Photo
Click for a bigger view44417 carefully propels a rake of empties up the gradient in to Polbrook Gurney Colliery. Note the ancient tipping wagons to the right. It's likely they were used for removal of...
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Forest of Dean Colliery Update
Progress is now moving forward at a good rate. So much so that I hope to be taking it to a show in Warminster on Saturday the 17th of June. Well, that's the plan, I do have a standby layout just in...
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Fountain Colliery! We Have a Name!
I've finally a name for my Forest of Dean project - Fountain Colliery - it sort of sounds 'Forest of Deany', probably because of a well known pub in Parkend that the real trains would rumble past with...
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Fountain Colliery - housebound
This weekend's progress. I've been stuck at home with Norovirus (probably picked up at some music jam I imagine - my other interest), so with certain facilities being nearby an ideal excuse for a bit...
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Exit Right - Fountain Colliery Update
Yesterday I dedicated time to sorting out the right hand side where trains exit stage. Disappearing roads in to a backscene are a problem, whist they can look ok to the eye, they rarely work in...
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Smartphone experiment
iPhone 7 photo as shot, note bleached highlights and clogged out shadows. Click for a bigger viewLove them or hate them, for mobile phones are very much part of every day life. For me it's my calendar,...
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Cheap Tip!
Click to enlargeHere's a cheap trick for fans of the 3 foot rule (don't get too close basically)....Some budget yard lamps, barbecue skewer, bent nail, a slice of plastic tube, splash of paint, job...
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Working in Card
I've been asked to 'enhance' a Metcalfe printed card kit. Mostly involves adding card overlays to formerly printed detail along with a slap of paint. I hold my hand up to the quoins not being quite...
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60 Years Ago
60 years ago today, Johnson 1P No. 58086 departs Combwich through an early morning late summer mist. This loco sadly was withdrawn just 2 years later. What a shame none survived in to preservation. The...
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Extending Brew Street
A little messing about to possibly extend Brew Street. And in anticipation I've ordered another diorama case from www.timhorn.co.uk to match Brew Street's, however a little carpentry will be required...
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Point of No Return
Extending Brew Street from its original 2 x 1 feet to a whopping 4 x 1 - I think I've reached the point of no return.In its original format, I could never see me taking it to a show. I'd have been...
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Brew Street Update
Brew Street update. Starting to look like a layout with the J15 looking very at home here. It's ex-box, so will need renumbering and grubbing up a little. Nothing is fixed down, so apologies for the...
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Going Commercial
I regularly get requests as to whether I can undertake model making commissions .... so, with a deep breath I have decided to take on a limited amount of work. You might have that stalled project that...
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Hornby J15 - Sunday Afternoon Grub Up
As always, click on the fuzzy photo above for a bigger view - a really big view in fact because I'm too lazy to resize the original file.I've had this little loco sitting in a box for some time, one of...
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Coffee Stirrers
Toy trains don't have to be an expensive hobby, disposable coffee stirrer are a great source of cheap timber, or possibly free if you have a naughty streak (I'll leave that bit to your imagination, I...
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Roger Sprocket
Click to enlargeThe works train stops at the works halt to pick up Roger Sprocket - a tiresome man, who for all of his career has worked in the MOD film unit labs. His particular job is to manually...
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Trees
Click to enlargeThe problem with with small shelf type layouts can be achieving a believable looking depth. Fountain Colliery is only 1 foot / 30cm deep, so I've been adding some trees along the front...
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