I've just taken a look on here for the first time in months and am astonished to see how long it has been since I last posted - where does the time go? Between lots of distractions, life, etc, there has been progress with Maiden Newton but as ever, not as much as I would like. Anthony Manor seems to have settled in quite nicely and is currently working a Weymouth - Bristol stopping train comprising a M set and a couple of vans. Given my experience with this engine I am now contemplating the arrival - not too far into the future I hope - of the Accurascale pannier tank where I hope to be able to repeat the re-wheeling exercise. I've gone for an 8750 as I rather like them with the later Collett cabs and they are the ones that I remember seeing most of all. But with the fairly imminent arrival of this model in mind I thought it time that I completed another pannier that I have had in progress for far too long.
No. 7780 was built using a Mainline body running on a High Level chassis. She has Ultrascale driving wheels, a Mashima motor and runs like a dream. The body has been reworked with some components replaced with brass castings from Brassmasters - smokebox door handle, tank fillers, safety valve bonnet, etc. In a moment of inspiration - unusual for me - I realised that the left over parts for the closed cab from my Finney 27xx pannier tank kit, which had been built as a half cab, should fit the 57xx and so it proved. So the clunky Bachmann cab rear and roof was dispensed with, the replacement etched brass cab rear assembled and fitted and then a new cab roof was made from nickel silver with the riveting done with my 'Reynolds Riveter'. I was not able to use the Finney etched cab roof as the sliding roof ventilator on 27xx was in a different position to the 57xx. I think the resulting transformation made the extra work worthwhile.
I have also been working on some of the scenic elements with quite a bit of progress achieved. This has all been by trial and error as I've never done anything like this before. As a preliminary I read - and then re-read several times - Gordon Gravett's book on modelling grassland from Wild Swan and can recommend it without hesitation as being the way to go. I also talked to Neil Podberry at length about how to go about it and he couldn't have been more helpful. And I should also thank my near neighbour Chris Hopper for the long term loan of his static grass applicators which have worked extremely well. For what its worth I used the Peco product and found that it did everything that I wanted it to. Its still all work in progress and there is much more to do. In fact I'm sure that as I gain more expertise I shall go back to some of the areas that I did first and upgrade them - as Neil said it's all about the layering to get the required effects and I'm sure there is more that can be done.
This is the view from the rear of the layout looking in the Dorchester direction. More has been done even since this photo was taken and there is a big development coming in this area in the near future. This photo highlights that I still have not been able to finish re-roofing the goods shed. It's beginning to annoy me now so I really should get on with it but imitating a large area of weathered corrugated asbestos sheeting is rather a daunting prospect!
A similar view in the same direction but showing one of the corrugated iron huts, in this case used as a lamp hut. These were two of these at Maiden Newton and they are beautiful little 3D prints from 'Brinkley' and with a bit of careful painting really look the part. The signal box plate incidentally is a replica - I don't think my shed wall could take the weight of a cast iron original!
Finally this close up view of the Down side waiting shelter encapsulates to me the appeal of Maiden Newton. I just love these old broad gauge era structures as they have such character and make lovely models. What is also quite remarkable is that this structure is still extant and in fact is still doing its original job and remains open for business.
