Missenden 2012

And off for a weekend's modelling at Missenden Abbey :-)

Friday night saw the traditional setting up of workbenches and unpacking of kits.  This is my travelling ensemble:

 

And the kit that I will be making - a High level Y5 GER 0-4-0.  Note printed pictures from the web that I can then scribble on to highlight the detailing that I need.

 

Friday night is also a time to meet up with old friends.  My group includes David Brandreth , John McAleely from my Area Group CHEAG, and Mark Tatlow (of Portchullin fame).  Here is Mark looking for a place to call his own.

Then after a spot of dinner (fish and chips, with it being Friday) it was down to a couple of hours modelling.  And at the end of it, I had a laminated footplate (all done with a resistance soldering iron - thank you London Road Models) and a set of splashers.  You wouldn't think it, but even with such small parts, using a set of GW Models rolling bars made forming the splashers really easy.

 And that's progress so far!  Now I'm wasting valuable modelling time, so more later...

Flymo

Finding inspiration...

Sometimes you find something that inspires you to get modelling again.  A recent treat for myself that did just that is a newly published book, "London's East End Railways":

It's a hard cover publication, containing both a narrative story of the author's experiences of working in the Eastern Region of British Railways, and some excellent photos from all periods back into Great Eastern days.  This volume covers the line out (roughly) from Liverpool Street Station to Stratford station and locomotive works.  

The pictures are almost uniformly interesting and of very good quality.  Highly recommended for any Great Eastern modeller that wants to soak up the atmosphere, research details for modelling, or just enjoy a rather interesting story.

Flymo

Choices, choices...

Only a couple of weeks to go now until the Missenden Spring Modelling Weekend.  I don't know if anyone else is being tempted to put in a last minute appearance, to join the four Scalefour Society members that I know will be there.

The problem now for me is to choose what kit to take along to spend 48 hours of unadulterated modelling pleasure building.  Over the last two years at Missenden I've started on my Y14, and my GER tram engine - both of which are in the final stages of the paintshop.  So I had a good rummage in my box of kits to see what was there...

And the short-list is currently comprised of:

Alan Gibson GER F4/5 2-4-2T.  It's an etched brass kit,  it's a known quantity, and I enjoy putting AG kits together.

Alan Gibson GWR 517 class 0-4-2T.  This is mostly white metal, with etched chassis and other brass bits.  The second P4 loco that I ever built was one of these some twenty five years ago, when the previous incarnation of it was the M&L Kits version.  

High Level Kits GER Y5 0-4-0T.  Etched nickel silver, and the kit just oozes quality.  I love HLK kits - the question is whether I fancy doing another tiny locomotive so soon after the Pug...

I'm not going to take all three along.  At the moment, the current hot picks are the 517 and the Y5.  One for nostalgia and one for the sheer class of the kit.  I'll pack the relevant research books - I've got Russell's "Great Western Engines" by my elbow at the moment - and make a decision when I get there!

How does that sound?

Cheers

Flymo

It fits!

And just because it did, and I had the camera to hand, a quick snapshot...

 

The painting is at the "blocking in colours" stage, so there are a few blemishes and marks to be corrected, and  of course it will get a coat of satin varnish before weathering is started on it.

Flymo

Dangerous games...

I'm not entirely sure that I'm supposed to use a slitting disc in a mini-drill to remove the corners from a Mashima 1220 motor in order for it to fit more easily between axleboxes in the frames...

However nothing appears to have flown loose, and I'm confident that it *will* work when I put power through it.

Oh, if only I'd planned this properly before I put chassis and body together, rather than treating them as two standalone projects!

Flymo

Spokes...

Isn't it a slow and laborious process when you've fitted the loco wheels to the chassis, and then realise that you need to paint all of the spokes.  Individually. Both sides.

Half a wheel done, and my eyes gave out.  More to do tomorrow when we have better light.  It was getting quite difficult to tell what was GER blue, and what was still black.

Still, it's nice to be doing some modelling again!  No photos at the moment, but I'm sure that there will be the chance soon.

Flymo

Frustration...

When you've had a very good day at a CHEAG workshop day, making excellent progress on wiring up your demo board, don't...

...get to five minutes from the end and form a hunch that you've wired up all of the point motors back-to-front.  Or you will go home and check them straightaway, and find that you have...

Argh!

Flymo