'Austerity' need not mean dull!

nevard_110225_harry_IMG_9284_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia.

Yesterday this colourful happy chappy called Harry arrived second hand from Paul Steedman of RHB Rhatia fame (see his layout the latest Model Rail International just out - get it from Smiths - that's the cover on the right by the way). As you can see, the loco is in very nice condition too in its rather smart red, which is anything but 'austerity'.

This Hornby model is a little dated, so it could do with a little work to bring it up to current expectations. Some will of course replace nearly everything with bits of brass, I have no issue with that, but life I'm afraid is too short for me with so much else going on, and anyway in my case it's all about effect rather than total accuracy. So, for this reason my detail tweaks will simply involve some new lamp irons, cab handrails, smokebox handles and a finer replacement for that rather chunky grab thingamabob hanging off the saddle tank near the front. Most of these bits will be manually filed up from surplus brass 'sprue' and paper-clips. 

I quite like the crimson colour and fine lining, so that will stay and be subdued with bit of weathering. A new name will be chosen and take the form of an etched plate. I quite like the name 'Mendip', this I imagine is unlikely to exist 'ready-to-stick', so the actual name will probably be something else that looks and sounds suitable (suggestions if you like-please).

The chassis is a little crude looking by today's standards, but once it's under a layer of grime, it will hopefully look much better, and anyway, it's a sweet running chassis after widening the back to backs to get through my C+L - so *why meddle?

This loco's home will be split between Brewhouse Quay, Mendip Colliery and Cement Quay (when in olde-worlde steam mode).

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*Cue hate mail from the adenoidal brigade who will insist that this loco is totally wrong and that I should be building a kit from brass and how I should be publicly strung up at the next finescale meet and be whipped to near an inch of death with Peco code 100.