David Holman

Ye gods, but it is hot! Not exactly modelling weather... Had a week in Northumberland, which the weather did its best to spoil, but in the end it was ok. Beamish museum is rather splendid and though the trams wren't running, the early double decker buses were, as was their replica Puffing Billy. Meanwhile a boat trip around the Farne Islands added a few ticks to my annual bird watching list. Sort of feathered train spotting I guess! Once we got back home, it was a case of trying to finish the F6. Probably went at it too hard with the rest of the transfers as ended up with a migraine, so very much lesson to self to take it easy on these intense bits of work. However, it is done, along with a bit of gentle weathering and coal in the bunker.

Do like this section. In 7mm scale a chap called Giles Flavell builds radio controlled lorries and cranes which can actually load, unload and move stuff around. Were that blue unloader (a rather nice model already) actually be able to do the business, then that really would be the mutt 's you know whats

Remarkable work all round. Shows how producing models commercially goes way beyond the model itself (as if that wasn't complicated enough), while the idea of some items like the wheels going from UK to NZ, then back to Ireland illustrates the planning and organisation involved.

As with all small bits, guess the moral is don't sneeze!

Used Templot for my 21mm, 7mm scale points, but only standard LH/RH formations. Likewise, takes about an hour to make one, plus copperclad sleepers make adjustments fairly easy. Not sure it would be the same for printed sleepers, though I know nothing about either process or tolerances...

Guessed at Post Office and Google translate confirms! Wonderful lanuage.

Excellent website John and with carefully chosen products too, deserves to do well.

On my Arigna Town layout, I got told off for having Freisian cows, as they weren't seen in the 1950s. Guess by dieselisation they would be alright?

August 's Railway Modeller sees a multi page article on Ballyshannon, Alan Gee's latest 4mm scale creation of the Donegal. And very good it is too.

Know what you mean. Don't use mine anything as much as I should...

Am wondering if a resistance soldering unit (RSU) would help with the hand rails, brake gear and other fiddly stuff? Not readily available, or cheap for that matter, but the foot operated switch does give you that third hand for delicate work. You do have to be careful with the settings though - too high and small parts get vaporised! Been there, t-shirt, etc...

Mmm, that is very much the theme of Martyn's book. Weathering is a subtle process and on the wrong setting, he likens an air brush to a muck spreader and not pretty! The best 'quick fix' I have found is through weathering powders, but getting them to stay where they are put is not straightforward. Martyn advocates Humbrol enamels. The trouble with that is some tinlets are not available since Hornby took over and it would be interesting to see a reprint as the book has been out over 20 years now. VERY much still worth having though!

That's a wow then! Excellent work. Also worth adding that there is nothing wrong with mixing media. As well as acrylics, I also use crayons, felt pens and drawing pens.

Missed these posts, but the simple answer is to get your hands on The Art of Weathering by Martyn Welch (Wild Swan). It is the definitive book on the subject and has never been bettered. Does locos, wagons, coaches, track and buildings. Although he makes use of that Spawn of Satan, the airbrush, quite a lot, he also just uses paint brushes. The techniques used are certainly no quick fix, but done carefully, results can be extremely satisfying. Probably my most 'go to' book!

Photographic backscene are ok, but you are right, JB - the same ones crop up all over the place. As Galteemore says, it is not that difficult to paint your own, while photos can be too sharp and distract from the layout itself. Sometimes, all you need is sky, especially if the on layout scenery is rising towards the backscene. Nothing fancy ended here either. Currently, outside my window, it is a very pale grey, pretty much all over and certainly not difficult to reproduce. Indeed, translating Galteemore's photo of the brooding mountains into a layout backscene, only the top half would need to be painted. Three or four outlines and a few shades of blue/grey. Don't make the backscene too dark though, or you'll need some very bespoke lighting and that is a completely different ball game.

While the liquid sunshine means Ireland's pastures can be very green in places, I like the subtlety thus far and the method of dry stone walling is very neat too. Indeed 'care and attention to detail' sums up the approach and it's working really well.

The latest challenge with the F6 is now the lining. Before starting that, the buffer beams have been painted red, the cab windows glazed, number plates have been properly fixed and the smokebox toned down with a greyer shade than the intense matt black of the rest of the loco. As mentioned previously, there seems no easy way of applying red and white GSWR red and white lining. Fox Transfers do a nice sheet for the boiler bands, but everything else has had to be cobbled together. Guess I should have got the bow pens out again, but I really don't feel I have the necessary skills. Yes, I know I should practice, but the process really doesn't inspire me. So, as you can hopefully see from the photos, the second sheet contains a range of curves and rounded corners in both red and white. Neither are ideal, as both are too wide, though not by much with the white ones. Hence carefully cut down the red rounded corners and then married these to straight pieces made by cutting off one of the white stripes. Once dry, a white stripe/curve was added on top, to get the appropriate effect. Fiddly, but reasonably effective as long as you don't look too close. See photos for how it developed. Have only done one side so far, but couldn't resist posing No 42 with its short train of six wheel coaches, alongside my 101 in the other platform, about to depart with a freight.

Really enjoying seeing how the 101 progresses, especially having done the same kit in 7mm scale. A whole different set of problems but, much as I don't enjoy doing them either, I can certainly appreciate how difficult they must be in 2mm. As for a K class, am ashamed to admit I had to look it up in the green bible before I realised it was a G2,. If you ever want to do an original K class in 7mm scale John, let me know.

That glass plate is a fabulous picture of a fine looking engine.

Exquisite. Am sure the 5p is getting bigger.

Excellent stuff, many thanks to both of you. Must go back to the Valencia photos. As for a fishy smell, wonder if any of those vaping oils come in that flavour?!?

Professional painter and liner Ian Rathbone shares a great tip in his books on the subject. Wait until the paint has gone half hard (up to 24 hours with enamels), then lightly wet a fine brush with thinners and you can then use it to remove any over painting or blemishes. Fiddly, but works a treat. Pushing the brush against any over painting lifts the paint a little; wipe the brush on a cloth and repeat the process until satisfied. Precision Paints are fine, but beware ordering by post. Delivery cost is eye watering if you only want small amounts.

Back to black The loco has been primed & the top coat added, along with red buffer beams and the numberplates - Blutak for now. It seems to me that Irish locos tended not to wander from shed to shed over their lives, so with Galteemore's F6 being No 42, decided to apply the same number to my earlier version. The idea is that a couple of F6 were tried out on the Belmullet line because of its similarity to the Valencia Harbour route. However, I've never really liked any loco I've built in that first coat of black, it just looks too dense to my eyes. Hopefully, the application of some lining will help, though this brings up the same issues I had with the 101: white/red/white lining appears not readily available. Fox Transfers do straight lines in this combination, but curved corners for some reason are red/white/red! Hopefully a bit of brush and bow pen work will sort it out, thought its not my favourite occupation.

Some very neat modelling here - well done you. The only thing that stands out a little for me is the sides of the rails are shiny. Paint them a nice rust colour and they will blend in really well with the rest of the modelling.