Ground Frame Hut MK2

Many, many months after saying I was going to have another go, I finally got round to bashing another Will's ground level signal box kit, using the guide by Chris Ford with a few more alterations than my last attempt.

Rather than used the supplied slate roof pieces, or making a felt and batten style roof like last time, for this attempt I had a try at a wriggly tin roof to match the other buildings for a potential light railway style layout. The wills wriggly tin sheet is a little on the thick side, but a nice work around is the corrugated glazing (SSMP224), the corrugations are slightly more spaced out, but it does mean you can get an instant thin wavy edge when cut. One other downside it that being thinner and bendier solvent didn't seem to take to it too well, relying more one superglues to hold it in place.

At the same time, a small lamp hut was assembled, again gaining a new roof rather than the one supplied with the kit which has a rather large vent. A small latch and padlock were added with 10x20thou strip and a square of 20x40thou to add something different visually.

I guess there's no point in trying to resist now. A layout in homage to 'Making Narrow Gauge Railways in Small Spaces' is very much on the cards in the future...

Platform One

Continuing with the Corri-Llyn layout, it was time to get the base layer in for the platform. There was a little unexpected encounter with this.

When I'd initally started measuring out the layout I'd used the ever reliable Glyn Valley Tram to measure out clearances, holding a pencil up to the side of the body, measuring the overhang and using this as a guide for a platform edge. Having cut a rough template out and positioned it on the layout with Skarloey and two Talyllyn coaches showed just how much wider the Beyer Peacock is. 'Mind the Gap' springs to mind!

At this early stage though this wasn't much of an issue. A few minutes work setting the compass to a slightly larger radius and another platform base was created.

Looking far more comfortable alongside narrower rolling stock, a top layer of 40thou card was laid on top to make the platform flush with the fascia boards.

Platform edging stones were then roughly cut to 4mm squarish sizes from 1mm card. Again the Glyn Valley tram, this time joined by a Jouef Decauville, show the difference in loading gauges.

And then the whole lot was given an all over coat of Tamiya 'Tank Grey', with the edge stones also getting a light dry-brushing of Revell light grey to highlight some of the edges. The platform surface itself will eventually be covered with a cinder/ash mix, hence the rather rough painting, but before that can happen I must get round to finishing off the station building. It's like one big jigsaw puzzle slowly coming together.

Boxvan

Better late than never, but the Dundas (Ex Rodney Stenning) Corris Brake Van kit I said I was going to put together last Christmas was finally assembled. This time though, for something a little different I had a go at making the box van variant using the supplied white metal vent hood pieces.

As far as some very basic internet research goes the van in this state appears to be very much in the realms of freelance, but that's certainly not a problem. Size wise it sits very comfortably with the 009 Society four wheel wagons, so I see it as a big plus.

Lined up on The Garden Railway, all three Corris vans I've built to date. From left to right we have: A blue 'Skarloey Railway' variant awaiting some replacement couplings, a 'Faux-Heywood' estate railway type with a bashed open door for the guard to lean out, and the new addition to the fleet. Turned out in a mix of grey colours, this one is very much intended to find a home on the ever progressing 'Corri-Llyn'.

Thornycroft

"There's something strange about this new locomotive... Gasp! It doesn't have a fire exit! Enjoy your deathtrap, railfans!"

With thanks to a friend for the above quote!

Some readers may remember I picked this up at the WIrksworth show last October, intending to put it together at a much later date.

Instructions were... interesting... to say the least. The parts aren't particularly numbered on the sprue, instead relying on a small exploded diagram and the names of the parts on an actual lorry. Being slightly hopeless when it comes to internal combustion, Google was to hand many times to try and identify the parts on the real thing!

Painting wise I knew it'd be better to have a colour that was at odds with the railway stock, so neither green, brown or grey. Research showed that either blue or red were the other most likely options and thinking that blue might make it look a little too 'Jack Jones the Butcher', red it was!

You'll also notice there's no driver at the wheel. The supplied figure with the kit appeared to be nearer HO scale to the eye, but even so the plan is to have the lorry parked up in the station yard with a figure stood beside. There's actually one of the Airfix workmen figures earmarked for such a cameo, positioned with his back to the viewer his outstretched arm could almost look like he's boasting to the loco crews parked alongside!