Not The Eling Branch Redux

Sunday containers, all full of disappointment for what #Twitter has become. Anyway, let’s not dwell on it. Beer, anyone? Tunnock‘s Tea Cake? Heroin? Happy #Sunday.

#TMRGUK #BSMRGUK #modelrailway

First coat of grot generously ladled on. By 1992 the Hymac has plenty of hours on it and the battle scars of a life well lived, but it soldiers on and still proves itself useful around the yard.

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Work in progress Hymac 580C. These were everywhere when I was a small and digger-obsessed child. 3D print from DieselDog Models on the ‘Bay. Vallejo Yellow Green is a decent approximation of the distinctive Hymac colour. Decals are home-made. More weathering to follow.
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A quiet day in the sidings. Plus it’s perpetual June there, which means a pint of cider and a bowl of chips in the garden at the Cross Keys. #TMRGUK #BSMRGUK #modelrailway

Early start for Saturday, quick bacon roll then off down the Retailplex for a bit of shopping. And we have trains running again, which feels like progress. #modelrailway #TMRGUK #BSMRGUK

Yes. Built from a Cambrian kit with a few adaptations.

A super-saturated sunny #Saturday in the sidings. It’s very peaceful here. Time to chow down on a breakfast bacon roll before I have to start work.
#TMRGUK #modelrailway #bacon

Flashing light is flashing. There’s been a lot of mucking about to make everything fit, including chopping out the floor for the electronics. Initially it’ll run on a couple of watch batteries until I can be bothered with pickups and a rectifier to power it from the track. #TMRGUK #modelrailway

Brake van progress. Roof was done with tissue paper to replicate roofing felt, but the result was somewhat lacking in subtlety so it was re-done with paint and talcum powder, with much better results. #TMRGUK #modelrailway

Home-brewed flashing tail lamp, because the decent ones are out of stock & I’m not going to debase myself with some of the dross on sale. 555 chip makes it flash; lamp is West Hill item drilled out to take 1mm fibre optic. Final version will be slimmed down & hidden in the van.
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Brake van body with the first coats of colour on; perched on the chassis to get an idea how it’ll look.

Added buffers and roof vents (Lanarkshire Models & Supplies), coupling hooks (Smiths). Concrete weights re-shaped with Vallejo filler.

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A slab of old-school DJ hardware, KAM KCD1000. If you’re used to Pioneer CDJ-whatever this feels like it’s out of the Ark, but it’s surprisingly useable, and apart from a slightly flakey pitch control on Deck 2 it’s fully functional.

So as the #modeltrainshow2025 reaches the point in the evening when we’ve all had a few too many beers, how about a bit of Japanese N-gauge running round the garden.

Seems like ten minutes ago it was Friday. Where did the weekend go? #ModelTrainShow2025

Staff/Tool van, adapted from the Parkside CCT kit. A bit of a rush job to get it vaguely presentable for the #ModelTrainShow2025.

Engineers’ train heading North.

#modeltrainshow2025 #TMRGUK

First priority this morning concerns fried eggs, bacon and black pudding, then it’s all aboard for the #ModelTrainShow2025. A nice break from the relentless negative headlines, and raising money for a good cause too shorturl.at/SrPtO
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Gearing up for the #modeltrainshow25 with this lashed-together improv that might be ready if I lay off the booze for a couple of evenings.

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This Parkside VEA kit has been hoovering up far too much of my time over the last couple of weeks.

#BSMRGUK #TMRGUK #modelrailway

iPad update, clearly coded by someone’s dog, meant I couldn’t post pictures. Appears fixed now.

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I still believe in Father Christmas, and as long as he keeps turning up with stuff like this I’ll continue to do so. Plasser 12 ton crane from EFE, box-fresh and in need of some subtle weathering, but still rather lovely.

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Jingle all the way to Alcoholics Anonymous, probably. Family Christmas lunch successfully delivered, nobody got food poisoning and it didn’t descend into a festive brawl. A success, I think. Season’s Greetings from Eling.

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Crap things this week include iPadOS 18.1.1 making this thing run like a pig; tiresome old fanny Nicky Haslam and his stupid festive tea towel; the government’s digital ID thing. On a more positive note, I’ve finished work for Christmas. Have a seasonal Class 26 to celebrate.

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Bluesky is being a bit choosy about which photos it’ll let me post this evening, so here’s a grotty GUV to welcome the weekend. Augmented Lima on Bachmann running gear. Happy #Friday everyone.

#TMRGUK #BSMRGUK #modelrailway

Fancy a bit of Cure for Saturday? Of course you do.

And for those of you who like a cartridge, it’s my final evening with the Dynavector XX-2 MkII, which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. Roksan Shiraz arrives tomorrow.

#vinylcommunity #nowspinning

Thank you, that’s very kind of you

Starting the weekend with irresponsible 4 o’clock beers and currently Devo on the turntable. Happy Friday to you lot out there.

#BSMRGUK #TMRGUK #modelrailway

LP cover for Happy Mondays’ album Pills’n’Thrills & Bellyaches

University parties were a long time ago, but this brings it all back. Just need a bottle of K and an eighth of Red Leb. Back then it wouldn’t have been a 180g pressing and we’d have been spinning it on a rough-as-guts Alba midi system. Good days!

#vinylcommunity #nowspinning

A pair of Class 33 locomotives and a Class 26 lined up in the sidings.

A #Tuesday trio of BRCW bruisers.

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#Friday, with a bit of luck, will be a calorie-laden, boozy mess.

#BSMRGUK #modelrailway