Darius43

Short session in the shed this morning. Cheers Darius

Hornby APT taken for a spin on the layout this morning - all fourteen coaches The full APT successfully negotiated the helix down to the lower storage level - at least in the downwards direction… We’ll check upwards next week. Cheers Darius

Decals and light weathering applied to the box vans. Cheers Darius

And now for something completely different… Cheers Darius

I visited the Hanley Spitfire several times in the 1970s (we lived nearby in Newcastle-under-Lyme) and remember the model aircraft displays. The museum/greenhouse was located in an area where rows of terraced houses had been cleared. The greenhouse is long gone but the Spitfire is now in the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery. The original “Greenhouse” museum opened in 1972. Hanley Spitfire Museum Cheers Darius

Did someone say Spitfire hangar… Cheers Darius

If the garage is too small for today’s cars perhaps it might suit a model railway… Cheers Darius

Thanks guys. I matted down the blue body colour of the Oxford Diecast Austin 7, which lightened the blue colour and replaced the number plates using homemade decals. Cheers Darius

Cheers Darius

Third and final kit assembled and painted. Now awaiting decals ordered yesterday. Cheers Darius

Hi Leslie. I visited the Swiss Transport Museum in Luzern on the same Interail trip in 1983 that took in West Berlin. Cheers Darius

Second kit assembled this morning and primed. First van painted. Cheers Darius

Parkside van kit assembled this afternoon. As with most Parkside kits the brake rodding needs to be modified as, if installed as moulded, the wheels won’t turn. Plasticard ribbing added to the roof. Cheers Darius

Not an issue for me at West Worthing at 6.50 am but more so for those alighting at at Hove and Haywards Heath… Cheers Darius

I used to travel in 4-VEP units every day between West Worthing and East Croydon in the mid noughties. Cold wind blowing through the door gaps in winter and struggling to fit in the middle of the three seat benches were a constant pain. I much preferred the 4-CIGS - more comfortable and warmer. Cheers Darius

Almost finished - just three more interiors to sort out. Cheers Darius

Hornby 4-VEP to 4-VEG I started this project several years ago based on the discovery of the Railtec decals for the 4-VEG and memories of these units at Gatwick and Victoria in the late ‘70s and early 80’s. I modified three of the four coaches but never proceeded with the fourth - until today. The existing BR arrow and coach numbers were removed and the Railtec decals applied. I decided to improve the interior by painting the walls and floor and by applying blue moquette upholstery decals to the seating using homemade decals based on swatches that someone posted on RMWeb. I’m now going to have to give the interiors of the other three coaches the same treatment. The bogies had been modified previously to include pinpoint axle wheels in brass bearings in place of the original “draggy” wheels. The coaches are now much more free running. Here’s one I did earlier… Cheers Darius

Wagons in action on the layout today. Cheers Darius

It does sit a bit high on the bogies. Apparently there are plastic shims that are fitted between the bogies and the chassis - presumably to enable transit around R2 curves. Removing the shims is supposed to improve things a tad height-wise. Cheers Darius

Arrived this morning Cheers Darius

If I tap the wheel with this hammer and the wheel goes clang, then I know that the wheel’s there. But supposing that the wheel doesn’t go clang? Well then, I know that the train’s gone!

Cheers Darius

Cheers Darius

Cheers Darius

Cheers Darius