Re-allocated BR/WR ‘Toad’

This bank holiday gave me a few opportunities to do some extra work for Albion Yard. One of the things I want to do is to establish the layout in the Forest of Dean with some more visual clues. The Toad above is one of those ideas. It was a standard Bachmann release that had been fitted with Shawplans laserglaze kit EEFG-GW(B)20tB. Whilst looking through the transfers I have in stock I found a set of the Modelmasters BR station signage set. I figured that if I cut up several names re-arranging the letters I could make ‘Cinderford’, so that’s I did. Isopropyl alchohol will remove many of Bachmann models’ printed lettering without damaging the paint underneath. The original wording for ‘Stourbridge’ was removed and 45 minutes or so spent cutting and alligning the station names of Romford/Doncaster/Norwich to make ‘Cinderford’. The allignment isn’t brilliant, but in real life there are photos of lettering thats a bit ‘Friday afternoon/Monday morning’, and when its weathered it’ll be less apparent. The rest of the markings I left untouched, and if you’re wondering what R.U. means its ‘Restricted Use’. This theoretically ensures the van doesn’t travel too far from its home yard and works back there in due course. The next van will be re-allocated to Lydney, when I have a spare half hour or so. And now I keep looking at the lamp irons, they’ll probably be next …

Parkside PC84

Parkside 4mm PC84 GWR V12/V14/V16 ‘Mink’

At Railex I picked up a couple of the new GWR Mink van for Parkside. Its a simple kit and to their latest standard, which as you can see puts it comfortably within the quality we have come to expect of contemporary models. Three main variations can be built, the most visible difference being the van ends, the three types illustrated here are all included in the kit. Built from 1907 and lasting to the 60’s there a good coverage of popular eras, with fitted or unfitted options to select.

7788 and Parksides latest 4mm GWR Mink PC84

Having put this together the bug had caught, and on the desk at the moment are several other wagon kits including a ply sided southern CCT with Dave Frank’s LMS cast buffers.

http://www.parksidedundas.co.uk/
http://shawplan.wordpress.com/

Hmmm, lamp irons, yeh!, they’ll make a huge difference, just a couple of minutes each.

But, then I’ll have to do all the other BR brake vans then, nah! not worth it.

But they look so much better and only take a couple of minutes … choices, choices …