A GWR journey through the 1920s and 30s

Blimey Bill, that's over six months and I thought I was slow  



Ed

Very true Ed, it's all part of life's rich tapestry and I'm not complaining! My ukelele lessons are working out well however, amoungst other interests  

I wll try and paint the gauges a little quicker though !

New Year, same resolution

A Happy and fruitful new year to everyone. I'm thinking about returning to an important task on the railway and one that I’m easily distracted from by more interesting things like actual modelling.

I’m inspired by the acquisition of a new loco from a fellow modeller who sets and achieves outstanding modelling standards, but due to changing direction has disposed of all his stock and is selling his current layout.



Yes, it’s another Pannier and I’ve lost count of how many I have and there’s a new sound fitted Accurascale one probably on board a slow boat from China this moment. However, this 64xx is DCC fitted and with a stay alive, crew, real coal, fire irons, lamps, etc and has received the earlier Great Western script and weathered rather well, which will fit in with my other weathered stock.

To make it feel at home at Newton Regis, I think I should clear all the clutter from the baseboards and finish off the wiring and control panel, as this is logically the smart thing to do. I said something similar last year, so not to so again next year, a baseboard clear up and putting current projects on the workbench into carefully labelled boxes is my next task. That's this resolution then and as 6407 will not arrive until February, when a lovely lady from Southsea brings it over to me, I have time to get stuck in.

Hmm, just a shame I prefer doing less boring stuff, but I think I’ll maximise this surge of enthusiasm while it lasts.

I’ll start tomorrow, as it’s the bride’s birthday today and she deserves to be spoilt.

Best,

Bill

 

That's a very nice looking loco Bill - so nice in fact, that I can ignore it carrying the wrong livery.  There's something about Panniers - most people like them regardless of which region we model - just such an iconic design.

I too have lots of tasks I should be doing in King's Cross but other things have prohibited me from spending much in down there.  Additionally, whilst it is heated if necessary, I don't like leaving paints etc. in there during this cold weather when I'm not there (and the heating therefore, is off !)  Often, by the time I've "set-up" to do something, it's nearly time to pack up and start another chore somewhere.  I've got a sound install to do but I need time and concentration for that so it still awaits my input……………

I hope you're having better weather just now than we are - dank, windy and grey - generally miserable but as we have to keep reminding ourselves, it is the January/February grim period……………………

If your modelling GWR steam period, you can never have enough Panniers, bit like Pugs 

Out of interest, what direction has the fellow modeller gone in Bill?



Ed


 

Petermac said

That's a very nice looking loco Bill - so nice in fact, that I can ignore it carrying the wrong livery.  There's something about Panniers - most people like them regardless of which region we model - just such an iconic design.

I too have lots of tasks I should be doing in King's Cross but other things have prohibited me from spending much in down there.  Additionally, whilst it is heated if necessary, I don't like leaving paints etc. in there during this cold weather when I'm not there (and the heating therefore, is off !)  Often, by the time I've "set-up" to do something, it's nearly time to pack up and start another chore somewhere.  I've got a sound install to do but I need time and concentration for that so it still awaits my input……………

I hope you're having better weather just now than we are - dank, windy and grey - generally miserable but as we have to keep reminding ourselves, it is the January/February grim period……………………

From “Post #290,949”, 9th January 2025, 1:48 pm

Hi Peter,

Great to hear from you and yep, there's nothing not to like with a  Pannier and this one was too good to pass up and was at a very attractive price. In fact, untouched and "nearly new" Bachmann 64XXs seem to attract well above £100 price tags on most on-line outlets these days and those having been fettled and weathered are usually a lot more reasonable. I guess weathered locos are not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm a railway modeler, not a collector, so Chris' carefully detailed model was a no brainer for me and also saves me the trouble of doing all the work myself on my existing new purchase.

It's sunny, but pretty chilly up here today Peter, with both cats spending much more time indoors lately and some nights as well, with even colder weather forecast for next week.

Hoping your sound install goes well.

Best to you and Liz,

Bill
 

Ed said

If your modelling GWR steam period, you can never have enough Panniers, bit like Pugs 

Out of interest, what direction has the fellow modeller gone in Bill?



Ed

From “Post #290,950”, 9th January 2025, 1:52 pm

Hi Ed,

Thanks for your post. Chris, aka Chuffinghell is a skilled modeler, grahic designer and 3D print kit maker. I have two of his 00 GWR kits to assemble, a Milk Brake Van and a CC2 Tool Van. He has become tired of his GWR branch line, "Warren Branch" and wants to be able to have trains circulating freely through the countryside, so is looking to change to a smaller scale and possibly straying into more modern image. See the latter posts on:  Warren Branch - Layout topics - RMweb and some of his kits on : GWR Wagon Kits in 4mm Signal Dept, Tool Van, Milk Brake Van - Marketplace: only Gold & Premium members can sell - RMweb  oh and the branch layout for sale is here:  Warren Branch Layout for sale - Marketplace: only Gold & Premium members can sell - RMweb

Take care Ed, speak soon,

Bill

 Could be another N gauger 


 

Ed said

 Could be another N gauger 


 

From “Post #290,959”, 9th January 2025, 4:26 pm

That is more than a possibility and whether 2mm or 3mm, buildings and stock will likely be 3D printed.

Time for an update and rather a dramatic one, but not so much if you've read Petermac's recent Maxmill posts, as like Peter, we're also moving house just a few hundred metres away to a property we never knew existed until the bride found a discrete sale notice on the web. We had unknowingly walked past it hundreds of times and on our first official viewing, the house spoke kind and friendly words to us, so we should have possession during July.

It's a good sized two storey with a full reinforced concrete basement with vehicle access, so plenty of space for railway, workshop and storage and since it was built in 1978, it's at least 200 years younger than the barn we live in presently.

Railway plans will follow the previous plan for a double continous run main with the BLT emerging from a junction station to climb around the walls. However, the house first needs a new kitchen and complete redecoration, not to mention taming the garden and converting some once useful features to more functional social space.

I've started packing up the railway room into a myriad of boxes to be taken round the corner. Most stock is already packed into large strong plastic stacking storage crates and the branch boards are quickly demountable and will hopefully fit in the Kangoo.

So probably little to no modelling for some time, but lots to keep me occupied and of course some exciting planning for the basement, but I must first go measure up the kitchen next week and with the help of Ikea's clever room planning website tool, design the new kitchen!

Continued good karma to Peter and Liz with their own little adventure.

All the best everyone,

Bill

Good luck with the move, Bill. With two moves within three years I sort of know the drill. Fortunately Wombat Creek is designed to be moveable.

It must be contageous in France Bill !!

Have sold the gite business or are you keeping that on as well ?

Your ideas for the new layout are almost identical to that I'd planned in my portable unit but hopefully, our new place, whilst we're staying locally, we have no idea where yet,  will allow me to revert to a similar size to that of Maxmill 1.

Good luck with your move and if completion is only a month or so away, either you're keeping your barn or you'll be under huge pressure to pack up given the time scale.  I can't see us cleraing all the stuff here in much under 3 months !

Have you still got the cars ?  Presumably the new Chateau Longchap will have a workshop ………………..

Hi Peter,

Despite the sunshine, I've taken time from the normal daily new house work routine, to send more requests for quotations from artisans. The kitchen is cleared and I'll probably start the new work with floor tiling, then get the electrical and plumbing work underway. There are also some very large trees to fell and chop up for the poele de masse to eat and a tennis court to find somewhere behind the house, although I have a man with a brushcutter and chainsaw on the case!

I've sold just one of the cars so far and rejected several silly offers for another, but still tinker with them and keep them in good fettle, but all but my '65 TR4 will be moved on before we move house next year.

The workshop will reside in the basement and divided into storage and workspaces for the big and model stuff, including a goodly sized railway layout room / library / chill zone.

Time for a cuppa and poached egg now, so good luck with your projects and speak soon.

Bill