Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
As you probably know I’ve decided to hang up the soldering iron and retire from professional building. It would be nice to say it was a hard decision, but I’d be lying. Over the last few years, and particularly since the Covid unpleasantness, I’ve found my overall interest in model railways has waned quite a bit. It’s no longer a subject I am particularly enthused about. Indeed, having ticked over one of those significant number birthdays, I felt it high time to devote more of myself to caring for Best Beloved, and working on my other interests and hobbies.
So, one more commission build beckons. I don’t expect to document it in gory detail. In fact, one of the builds is a JLTRT coach build that I’ve covered twice before already! The commission is for three JLTRT Great Western coaches, and I don’t expect there will be anything particularly out of the ordinary about the builds. Expect, therefore, only occasional updates on progress, or anything of particular interest should it arise.
The scene on my bench, as I begin to explore the boxes. It’s a somewhat bitter-sweet experience. Just Like The Real Thing, under the late Laurie Lynch, was what led me into the professional building game. Rummaging in each box turned up reminders of the company, and of Laurie, and in many ways what a hole their passing has left in the hobby.
To details, then. I have to build a C54 all third, C31 "toplight" all third, and an E85 "top light" composite. I've already been over my previous C54 builds to remind myself of the modifications required around the underframes. I need to research a bit deeper to see if the toplight kits suffer the same issues. Three different types of bogies will be deployed, and I am being expected to sprinkle some of my magic pixie dust about things to make them look the part in their 1930s liveries. I must admit I have some trepidation about the finishing stages, as previous builds for the client have been completed by Gerry Beale. That sets the bar very high indeed.
Sufficient wheelsets have been delivered from Matlock. With JLTRT no longer in the picture, I’ve dug through my spares for the odd thing that was missed during packing, and pored over a couple of supplier web sites for alternatives. There’s no real excuse not to make a start - but not today. There is time for some seriousarmchair modelling research first, though.
So, one more commission build beckons. I don’t expect to document it in gory detail. In fact, one of the builds is a JLTRT coach build that I’ve covered twice before already! The commission is for three JLTRT Great Western coaches, and I don’t expect there will be anything particularly out of the ordinary about the builds. Expect, therefore, only occasional updates on progress, or anything of particular interest should it arise.
The scene on my bench, as I begin to explore the boxes. It’s a somewhat bitter-sweet experience. Just Like The Real Thing, under the late Laurie Lynch, was what led me into the professional building game. Rummaging in each box turned up reminders of the company, and of Laurie, and in many ways what a hole their passing has left in the hobby.
To details, then. I have to build a C54 all third, C31 "toplight" all third, and an E85 "top light" composite. I've already been over my previous C54 builds to remind myself of the modifications required around the underframes. I need to research a bit deeper to see if the toplight kits suffer the same issues. Three different types of bogies will be deployed, and I am being expected to sprinkle some of my magic pixie dust about things to make them look the part in their 1930s liveries. I must admit I have some trepidation about the finishing stages, as previous builds for the client have been completed by Gerry Beale. That sets the bar very high indeed.
Sufficient wheelsets have been delivered from Matlock. With JLTRT no longer in the picture, I’ve dug through my spares for the odd thing that was missed during packing, and pored over a couple of supplier web sites for alternatives. There’s no real excuse not to make a start - but not today. There is time for some serious
