Firmly attached...

This evening I've made further progress, not that the photos show it. In my hurry to get a tank glued on I neglected to paint the back of it first! Doh!

When viewed from the front, the right hand tank is now attached and has a partial rear side which visually makes a huge difference. In addition the rear lights have been fitted (non working) and the bunker is also glued to the body. Over the weekend I'll get the other tank finished and attached before adding some of the finer details and grab rails to the model.

Bunker last...

Well tonight I got the lights re-wired up on the tank fronts and got the rear bunker structure completed. That gives me a solid base to start the detailing work.

Not forgetting...

As well as my new creation, the joint 'pride of the line' is shared with 298.56, my LGB U class...

Looking at this atmospheric photo has me wondering about starting the station...

Two's company...

I've made big progress on the second of the new side tanks this evening and now the basic structure is finished I've worked out what to do with the edge that's up against the boiler as the front parts need to be solid as they are visible in normal viewing.

Slow hidden progress...

Spot the difference after another 1h30m work on Boris...

I've tidied up the front buffer beam and removed the old bases for the lamps. Behind that light lens hides a newly plumbed in and tested light connector, and I've fitted the base of the tank, and measured up a 'back' plate for the front half of the tank... But still, it doesn't look much...

Pretty happy with how the face is looking now though.

Tank number one taking shape...

A few hours work with 60thou plasticard and I've got the basis of the first tank...

Mocking the tank and bunker up...

Today I got the first real glimpse of what my conversion is going to look like when it progresses further, as I mocked up some tanks and a bunker. I opted to set the tanks out as per the OBB 699.1xx conversions rather thank the flush with the can tanks as on the STLB 699.01 that now lives on the W&L. What do you think?

I can't wait...

Popped in to see Mum on the way back from Chester. It was great to see the ballast weathering in with the dust washing off in the rain of last week, it's looking great. I can't wait to get some trains running next time we're over for a weekend! The photo opportunities on this section of the line look really promising already...

Welshpool a year on...

About 12 months ago, Elly, Mum, Dad and I visited the Welshpool and Llanfair for the first time since my childhood. A year on a lot has changed in my life, but train rides are train rides and Elly and I had a lovely day today. Elly's first ride on the balcony and she had a wonderful time.

Behind bars...

Well I had a spare 30 minutes this evening so I've knocked off another two tasks!

First up I've removed the LGB MTS 55021 DCC chip from the chassis. I find the locos rum smoother on DC without them, and as the body was off anyway!

I've also whipped put the mini drill and added bars to the rear windows using a 1mm drill bit and 0.9mm brass wire, bent in needle nose pliers and secured with superglue. It's coming along... Next up rear bunker!

One last thing, I'm looking into getting some etched brass works plates made by Steve at Narrow Planet :)

The first cut is the deepest...

In fact the first cut is the most worrying!

I took a razor saw to the cab roof on Boris, the name my daughter has coined for Frank. I managed to get a lovely clean cut so I'm really pleased. I also have cut some plasticard to fit the rear cab door opening.

So it's started... I can't wait to start on the side tanks!

Garten Bahn magazine...

Garten Bahn is another German magazine, with focus purely on 'Spur I & II', i.e. Gauge 1 and G. Published 6 times a year it is a stapled magazine with lower quality paper than Volldampf and slightly less glossy than Gartenbahn-Profi.

The magazine includes more than just Garden models with my preview issue including two Gn15 layouts. The standout feature for me are the high quality of models created in the articles, the brass bodied Mallet and the Gauge 1 weed killing tanker spring to mind. It also includes prototype features that lead into modelling features.

Perhaps not as focused as Volldampf but similar production values with a broader scope it's a magazine that again I'd not subscribe to but would definitely buy dependant on specific content of interest in the future.

www.gartenbahn.de

New wagon transfers...

I managed to carefully remove the generic LGB markings from my new wagon this evening, with wet and dry paper used wet.

I have then applied new markings for use on the EJ&KLR, number, classification and maintenance location.

I'll probably apply a coat of satin varnish to protect the finish later on this evening...

Ballast therapy...

I visited Chester today after being on holiday last week for my brothers wedding. It was emotional and I missed Dad. I decided to see if I could get some ballast material from our local garden centre. They had three bags of coarse grit for a tenner!

Anyhow started laying it with the intention of just doing the embankment that had survived rain all week but I didn't want to push our luck any further. Mum and I kind of got carried away though and ended up finishing! I also cut down a short straight to complete the passing loop. We then started laying out the plants bought already and then planted them.

So what do you think?

I'm really pleased. I think it looks wonderful. The ballast has transformed the look!! Dad would be proud...

Volldampf magazine...

So first up we have Volldampf, a perfect bound full colour publication on high quality paper with card cover. The magazine is published 4 times a year and has a range of material that seems to focus on track powered G scale systems from LGB, Piko, Trainline45 and the other smaller European specialists.

In this issue there is a feature on the Nurnberg toy fair's garden railway items, a 'Railway of the Month' type feature on a large RhB Swiss style garden line, reviews on both the LGB Kof and Bernina Bahn set amongst other reviews. There are also articles on modifying rolling stock to include lighting and a feature on some lovely night photography. I would expect this gives you an idea of what the magazine generally includes.

The high quality production is not quite met by the design and layout, that feels a little more 'club magazine' then professional production both in terms of layout style (the way the text and photos are arranged on the page) and design (the colours and fonts used).

It is definitely a production I would buy again in the future - but it would depend on content rather than a must-buy every issue like other magazines.

www.volldampf.org

Magazines...

I've had the pleasure of a few quiet hours whilst away on holiday last week to browse some narrow gauge and G scale specific magazines...
From the UK we have the truly excellent Narrow Gauge World, which is published six times a year with news from all over the globe, reports and articles on prototypes of all gauges and both working and preserved lines. I can recommend getting a copy, if you can't find it in WHSmiths then you can also get an electronic subscription.
www.atlanticpublishers.com
www.exacteditions.com


Thanks to Jon (Zerogee) on G Scale Central (www.gscalecentral.com) I also found that three G scale specific magazines, published and written in German, offered free taster issues. Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth I duly sent off for Volldampf, Garten Bahn and Gartenbahn Profi. All excellent publications, each with a very different slant. I'll cover each on more detail in separate blog entries later on.
www.volldampf.org
www.gartenbahn.de
www.gartenbahnprofi.de

Bargain open wagon...

I've just taken delivery of a mint boxed LGB open wagon and 6 unused 300mm straight track sections at a great price. I'll apply EJ&KLR decals to the wagon and seal them on with satin varnish which will also tone down the glossy finish of the wagon out of the box.

Further scribbling and reference...

Planning the tank...

Despite having not started on the Frank S I have been able to start planning the model. Working out construction and small details can be done without the model in front of me...

Dimensions will have to wait until I've got the body again though...

I couldn't resist...

I've stripped down the Frank S...
Already scope creep has hi-lighted the opportunity to relocate the front lights from the running plate to the fronts of the new tanks... Allowing the front end to be altered a little more to suit the style of the KDL11 rather than a straight HF110.

Cross dressing HF110...

Yup, odd title but I managed to aquire a LGB Frank S for my Austrian tank engine conversion inspired by the larger KDL11 699.1xx OBB versions. Why cross dressing? Well in the real world, as well as Frank S there is a Francesca S, the same loco type but converted to side tanks and a bunker...
Not sure when the project will start as the layout needs some more work and I want to start on the station next but the model is now ready and waiting for a wet few days to make a start!

First train...

Testing this morning after this weekends progress... Elly had the honour of the first train, and as you can see it was populated by Princesses, entirely appropriate for the extended Bank Holiday weekend.

It all works fine although overnight debris and tree sap did accumulate quite quickly on the Stainz's skates and front drivers.

Trackbed, track and landscaping...

What a day! Massive progress after another massive session in the garden. This morning I sorted out the alignment before finishing off the trackbed with more ballast and sharp sand from B&Q. Unfortunately they didn't gave any of their alpine grit in green left so we're still ballast less.

Once the track was in I could sort out the bridge abutments and river bed before moving on to using the top soil to landscape the area...

What a transformation!!! It's very very windy though so I've not tested it in anger. I just hope it all works!

The soil has been used to protect the edges of the track bed so hopefully it's weatherproof now until we can get the track ballast sorted.