15 weeks to go

Only 15 weeks until Scaleforum… Blimey… and I’ve just replied in the positive to the invitation, so I really do need to pull my finger out. Like possibility many entries in the Challenge, I still have much work to do.

Treatment for a health issue is making me very tired and is therefore reducing the time I have available for Rospeath Lane. This has made me realise I'll not be able to achieve all I was hoping before Scaleforum. So, to reduce stress and achieve a presentable model I've decided to delay building the lifting shed and shed office/bothy. These buildings can be a later addition. Also, realistically, I'll not have all the locomotives available to represent my envisage timetable. But with that said, I'm hopeful it will be worth taking to High Wycombe in September.

All track-work is in place with many heatwave induced issues solved and the turntable being installed and working, has made me feel a major milestone has been achieved. This has enabled me to get back to looking at the buildings. The Coaling Stage and surrounding structures being the first. What had been holding me back painting the buildings is how to depict them in the latter days of the steam era. The water tank had also given me an issue, as it would seem that by the 1950s most had corrugated roofs, whereas the Timber Track model looks to represent sheet metal. This made me wonder, I should I replace the roof with corrugated sections or paint it as supplied? The thought of ripping the roof off the water tower, along with everything else I have to do before Scaleforum, did not seem a great idea. This may be something I come back to after September.

Coaling stage building group being painted

It was very easy painting the brickwork in a pristine condition, but to then distress it took some thought and nerve. I think my decision to leave the water tank as supplied in the kit has worked out quite well. I feel they are starting to look how these buildings might have looked in the late 1950s.

Recently I've read that the track beyond the coaling stage would have been on a slight slope. This was to allow the coaling stage staff to roll the full wagons under gravity into the coaling stage. Hmm...a cunning plan has formed in my grey cells….so a slight slope has been added on top of the brick extension.

Little old me

There are a few minor details to add before installing these buildings on the layout. Primarily, paint myself along with the coal tubs for me to push. This is a cameo I thought would help to add a little life to the coaling stage. A couple of years ago, on a trip down to Wales,  I popped into Modelu on the way home. 

Other remaining details that need adding are a few coal heaps within the coaling stage, install railings along the brick extension, construct the water tank access ladder and add the water tank vents. I may also add some guttering and downpipes to the coaling shelter... All that will then remain to to do is to lay the track, and ballast before embedding the building in position within the layout.

I'll then continue constructing the Running shed.