Silflor Mini Natur Flowers.

 I think these are really rather good. A few clumps outside the pub finishes off what was a barren area.
Scattered around the layout they give a little splash of colour and hopefully look realistic, I think they do.
Another Mini Nature product has also been used so more info on that next post.

Worsley Works West Harptree Couplings

 Just to reitterate the confusion caused by the West Harptree couplings not appearing on Allans site-
Here is a refresher plus CLICK THE LINK where it says Worsley works on the left and use the contact us details for e-mail enquiries.

Numberplates

 After some searching I found a sheet of rub-down numbering for the smokebox numberplate.
Produced by Replica Railways, the numbers used are from a sheet to be used for TOPs Class 47, 50 & 56 in their 2mm scale range.
The numbers needed were just rubbed onto black plasticard with a soft pencil. Then the plate was cut to size and superglued in place.
The lower picture shows how bad my alignment of the numberplat kit is.
However, it's done now and from a distance seems not too bad.

3MM Society Numberplate Kit.

One of the most fiddly things I have had to do is to make a numberplate for one of my 8750 series Pannier Tanks.
The 3MM Society offers a numberplate kit to make GWR numberplates. The etch is quite good and provides enough numbers for two locos, one 4 digit plate and one three digit one.
The number chosen 9623 was a Newton Abbot engine in the 50's so is right for Hennock (and Teignford).
But boy is a fiddle. The suggested way to fix the numbers to the plate, after painting it black, is by gloss varnish. My eyesight is not what it was, and as can be seen, more numbers escaped than were used. Next time I will use the magnifying light.
Just need to let it dry overnight and affix to the cab side, then find some small numbers to make the smokebox plate.
Hennock is at the Southampton Model Railway Exhibition today and tomorrow-we will be pleased to see you.

Another one undercoated.

This truck is only in undercoat but shows how much detail comes through with its first priming coat.
Undecided yet as to what livery it will have, I will continue to use Acrylic paint for the finish.
It is a pity that the windows are not opened up but time constraints mean that I don't have the time for such mods.

Zvezda Truck Painted

After some time I have finally painted one of the Zvezda trucks, in this case the Opel Blitz.
Primed with Humbrol enamel, the final finish is with Acrylics.The paint really brings out the detail that is part of these excellent value for money kits.
This one will be on Hennock when we exhibit at Southampton this coming weekend.

Fiddle Yard Problems.

 Last time that Hennock was checked for the next exhibition, at Southampton, I noticed that there was a problem with the fiddle yard.
It had assumed a bow in the centre which meant that the rails would not line up with the main running line.
There were a couple of options. Make a new fiddle yard board, trouble here was that I don't have any plywood the same thickness. Secondly, I would have to flatten it somehow. This was the chosen option and so a piece of aluminium ange was cut and screwed to one edge of the piece of board. Happily this would seem to have cured the problem as the fiddle yard now sits square and flat. Not the prettiest of solutions but on that works.

Pick-ups Again.

 This 94XX looks a little distorted but is a trick of the camera!
The lower pic shows the chassi- similar to the first in the series but with the sheathing from layout wire threaded on to the pick-ups to prevent shorting on the uncoupling wires.
Not all my locos do this but those that are prone have had this mod made to them.
All you need to do is strip the outer from thin wire and thread it onto the pick-up and the insulation is complete. A spot of Superglue is sometimes needed to keep the sheathing in place.

January 2012 Mixed Traffic.

 The latest Mixed Traffic landed on the doormat packed with excellent content. The cover picture of an Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 built by Mike Edge is an example of what can be achievd in 3mm.
Contents include:-
Allhallows-on-Sea, a layout by Terry Tracey.
Installing a Bullant into a DMU -Bob Oldham.
Three Axle Bullant useage-Adrian Westbury.
Wantage Tramway No 5- Geoff Helliwell.
Excellent Photos by the late Eric Bruton.
Q & A, Whats New and Bits and Pieces all contribute to another credit to the Editor, John Sutton.

A photo by Peter Stratford of my Bedford OB awiting passengers near the Farm Bridge.

Pick-ups Part Trois!

This Collett 2501 class 0-6-0 is another variation.
This time a Brynkits chassis which is a fold up etch and simple to construct.
Mashima power again with 40:1 Branchlines gearbox.
However, the pick-ups this time are all above the chassis, not as previous types. This keeps the wires away from the track and even less chance of shorting out.
Hopefully I will be able to show a blow by blow account of making a chassis with the new 3mm Society square axle wheels in the near future- all I need to do is to remember to take photos at each stage, I have started before but forgot the camera!

Pick-ups.

The underside of a 45XX 2-6-2 Prarie Tank shows more sophistication. Tidier in construction- this one not wired by me but by Peter Bossum.
This really has made me think that I can achieve better and the next loco will have more thought given to its Pick-ups.
Again this has Romford wheels but a two stage High Level Gearbox all driven by a Mashima motor.

Locos and pick ups.

 A short series on the methods of pick up on various locos. Appologies for the fuzzy pics but I think they illustrate the point.
Firstly this 14XX 0-4-2T was the first loco I made in 3mm. It has a 3SMR chassis with Romford wheels.
The pick-ups are 33SWG phospher bronze wire attached to PCB board. Wires then transmit the current to the motor which is a Mashima with a Branchlines 40:1 gearbox. Easy to make and not that pretty but it does the job reliably. I made this model nearly ten years ago and only routine maintenance has been needed.

Happy New Year.

A New Year dawn's and all best wishes for the forthcoming Year.
Looking back, the blog has seen quite a surge in the number of views in the later months, I need more time to keep the posts flowing.
My local station recieved an award for the graffiti art applied to the walls on the down side it is a reminder that I should regularly pop in to record the changes- how I wish I, and many others I suspect, had done this many years ago to aid my modelling projects.
Resolutions? Too many to list and achieve I suspect but must get down and crack on with many unfinished and unstarted projects.