Ive just finished my first craftsman rolling stock kit. You will find more information about this build in my pages accessed from the Menu.

So today i finished the 14 degree crossing, and its passed its truck test, so fingers crossed all will be good when installed on the layout. 

So track finished i have moved on to a bit of weathering, 

I just used some vallejo weathering pigments, starting with lighter layers and then going over the recessed areas with darker pigments. Its amazing how 15mins of work can transform a model. 

Now for the second project a shiny Atlas stock car. 

So step 1 spray with dulcote to take the shine off, then onto the roof (rain and grime flow down) 

Ok so now added yellow ochre and burnt sienna to the roof and re dulcoted. 

And finished for now, sides and ends done, havent got enough light colours or dullcote with me to finish the sides, underframe and trucks.

So for years i have always just walked past most demonstrators, but in the past few years i have always paid more attention. I first did a little bit of demostrating when i was building my Golden Spike layout on the NMRA stand at Perth exhibition in May 2016. 

So today partly because i want to get my Civil AP scratchbuilding judged at the NMRA british region convention in October 2016 and also because i knew there would be lots of questions about the trackwork on the Norwalk Valley RR i offered to demonstrate building track at the Leigh Show. 

I was pleasantly suprised that i had lots of people coming asking lots of questions and coming back 3 or 4 times to see the trackwork take shape. More than one youngster asked how they could have a go at building their own track. The Exhibition manager even came over to say thanks, as a number of people had made positive comments to him. 

So theres even more tomorrow and hopefully i can get my trackwork completed and weather a few freight cars. Today I managed to build a turnout in a little over 2 hours and then after 4 hours i got about 70% of the way through my 14 degree crossing.

If you haven’t ever had a go at showing your skills and helping answer other modellers questions definatley give it a go. 

I have added some pages to record my progress in completing the requirments of the Achievement Program.

I have completed the requirments of the Golden Spike and you can expect to see my work for this posted first and i will now be focusing on my Civil AP Cert and Master Builder – Rolling Stock AP Cert.

look for more progress soon…

This week i took delivery of my custom numbered and weathered Heljan O Gauge Class 25, thanks to Tower Models for the excellent customisation you’ve done.

Finished as D5202 which after delivery to Totton was allocated to Longsight in Manchester. Now the model needs DCC Sound before its added to the Roe Green Junc. growing diesel fleet. 

Leigh MRS kindly invited me to exhibit Cannondale part of the Norwalk Valley RR at the 40th show in Sept 2016.

The section i exhibited was 10ft by 2ft and was part of the Cannondale section.

Here are some shots from fridays Setup. I only had a few issues with bits of wires being broken off. 

 Its amazing how dirty track can get though, so tomorrow morning we will be cleaning that and loco wheels before we start. Doors open at 10am Saturday and Sunday, i will be demoing building trackwork at the end of the layout and also fixing anything that breaks.