Made in the Isle of Wight

Resting in the siding at Catcott and fresh off the modelling bench, is this delighful resin based kit from the Isle of Wight based 'Smallbrook Studio' depicting a 10 ton LSWR brake van.

I'll be covering the contruction of this in a future edition of Hornby Magazine.

Rosebay Willow Herb

With Rosebay Willow Herb blowing in the summer breeze by drain at Catcott, Mickey Mouse tank No. 41248 trundles past the crossing with an empty perishables train from Templecombe to Bason Bridge.......

Cinnabar Red

Here we go - after a couple of days blasting around the country snapping trainsets and a few beers with mates in the northwest, this afternoon at home, the Ian Kirk 51' LNER full brake received a coat of 'Carmine' (British Leyland MG Metro Cinnabar Red), some numbers, weathering (dry brush and washes - not too much for this) and a top coat 'Krylon Matte Finish' via aerosol (Search Ebay for a good supplier). To be added: vacuum pipes, scratch built fom some brass wire wound with a single fine strand of stripped layout electrical wire are drying on the workbench after their top coat of matt black. That will just leave screw couplings to source next time I find a proper model railway shop.

Building a 1970's style kit.........

OK, moving on, in my quest to improve, introduce and upgrade some of my steam era stock before Catcott Burtle' s next outing at RAILEX next May......

Here we have coffee table job (note the hot pepper sauce for the boy and handcream for her indoors on the left) bought last weekend at WycRail, an Ian Kirk, aka Coopercraft LNER 51' 1-1/2" Full Brake is now on the modelling bench. This item of stock will form part of a milk and or perishables consist.

The basic body, roof and ends are great! The underframe, bogies and such are very flaky misaligned tired mouldings sadly in black (grrr, so they're tricky to tidy and assemble 'cos they're difficult to see the relief on - 'grey is the only way' don't you know?) and needed a bit of beefing up here and there to ensure they'll last more than 3 minutes.

Here we are so far awaiting a few more additional bits in the neither regions. The lower detailing was all a bit of guesswork, the instructions being more like a secret quiz that only the writer/designer understands. Anyway, got there in the end even, if I did replace the battery boxes with something more useable (block of foamboard)! The body will be lined maroon (Halfords British Leyland Damask). Sourcing pics has been a tad tricky despite looking all over the place (bar actually buying the recommended book 'LNER Gresley Carriages' which is unlikley to see much further use).
Numbers indicated on the paperwork suggest various from 70070 up to 70564 depending on versions. I guess for BR days one would put an 'E' on either end of this?

The Art of Illusion Without Photoshop

I have a job next week to photograph 60 or so OO gauge locos. So, rather than use a length of Peco like everybody else on a bit curled up white paper, I used a sheet or two of foamboard, a length of C&L and some spare Silfor grass matting, carpet underlay, hanging basket liner and various dyed sawdusts. This all combined has hopefully resulted in a niftly display photo platform which also gave me the chance to mess about testing out some autumnal looking scenics.

Here you see the result of about 6 hours work. Oh yes, the print is one of my skies run off to 20x30 inches at Photobox online lab, which means no need to mess about with jiggery pokery adding skies and such 'cos everything can be done in camera - result?

Keep Radstock Connected

Radstock is at grave risk of losing its hibernating rail link to the National Rail network due to possible redevelopment of the Radstock site.

Please sign the Restoration of the Radstock Rail Link Government petition without delay!


http://www.gopetition.co.uk/petitions/restoration-of-frome-radstock-rail-link.html

Fingers crossed, the economic climate may for once actually be in the railway's favour, with developers being unable to raise the required loans to purchase land and build properties that may drop in price!

• To find out more about the Restoration of the Radstock Rail Link, visit the North Somerset Railway Company website.

The picture above taken by Malcolm Snelgrove, is of the former SDJR station which was demolished in the late 1970's. For more pictures of this and other SDJR stations, please follow this link.

A Hint of the Titfield Thunderbolt

A motley departmental train trundles through Catcott Burtle hauled by Radstock's 'Jinty' No. 47276. Something tells me this train is not quite legal with unfitted stock between the carriage and engine!

Engineer's Carriage

The Midland Railway suburban carriage (from a Ratio kit) now all painted up and weathered with some dry brushing of pale grey (Humbrol matt enamel) and washes of muddy earthy colours (household emulsion). All this was sealed into place with 'Krylon Matte Finish' from an aerosol (Google for a supplier). It still needs screw couplings, vacuum pipes and glazing. The glazing will be a bit of a chore, because I'll have to cut out each window seperately due to the rather thick sides.

1981 Workbench

was looking through some stock boxes in the garage (building new stock boxes so I can junk the old ones) the other day and came across this. As teanager I recall building the body from scratch using card in about 1981 from some plans in one of the mags. I presume it's a Midland Railway van. I'm tempted to give it a refurb and to put it into departmental use. The rust on the wheels is real BTW!

Beaconsfield MRS Show, 4 Oct 2008

Catcott Burtle performed remarkably well, with only one actual prod needed with about 20 mins to go. The little Johnson 1P 0-4-4 rebuilt by guru Philip Hall was at total dream to run - it not missing a beat all day, and so smoothly too! In the evening the layout took a round trip via north Bucks to the outlaws, with the result that we have only just returned home.

Much to my surprise the layout is all in one piece behind me all lit up and dandy, this will mean I can get on taking it to the next level (further detailing and tweeks etc) rather than having to fix things that broke. One thing I will need to do is to put some locating pins or velcrow between the base of the layout and the trestles to stop it drifting about in top of them which it did a couple of times! This was on my list to do prior to the show but alas I ran out of time.

I hope to be able to use the same trestles and drape for Cement Quay which is next out on Sat 19 Jan 09 at the Astolat Guildford show (one day show). This will raise Cement Quay's height from its present 3'6" to 4'2" which should imrove the viewing of the diorama type of approach to this layout.

11th Hour at Catcott Burtle

With Catcott Burtle about to hit the road for the very first time this coming weekend (Sat 4 October) at the Beaconsfield show, a little time was spent sorting out the allotment opposite the crossing keeper's cottage.

Here goes: Sweet peas/beans supports were bits of wire soldered up and painted. Onions (or leeks) are dyed hemp stuck into holes (as used for the reeds on the nearby drain). Strawberries (or such) simply Heiki foliage. Woodland Scenics would be just as good. Dab of paint here and there. Same used for the beans/peas. Slug eaten cabbages are little squares of printer paper (1x1cm) soaked in greeny brown acrylic (cheap set from Tesco) squeezed and rolled into balls whilst wet. Mucky job. Loose earth is Treemendous 'real earth' courtesy of some geezer called Marriott.

Reflection

The top shot of Catcott Burtle shows the original concept from July 2007, this illustration being from a Photoshopped pencil sketch knocked up during an idle moment.

The lower shot shows how the project has actaully come to fruition, for once actually not too far off track for a change. I suppose this project is none too complicated from a design point of view.

No computer jiggery in the lower shots of the actual layout. This is something I wanted to achieve after adding fake skies to the dozens of layouts photographed over the last year or two. Catcott, I hope will be successful in giving the exhibition goer the same experience as the one normally reserved for the printed page............

Looking ahead, as this tiny layout gets to stage of completion, where should I go next? My model making currently covers 3 areas; 009 narrow gauge, modern image and this transition era scenario. I suppose would probably be an idea to use one of the three so as not to have to build more stock ....

Rust, rust and more rust .....

Here are a couple of Bachmann 16 tonners picked up the other day. 'Before' and after about 90 mins work with 'sleeper grime' applied with a small paint brush - a dollop here, a dollop there, until it's everywhere. It was then washed over with various shades of matt emulsion paint in colours you'd never buy for interior decorating - unless you are goth or manic depressive.

Inspiration here http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/

The old car

My other interest is old cars; here's my rebuilt 1978 MGBGT posed near the railway bridge at Totter's Lane in Hampshire, whilst on one of my jaunts out to photograph the real thing.
I've had this car for 10 years now. In that time it's had a full mechanical rebuild and respray in Carmine Red, the car's orginal colour. This smart car has also had several other modifications to make it more suitable for today's faster roads.

Sunny South Special?

Sporting a rather jolly 'Cathedrals Express' headboard on what is in fact 'The Sunny South Special', No. 6233 The Duchess of Sutherland is captured powering past Coxes Mill near Addlestone on a not so sunny Wednesday 13 August 2008.

Let's Fiddle

Catcott Update

OK, about 2 hours work today got the whirlygig fiddleyard baseboards together. Here they are in all their glory in approximate position without 360 deg sector plates - seen here held together with masking tape and various bits from around the house whilst the glue sets. The sides will be finished off with 3mm ply as with the layout baseboard. I might surface the boards with something soft like felt. The layout is minus lighting pelmet and crossing keepers cottage here. The boards will take a 4-6-0 loco and 2 Mk1's length wise - quite long enough for a small layout like this (5 foot). They're basically A1 in length - the size of the foamboard!

Crossing Keeper's Cottage

Catcott Update
A shot of Catcott crossing keeper's cottage showing the revised sash windows and fence. The foreground will be home to an allotment (bamboo runner bean supports have been soldered up and are awaiting some paint and bean plants). And yes, that guttering does need some adjustment again........

Asparagus!

Catcott Update

As an alternative to plummer's hemp after a visit to my sister's allotment, I came across some asparagus plant tops. Reeds -bingo! OK, a bit of colour correction needed, no problem. They dried easily and are pretty flexible, though a splash of PVA in the yet to be airbrushed on colour adjustment won't do any harm. The rhyne bed will be repainted and recoated in PVA in due course though the paint splashes do look a little like stuff you seen in stagment canals etc.

Cherry Blossom Control Panel

Catcott Update

OK, this one might appeal to the cheapskates like me, who needs to go to Tandy or one of those electonicfile stores for some bespoke control panel box, when most of us no doubt have a cupboard with old dried up polish? Splash of paint (Halfords), few holes and some white lable (sealed under a layer of clear lacquer).....

The base can be screwed to the layout, the top removeable to allow maintenence etc - simple!

So few buttons? Only two points and switches to isolate the siding or mainline should I be feeling creative. There's almost zero chance that there'll be more than one thing in steam anyway. The 360 deg sector plate fiddle yards on either end will have their own isolating switches in the form of a bathroom latch type of thing for each siding.....

Beer & Steam - The 2008 Woodcote Rally!

Pictures from the 2008 Woodcote Rally http://stuffedtiger.fotopic.net/c1546276.html. Many digitaly captured pictures to add, including scanned medium format imagery.
Be sure to visit the local Woodcote Village website.

Bemo Feldbahn Loco

I'm so taken with Humbrol Matt 109 as used in the mechanical 'orse, the previously out of the box Bemo HOe locotractor, is also being painted in 'Eclipse Peat Co of Catcott' corporate blue.

This is the result with glazing removed with just one coat (will need 2 or 3). The underframe will need to be 'less fairground' in colour before the whole lot is rusted and dirtied up. A few of these former German wartime narrow gauge units made it to the UK for industrial use after the war.
It's very good mechanism with lots of heavy metal and brass. From the cab forward it's all die cast metal too with very crisp castings. The glazing, removed here is flush too. Running wise, it's a little twitchy with a Gaugemaster handheld feedback unit despite the good weight, mighty fine with something without feedback pulses though.

I like the utiliatarian look of this loco, it getting use on all my narrow gauge exploits. For anyone unfamilar with these Bemo units, this loco is about 2 inches long. Must reduce the length of those couplings - snip.

More old tosh

D2298 performed many of the Highbridge to Glastonbury goods workings serving the Clarks shoe factory at nearby Street after the end of steam. Here we see D2298, now preserved at Quainton Road clanking through Catcott with one of these trains in the late summer of 1968.

Invisible Thread

Messed about today with the telegraph wires using 'Slik Worm Invisible Elastic Thread' as recommended by Graham Muz! Highly elastic, hopefully enough to survive 'spawn of chav' and elderley women who have to finger everything when on the road. Will it survive me when I get a shunting pole hooked up? We shall see, it's vvvvveeeeerrrrryyyy elastic - boiinngg!

Water Drop

Back in the summer of '62, well known Bath based photographer Ivan Locksmith captured this unusual view of Templecombe's ex GWR 0-6-0 No. 3206, paused at Catcott Crossing picking up an empty milk churn. Few crossing keepers' cottages on 'the branch' had running water, so the churns were used to carry vital water supplies, these being delivered by the crews of passing trains.