A few additions to the stock list today. A couple of Ffestiniog bug-boxes and a yellow Baguley Drewry.
The bug boxes will of course go well with the England and Double Fairlie locos. The Baguley will probably end up on works trains, I don't really need another modern diesel but it is nicely detailed, looks great on the layout, the yellow pops out, and of course it runs sweetly.
However, I was also drawn to it because of the one at Amberley, in which I had a cab ride a year or so back.
My model will no doubt get some weathering to make it look like a well-worked loco, but I don't think I'll go as far as the "weathering" on the Amberley loco!
Today I popped into Gaugemaster who were celebrating their 50th anniversary with a mini-exhibition at their shop in Ford.
This O and O16.5 (NG7?) layout looks delightfully modelled, other than the gap in the middle - not sure if it's not finished yet. The Manning Wardle managed to get around the tight corners, though didn't look very comfortable, and there was no other stock present.
This nice little "pizza" was displayed by the same builder (Brian Taylor according to the website), but with no trains at all!
I didn't get the name of this Southern layout set in WWII, it looked nicely modelled and featured lots of military models including tanks on road and on train, and a "Bailey bridge".
There were a couple of aircraft being prepared too - I think this is a Tempest, or possibly a Typhoon...?
Crookham Vale is a 009 layout built by Bognor Regis model railway club. There was also a modular N-gauge layout, a Thomas layout, and some Kato "mini bases". Of course, the shop was open and had some 50th anniversary merchandise, from beer mats to special liveried open wagons. I can't say I was tempted! So not a big event, but it was free (and there was free coffee), and a good way to spend an hour on a rainy saturday.
I've just got back from a week away with the family, near Bath. I came across the Avon Valley Railway on the outskirts of Bristol, so of course a visit and a ride was in order. Based out of Bitton station, the line was part of the Midland Railway route from Bristol to Bath, where it linked to the Somerset and Dorset.
Our train was steamed hauled by this superbly turned out 060 tank. Apparently this Polish-built loco worked in a steelworks before being bought for preservation and brought to the UK.
It's quite a chunky machine and, it has to be said, looks a little "overscale" - apparently it is larger than UK loading gauge. Since the preserved line is single on a double-track formation (the remaining space being a footpath and cycle path), I presume the rails can be slewed slightly to enable sufficient clearance for the cab.
Like all preserved standard gauge railways, the goods yard is full to overflowing with interesting locos, wagons, coaches, and even a crane. Sadly (and not unexpectedly) there was no viewing area so I'll have to make do with what I could see from the train.
While in Bath I found the former S&D Green Park station. It's nice to see the station roof and building in good condition, and being used as a market and entertainment space, even if the far end is a supermarket car park.
Having passed through the village of Box a couple of times, I stopped to photograph the famous Box tunnel portal, part of Brunel's original London-Bristol line. In digging the tunnel a valuable source of Bath stone was discovered, and so alongside the other portal a third line entered underground quarries to facilitate the extraction of stone. The extensive underground quarries were taken over in WWII to create armaments storage and part of the Bristol aircraft factory. Later, a Cold War bunker was developed, able to accomodate 4000 people including UK government headquarters. This was all hidden save the extra tunnel portal, and a few concrete structures dotted around covering entrance and ventilation shafts.
Back to normal life, and hopefully some modelling...
I happened to be passing through Wiltshire today within a few miles of Pewsey, so it seemed like a good idea to allow time to pop into the 4th Wiltshire Group Skills Day there.
This is an unusual sort of model railway event, it's not an exhibition although there are a few models and under-construction boards on display. Nor are there traders, other than a specialist supplier, a Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway stand, and the 009 sales stand. The focus of the event is a variety of demonstrations providing opportunity to discuss techniques and learn new skills, hence the name of the event. It's run by a narrow gauge modelling group so the demonstrations were related to narrow gauge models, although the skills could of course be applied to any scale. Models were being constructed in 4mm, 7mm, and 16mm scales, and skills included soldering, loco/chassis construction, buildings, and scenery. I learned how to make castings using filler and had a useful discussion, demonstration, and practice at applying lining transfers. Best of all, I had enjoyable conversations. All good fun and well worth a diversion for a few hours.
The August issue of BRM - out now - has a "Getting Practical" article by me!
The "Getting Practical" section provides a step-by-step how-to for a range of different modelling projects. My article covers adding working platform lamps, something I have done on my own layouts but that may seem daunting to someone who hasn't tackled a similar project before.
It's a straightforward project that can make a big difference to a layout, and uses some excellent slimline modern style lamps from Kytes Lights.
Effective aren't they? (it took me a lot of attempts to get a decent photo in the dark!)
It's the time of year again that the Sussex Downs 009 group take the 009 Society showcase and demo stand to the Amberley rail gala.
Sadly the model railway side of the event has diminished over the last few years and there were just a handful of layouts, some seen before. I can't resist an original cameo though.
The event doesn't seem to attract the numbers of enthusiasts that it used to, and while many of the visitors were interested in the models I can't imagine it resulted in much business for the couple of traders present. I did manage to have a productive day modelling, although that isn't really the point of a demo stand! However, it's never a bad thing to show model trains as a hobby, particularly with kids around (they do love our little demo layout).
Outside there was a visiting loco, Lily, a rather smart Decauville, which was on passenger train duties alongside the resident Bagnall, Peter. The two train service seemed well patronised.
Of course there was the usual line up of small internal combustion engines in action which the Amberley museum shows off so well.
I'll leave you with a shot of the morning steam-up on shed.
Yesterday my son and I went to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This is only about 30 minutes from home, but it was only my second visit and the first for my son, perhaps surprising as we are both petrolheads. It is quite pricey though, and this is the first year he could attend on a weekday without missing school!
This event has become as legendary as Glastonbury and Wimbledon for motor enthusiasts, and has a lot of corporate entertainment going on, but there is lots to see and do for the ordinary punter. Of course, there is the central theme of the hillclimb past the house and up into the forest on which a variety of cars are showcased, from modern F1...
...classic F1 - this one driven by Bruno Senna, nephew of the great Ayrton...
...legendary cars from motorsport...
...to insanely quick modern supercars, including the current hillclimb record holder the electric McMurty. This thing sounds like a jet engine (thanks to active ground effect fans) and is unbelievably fast up the hill, even in the company of the fastest cars around.
That wasn't the most bonkers vehicle there though. I think that award goes to this propellor-driven rear-wheel steer vehicle, looking like a biplane without wings.
There's not just the hillclimb though. There's off-road vehicles, and a busy rally stage up in the woods.
Plus a massive car show, the event having effectively become a British Motor show with many car manufacturers having impressive stands showing their latest vehicles. It's even the place where new cars are launched, or showcased in the UK for the first time, including the new Ford Capri (it's not what you would hope it is), more than one Chinese car brand you've never heard of, and this hypercar from F1 team Red Bull - fancy a £5m car said to be faster than an F1 car that isn't road legal?
There's also a display by the Red Arrows, easy to miss with so much going on at ground level.
And finally, if you've not seen it before, let me introduce you to the art of "drifting". Spectacular and entertaining for sure, but think of the tyre bill! Remember, don't try this at home...
