I'm not gone!
Apologies for those who looked at the blog this morning and saw a message that I'd gone away. It's not true, I'm not going anywhere yet - well apart from to a beer festival later one today.That post is...
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Llanfair 2018
Sometimes, I get the chance to spend a lot of time on motorways. A couple of weeks ago, my weekend involved a trip to Telford followed by a run to Llanfair the next day. I wonder if I can get a...
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Painting brickwork
Duncan asks:As I am making an satisfying and active return to model railways, I am attempting new modelling media as well as the older established materials like card, plastic, white metal and brass. I...
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Wobbly axle good news
For a cheap kit, this GVT wagon is very well specified. When it came time to fit the underframe bits, which are mostly from glass-reinforced plastic, I find that this is no simple 4-wheel wagon.A...
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Warehouse Wednesday: Steel water tower
Spotted at the Churnet Valley Railway, this steel water tower.I'm pretty sure it's not an original railway structure, but then the railway hasn't built it from scratch either. My guess it the tank was...
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Garden Rail - October 2018
We've a bit more American outline on the cover this month, all the way from sunny Quinton in the West Midlands. It's interesting that in garden railway terms, readers aren't put off by non-UK...
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Harris "No Loss" brush review
Faced with a "garden room" (posh shed) requiring a coat of yacht varnish before winter, I headed to the local DIY store for some new brushes.I've always been pleased with the Harris "No Loss" range....
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: Finsbury Park diesel depot
An interesting film this week. It appears to be unedited footage from Pathe News taken at the then very new Finsbury Park diesel dept. There's nice footage of D5598, so new that it wasn't even fitted...
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TINGS 2018
The International N Gauge Show (TINGS) can be a bit of a mixed bag. Some years, I don't find anything particularly inspiring, but I'm pleased to say that this year was very different. It seems that all...
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Painting the GVT wagon
After a coat of grey primer to provide a nice base colour, I've painted the GVT wagon with the lighter base colours from a Lifecolor "Weathered Wood" set. For variety, a "replacement" plank uses the...
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How to design a micro layout
Luke asks: I have been modelling for 3 years now with some quite pleasing, realistic layouts. I’m currently working on an oo gauge Scottish distillery micro layout which is occupying most of my...
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Warehouse Wednesday - Herbert Morris Ltd
In a Loughborough back street is the factory once owned by Herbert Morris Ltd, crane manufacturers. You can find more of their history here. Sadly, no longer in operation, the building is a cracker for...
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Throwback Thursday: Percy shunting
Looking back through some old photos this week, I found this one of my upgraded Hornby Percy shunting Melbridge Dock.The loco has a Branchlines 2-stage gearbox, Mashima motor, Romford wheels, Gibson...
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Thornton Mfrs (Harrogate) Ltd tunnel mouth
From the vintage pile today, we have this interesting vacuum-formed tunnel mouth and wing-wall set from Thornton Mfrs (Harrogate) Ltd, based in Long Street, Easingwold, York. A quick look at the street...
View ArticleSaturday Film Club: Supercar out takes
Even I'm not old enough to remember Gerry Anderson's Supercar - but I've seen little bits in recent years and know it was a precursor to Thunderbirds. Always fascinated by special effects, I was...
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Birmingham Museum Collection Centre - behind the scenes
A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre for their open day. I'm not going to say much about this other than it was fantastic and well worth the trip. Not the easiest...
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The world's cheapest model locomotive kit
Railway modelling is expensive, cripplingly so according to people on popular forums. Basically, if you want toy trains, you and your family will have to go without food for a year.Of course, this is...
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Body mods for the 16mm Hunslet
A dry run with the loco parts produces a not-unattractive little model. It's very much a relative of the low-cost Saltford Models that I loved years ago. Simple and slightly cartoony, the only...
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Warehouse Wednesday - Sutton Coldfield Telephone Exchange
Close to the station in Sutton Coldfield, is the telephone exchange. Built in the 1930s, it replaced an earlier building opened in 1901 that by 1903 had 38 subscribers. Presumably the residents had...
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Detail manufacture with a leather punch
An understandable niggle with many laser-cut kits is that bolt heads and rivets are represented with etched circles rather than anything raised. I'm sure round bits could be supplied but this would be...
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