If you ask my partner how many models I've collected and projects I've started she'd probably answer 'more than he knows what to do with' and to some extent she's correct. I have slowed down though on the model purchasing front - not only from a financial perspective but also from the point of being slightly more realistic in how long it would take me to get through and detail all of my stock - let alone build the layout and run it. However, every now and then the little modelling demon on my shoulder wins and I end up with a new purchase and these are a few items that have sneaked into the Cradley Bridges vault recently.
First off some Limited Edition Model Rail Satlink wagons.
I'm a late starter to the idea of limited edition models - to be honest I always thought they were overpriced and 9 times out of 10 they weren't of interest to me anyways as they were either wrong era or wrong livery, so kept clear of them full stop. Maybe I was a bit harsh with that decision and have probably (well I know I have for sure) missed out on some useful and unique models. Skip forward a few years and I was at a model show and quietly watching the trains go by, when a short rake of wagons came past that caught my eye. After a quick chat with the operator it turns out that they were Satlink wagons from Model Rail magazine and they had been produced for a number of years. I'd obviously missed out on a few of the releases (and refuse to pay the inflated eBay prices that Ltd Editions attract) but managed to acquire a number of different wagons - and pre order a further one, to enable me to make up a small rake. Despite them being Limited Editions, I'm a modeller first off, not a collector, so in time all of these will be weathered and detailed (I can hear the collectors out there screaming out now NOOOOOO!)
I'm a late starter to the idea of limited edition models - to be honest I always thought they were overpriced and 9 times out of 10 they weren't of interest to me anyways as they were either wrong era or wrong livery, so kept clear of them full stop. Maybe I was a bit harsh with that decision and have probably (well I know I have for sure) missed out on some useful and unique models. Skip forward a few years and I was at a model show and quietly watching the trains go by, when a short rake of wagons came past that caught my eye. After a quick chat with the operator it turns out that they were Satlink wagons from Model Rail magazine and they had been produced for a number of years. I'd obviously missed out on a few of the releases (and refuse to pay the inflated eBay prices that Ltd Editions attract) but managed to acquire a number of different wagons - and pre order a further one, to enable me to make up a small rake. Despite them being Limited Editions, I'm a modeller first off, not a collector, so in time all of these will be weathered and detailed (I can hear the collectors out there screaming out now NOOOOOO!)
The only non limited edition Satlink wagon is Hornby's old 6 wheel milk tanker, which under the Satlink guise is used as a water bowser - not a bad model, but again can be made so much more realistic with a bit of detailing and weathering. Might go the whole hog with this one too and redo the side ladders as Hornby's are a little too 'toy like' for me - we'll have to see. Watch this space for updates on these models!!
Whilst still on the subject of Limited Editions, I also managed to secure some examples of a pair of Bachmann RTC MK1 coaches and a Bachmann RTC CCT from Invicta Models. This relatively new company seems to have taken over a lot of the preplanned Modelzone spec livery releases and rather nice that are too.
Again all will go through the Cradley Bridge workshops, get detail added and come out considerably grubbier but hopefully more realistic at the other end.
New in on the loco haulage front is this rather nice Hornby Sentinel shunter. Despite being in the rather fetching red Esso livery, I intend to strip and repaint this model into the typical work stained yellow examples you see dotted around yards/factories in this country.
New in on the loco haulage front is this rather nice Hornby Sentinel shunter. Despite being in the rather fetching red Esso livery, I intend to strip and repaint this model into the typical work stained yellow examples you see dotted around yards/factories in this country.
Hopefully I can also fit it with high intensity lights, flashing amber warning beacon and sound - no mean feat considering the size of the thing!! I may be tempted to buy another but for now lets see how I get on with this one. This photo shows the look I'm going to aim for…
I have a love hate relationship with Hornbys HST models… The old ones just didn't cut the mustard for me - I had one and intended to upgrade it, then Lima bought out their's so I ran one of those then finally the new ones were released - at last a detailed pretty accurate model could be had - admittedly for a price. I purchased a Virgin liveried example when they first came out but that was the start of a very slippery slope. I left it for a few months before I started to acquire Mk3 coaches to go with it and never finished the rake - they just seemed to disappear overnight - and Hornby's latest release of debranded overweathered poor examples just rubs salt in the wounds. So for now the Virgin HST set sits in a box with a couple of coaches not knowing if it will ever become a finished rake or will succumb to being eBay'd (and judging by the money some of these HST sets fetch that's probably what I'll do) as a non starter. I just wish that Hornby would plan their release policy of models so as to enable modellers to at least have a chance of building up a rake of likely coaches without either having to buy them all in one go or pay 3 times the price on internet sites!! However, its not all bad news for my HST experience. For a while I wanted to find the Hornby Network Rail HST version and after a couple of months I finally tracked one down, complete with extra coach pack so grabbed the chance to get it.
Coupled with a recent Hornby release of 2 further NR Mk3's I can finally have an HST set to run that looks pretty prototypical (all be it the roof colours need changing on a couple of coaches) without too much hassle. Really looking forward to starting this project soon which will involve weathering (obviously) super detailing the coaches with lights and brake discs, detailing the power units and improving the lighting and (if i sell the Virgin branded HST) I think I'll fit both the power cars with DCC sound.
Another recent acquisition has been Bachmann's Observation coach. This has been a much anticipated model if any of the internet forums are anything to go by. The first batch sold out quite quickly with pre ordered models. I managed to get one of the second batch but by then there had been a bit of a price increase - but then thats happened pretty much all over the Bachmann range (another reason to slow down buying models). I purchased the blue grey version and it has already entered the works to start being detailed.
Coupled with a recent Hornby release of 2 further NR Mk3's I can finally have an HST set to run that looks pretty prototypical (all be it the roof colours need changing on a couple of coaches) without too much hassle. Really looking forward to starting this project soon which will involve weathering (obviously) super detailing the coaches with lights and brake discs, detailing the power units and improving the lighting and (if i sell the Virgin branded HST) I think I'll fit both the power cars with DCC sound.
Another recent acquisition has been Bachmann's Observation coach. This has been a much anticipated model if any of the internet forums are anything to go by. The first batch sold out quite quickly with pre ordered models. I managed to get one of the second batch but by then there had been a bit of a price increase - but then thats happened pretty much all over the Bachmann range (another reason to slow down buying models). I purchased the blue grey version and it has already entered the works to start being detailed.
At the moment it has had all its end detail added and painted, the panels over the door drop lights have been repainted rail blue, hand rails at either end have been painted warning yellow and the under fame has been given a weathering coat of frame dirt. The next stage will be weathering the roof, sides and ends to tie everything together. I'd love to get another one at some point and repaint it as the EWS observation coach.
Finally - well on the new purchase front anyway - every now and then something comes along which changes the game in 'out of the box' models and modelling. Step forward the Bachmann RTC test train coach pack.
Considering this is factory weathering it is a superb representation of not only the real thing but actually most of the blue grey Mk1 stock I remember. Some lovely touches on the sides but the most impressive area is the roof. I will definitely be trying to copy this style on some of my other Mk1 coaches. Hope they bring out some other versions so as to enable a scale length train of these to be made up. No doubt I will add my own weathering and detail to these, but as a starting point they are just superb!!
Considering this is factory weathering it is a superb representation of not only the real thing but actually most of the blue grey Mk1 stock I remember. Some lovely touches on the sides but the most impressive area is the roof. I will definitely be trying to copy this style on some of my other Mk1 coaches. Hope they bring out some other versions so as to enable a scale length train of these to be made up. No doubt I will add my own weathering and detail to these, but as a starting point they are just superb!!
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