Sunday, 14 September 2025

Saturday, 13 September 2025

Friday, 12 September 2025

Maintenance

 Firstly maintenance of the aim-

Yesterday l found time to glue together the next batch of Craigshire Volunteers. Plastic cement is a joy to use compared with superglue and the job was completed relatively simply. After that the figures were given an undercoat/ first coat of grey paint . I do want to keep this moving along..
Btw does anyone know who makes  28mm 1870s/ 80s in home service uniform, both mounted and dismounted?
Secondly , general maintenance,whilst sorting I was looking at these John Ruddle sailors-
I can’t make up my mind whether I should leave them be or touch up the paint and then gloss varnish to seal his work in. Thoughts?
Finally a couple of seasonal photos -
Seasonally wrong , way too early . Seen in local shop.
Seasonally correct, seen in my garden.
Have a good Friday one and all.



Thursday, 11 September 2025

Reversing the invasion

 My painting desk and its contents had spread dramatically of late. Figures, brushes and general hobby detritus invaded the top surface of the piece if furniture beside my painting desk. This happened partly because the desktop was so filled with Stuff there was no room for an modelling of painting to occur. It was mess . So l set out to tidy and organise the other day. A plastic unit of drawers was added in the gap between the desk and the nearby piece of furniture and the top surface evacuated of all hobby items.

I am pleased with the results which make everything more civilised and stuff is easier to locate.
At the end of a hobby session the roll top can be brought down now , something rather pleasing to the eye.

Now that only leaves my bedroom and THE SHED to sort , onwards and upwards…


Monday, 8 September 2025

More Norwegians

 

In order to create more Norwegian invaders l turned to the Perry plastic 1870 Prussian skirmish set.
I had to cut off the blanket or greatcoat roll , too Prussian and definitely not Norwegian.
In this photo you can see the blanket/greatcoat clearly. It was removed with snips and a penknife.
                                                             This is the figure I was striving for.

So how did they turn out? Judge for yourself below-



All in all quite pleased with the results…



Edinburgh

 Popped into Edinburgh after church yesterday to visit the Edinburgh Model Railway Show.

Passed the site of my primary school, now long gone and replaced with housing , the school was behind the stone wall and had an annex in a big house across the street.
The model railway show was held in Watson’s in a rather splendid building.
I loved this detail of interrupted work or lunchtime.
I am a sucker for water and water wheels on model railways . I always fancied the Faller one with real water.
Nice train and nice countryside, very evocative.
German themed layout with a concert and lorries and cars wizzing by on the roads as if by magic.
More water and lovely boat from the same layout.
Lovely viaduct with second under construction , very interesting.
The steam engine powering the ropes hauling materials for the second viaduct, terrific vignette.
Very small layout but effective with fiddle yards off stage right and left.
Terrific terraced housing with market.
009 society with modules made by members and brought together for the show, a grand idea.
Info regarding the modules.

I found the terrain modelling very interesting and enjoyed a work in progress module very much.
Same can be said of the above.
I ,ike this modules and the way the buildings were made.
What looked like narrow gauge O scale to me but no signage and it was operated by someone who was absorbed running the trains.
Like the pill box detail.
Longish line, looked interesting.
Walking back to the West End I saw one of the best shops signs ever…
Overall an enjoyable visit to the show however no one engaged me in conversation no matter how interested l was and how long l stood watching. An opportunity lost imho.
One conversation l did have was with a hosting club member who l asked a question of. I was directed to another member. This club has part of P D Hancock’s layout and also some of his rolling stock. I was asking when and if they brought it to shows. I was excited to hear it would probably be present at the big Glasgow show in February and maybe at this show next year! A little info here about the collection-