Back to Dduallt

After operating New Mills at Derby two weeks ago with Duchesses, Class 40s, DP2 and blue electrics thundering along the WCML with 12 coach expresses and 69 wagon freights, we are slowing down somewhat this weekend running an intensive Festiniog service on our Dduallt 009 layout at RAILEX, the model railway exhibition at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium near Aylesbury.

See our companion blog for more details http://bronhebog.blogspot.com/

Back to Blaenau

Over the years our local line, the former GC & GWR joint, has provided a route for a wide variety of passenger trains ranging from the Cambrian Coast Express to the GC services to Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester, and from the WR Pullmans to the recent Wrexham & Shropshire operation.

However, the indication on this Chiltern bubble car parked in the bay at Princes Risborough suggests a new route to the slate capital of North Wales! Sadly not the case. Recently reliveried W55034 in it's former Western Region colours worked it's first public service on Wednesday along the Aylesbury branch as part of the 'unveiling' of the refurbished Princes Risborough station and our Artistic Director was an invited guest on the day (well who else!), travelling from Aylesbury in the railcar with the top brass from Chiltern trains. Quite why this vehicle sported a Blaenau Ffestiniog destination is a mystery! Did this class ever work the Conway valley line? Answers via the comment box please.

Derby Days

A great weekend in Derby with New Mills. The Mickleover MRG certainly put on a good show, efficiently organised, good layouts and trade and well supported. We operated to our typically busy timetable and augmented our usual stock with a few gems from the Phill Hutchings workshop including his DP2 and early LMR electrics.

A busy fiddle yard with Himself and the Guru in relaxed mode on the northbound controls

We will post more photos from the show in the New Mills gallery but in the meantime here are two views that capture the weekend.

DP2 on the London - Glasgow Caledonian service.

Double headed electrics on a southbound fitted freight.

The range of real ales in some of the pubs in the city was quite staggering and we use that term in its widest sense! The Brunswick Inn, encapsulating the history of the railway works and a brew pub to boot, was a particular favourite.  We must point out however that our sampling of proper beer over the weekend was never allowed to impact on our the operation of New Mills over the two days....or was it three?
Congratulations again to the Mickleover Model Railway Group for a super show.

A piece of cake

..the only thing missing from this photo. We keep things simple when we weather our stock for New Mills. Basically just two paints, Humbrol matt black and leather, a little acrylic thinner and that important revolving cake decorating stand! Oh, and a decent spray gun and compressor of course, courtesy of Iwata.

None of those expensive weathering powders or potions that are liable to create unrealistic and overscale crusts in this scale. The occasional use of matt white and metalcoat paint adds that final finish. Himself favours enamel paints for his FR and WHR stock (see our companion Bron Hebog blog ) but the Artistic Director has an art college backgound that remains loyal to water based applications, hence his acrylic tendency!