Wishing you all the compliments of the Season!

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Yes, it’s that time of year again. I want to wish you all what I said in the title above.

2018 has been a right royal hairy backside of a year at Heather Kay Towers. Yes, there have been highlights, but the lowlights have been much in the ascendant. My best laid plans went out virtually with the Christmas recycling in January. The build count went down, and down, and is still tumbling. I took some time off during the summer to try and correct the overall direction of my life. This was partly successful, but I still occasionally hit craters in the road. The best I can do is try to weather them and see what’s left on the other side that I can use to rebuild and carry on.

Be that as it may, I want to thank all my friends at Western Thunder for their continuing support of my attempts at building models for a living. I always try to "pay it forward" by passing on my own wit and wisdom - what there is of it, at least - where I can. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again I have no doubt, but I wouldn’t be where I am without the prodding and poking from you lot to push me that bit further with every build.

May you all have a happy Christmas, and let’s hope 2019 sees the ship righting and letting us just get on with the good things in life.
 

Len Cattley

Western Thunderer
Heather I like your posts and the way you write them. It is very inspiring for me, let's hope that this move to Spain helps me to find my Mojo. Wishing everybody a happy Christmas and new year.

Len
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
I feel like I should be echoing your words Heather, my wife, Bett, and I have had a rough ride for the last 18 months or so, details of which I won't go into here but life changes things in a direction you don't always expect, in our case a sad but beneficial ( I should say very grateful ) way.

I enjoy your threads and posts Heather, so keep up the good work.
As for building models for a living I decided to stop building too commission for personal reasons, for the better I might add, and to concentrate on wheel re-profiling and processing but also working casually in a sightly different capacity with a close colleague of mine.

All the best to you Heather and all of the crew on WT.

Merry Christmas. Col.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Some of you already know this, but I’ve decided that once the current backlog of locos is cleared I intend to concentrate on taking only coach commissions.

Reasons? Well, I don’t really enjoy the mechanical aspect of loco building. Making the thing look pretty is fine, but making it go is another ball of wax. Yes, I know I seem to manage, but you don’t always get treated to all the frustration in my build threads! By comparison, though often equally complex as motive power in the end, coaches (and other rolling stock) are much simpler to contemplate and where I derive an enormous amount of satisfaction from jobs well done.

Later next year, I expect to be taking on a rather large commission to complete a couple of trainloads of 4mm scale coaches. I’ve already had initial discussions with the client, and he seems quite keen that I should take the work on. That should be fun. Of course, between now and then, I’ve got to get on top of the five loco builds, three refurbishments, some superdetailing jobs, and 15 7mm scale coaches...

It’s going to be a busy year, assuming I can keep that life thing under control!
 

Ressaldar

Western Thunderer
Later next year, I expect to be taking on a rather large commission to complete a couple of trainloads of 4mm scale coaches. I’ve already had initial discussions with the client, and he seems quite keen that I should take the work on. That should be fun. Of course, between now and then, I’ve got to get on top of the five loco builds, three refurbishments, some superdetailing jobs, and 15 7mm scale coaches...

It’s going to be a busy year, assuming I can keep that life thing under control!

Hi Heather,

remember that the main part of our hobby is enjoyment, let us hope that 'later next year' is later rather than sooner as the last thing that you need is pressure piling up as each day passes which will undoubtedly having a more than passing effect on your output and not to mention your health.

Seeing the pictures of your results will be worth waiting for - especially if there is a 2020 date attached to them.

Kind regards and seasons greetings to you and yours and all on WT.

Mike
 

unklian

Western Thunderer
I would like to echo the sentiments already posted and to Wish Everyone a very Merry Christmas and that the New Year brings to each of us what we wish from it.

Same again , 2018 was crap, here's to a peaceful Christmas and a better 2019 for everyone .
 

djparkins

Western Thunderer
I would like to echo the sentiments already posted and to Wish Everyone a very Merry Christmas and that the New Year brings to each of us what we wish from it.

To add to that sentiment - Happy Christmas and New Year to all.

In the times in which we find ourselves, I think we can at least be pleased that we share a hobby such as this - surely an important bulwark against the insanity of the real world!

David Parkins
Modern Motive Power
 

Bob Reid

Western Thunderer
and the same to you both Heather and here's hoping for a better spell. Remember if I can help you in any way with the coaches (if they are Mk1's or Mk2's) then please shout up if it'll help make it any easier - and the same applies to anyone on the forum.

Best wishes for the coming year.
 
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