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Quickbuild Quick build
Years ago, I used to look forward to a Christmas addition to my extensive Lego collection. Sometimes the larger and more complicated models that Santa would bring were a bit much for my limited skills...
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Calendar Time
New year, new NRM calendar. Time to plough through the pages of 2103 to see what events I need to look up new dates for and add to the pages. While I'm at it, I've updated my on-line exhibition diary...
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PH Designs signals
I'm not quite sure how I managed to say yes to my latest project but it seems that I've agreed to build a few 7mm scale signal components using etched parts from PH Designs. This is unusual for me as I...
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Feather Signal Assembly
With a selection of kits to chose from, which one do I start with? For no particular reason, I picked the Feather signal. From my limited understanding of railway signalling (those who know more,...
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Route Indicator
Delving in to the world if signalling again, this time with a Route Indicator box. A large letter ligths up to let the driver know which way they will be going - since train drivers have to be passed...
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Coal stage and Edgeworth Part 2 in BRM
Christmas plays havoc with magazine deadlines and left me a week shorter than I'd have liked. Part 2 of the layout supplement I'm writing was taking a bit longer than I hoped so there were a few late...
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Chassis spray paint
"Street Art" has brought us many things, Banksy and errr, lots of kids scrawling on anything that doesn't move for a few minutes. Now it has produced my new favorite model loco chassis paint. Picked up...
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Hair spray
"Do you use product sir?""Yes, but no on my hair, only on my model railway!"It's true. The Parker barnet might only see shampoo and conditioner but I do find myself the current owner of 4 cans of hair...
View ArticleControversial Modelling
I should start this post by reminding readers, as I make it clear at the bottom of the page, the views expounded here are mine alone and not those of any publication I write for. The cover feature of...
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Military Vehicles Partwork
Yay - It's partwork season again!Looking at the shelves of WH Smith, it seems the ones relevant to this blog are "Build the Black Pearl" which I covered last time it was released, "Giant Warplane...
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Gauge 1 Garratt seen in the wild
For many years, I've been suggesting to Trevor at Mercian Models that he ought to produce his rather nice industrial Garratt kit, currently available in O gauge, for Gauge 1 modellers. I've always...
View ArticleFlore's highly modelable buildings
View Larger MapEvery time I drive through the village of Flore in Northamptonshire, I think I really must stop and take a photo of the old workshops on the high street. Of course, I never do as I'm on...
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Return of the pink tractor
Last year I was noodling around with ideas for reproducing an aircraft towing tractor found in an old photograph. At the time, my ideas revolved around using a plastic kit with a few modifications. The...
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Tramcar clearout
My Dad is clearing out his collection of diecast trams. For years they have sat in a cabinet, protected from dust but doing nothing more than looking pretty. Now he has decided that it's time they went...
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Road bridge
I'm a bit busy at the moment working on part 3 of the layout supplement I'm in charge of, so here's a shot of Edgeworth under construction. There's a bit of tidying up around the ballast to do and a...
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St Albans 2014
St Albans show turned out to be surprisingly easy to visit from Leamington. If you set off by 8:30am on the Sunday, the M1 is pretty quiet, the trip from the motorway to venue is short and not too...
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Blackpool Toastrack Tram
While clearing the display cabinet of diecast trams, a few cars are destined to remain, one of which was my first foray into building etched brass kits. Designed by Ray Collins and sold as part of the...
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Great Western Emulsion
For Edgeworth's fascia panel, I've decided against my usual varnished wood finish. Instead some proper Great Western Railway colours seem appropriate. Obviously I'm not going to use my little pots of...
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Book Review: Railways of the Isle of Wight by Marie Panter
Here is a book that contrary to received wisdom, you can judge by its cover. The front shows a locomotive at Ventnor station in 1962. For someone like me, it shows very little chuff chuff and an awful...
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Better layout lettering
Today's idea isn't new. It's not even particularly revolutionary - I mention it only because in the model railway world, there are going to be a few people who will say, "Why didn't I think of that."...
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