It’s been a while since the blog has been updated, and this has not been due to a lack of activity amongst members. With the benefit of foresight, there is some very interesting and high quality modelling in this and upcoming blogs.

Peter has now nearly completed his Ruston 88S diesel shunter. Apparently, he initially fitted the cab the wrong way round, and you can absolutely see how that could happen!

Dom has made a superb job of weathering a Hornby van ‘C’ using washes, powders and a bit of Humbrol aerosol enamel paint. The whole effect is as I remember them, except this one you can tell might have been red, or perhaps maroon, whereas in the ’70s it was hard to tell if they had once been red, green or blue, as these vans never seemed to get a clean between paint jobs. The underframe has that dirty, rusty but well used look that I remember too, and reminds us just how good recent ready to run models are.

Having made the van up into a train on 00 Gauge Combe Town for a photo session, Dom realised that layouts, even ones conceived partly as photo planks are not great for photography. So in comes the latest distraction from the layout…

The picture above shows the current state of play of a double track “Photo Plank” on a raised embankment with a cattle creep and backdrop.

Jim has been busy on DIY projects since his move, but did break the bank at the London Festival of Railway Modelling (aka “Ally Pally”) and treated myself to a Farish Class 319 4-car EMU – mainly for sentimental reasons as he spent years of his life riding in them daily from Bedford to Elephant & Castle! The uninspiring Thameslink livery was also the cheapest option – still £250 though!! The four cars need the wheels replacing with 2mm finescale ones, of course, but he was impressed to see the couplings have electrical connectors so only one DCC chip is needed: