A Duchess and her Chariots

It’s safe to say that the last twelve months have been my most productive period of modelling in a very long time. I find myself finishing the projects I hoped to get done by the NG Now exhibition in Mansfield on the 26th October with a week to spare. 

First up, the Corris pair. As mentioned before, both are Iconic Rail kits. I took a scalpel and saw to the brake van side, opening the door. Inside I’ve added the bench seat across the back, the handbrake and a guard figure of a guard having a brew.

The four wheeled tram car was a dream to assemble, falling together. I’ve add a solitary figure, presumably most of the passengers prefer the added comfort of a bogie carriage even if it is third class.

Both have been finished in the same green livery as worn by the two bogie versions. I’ve quite a train of Corris cars now, shall need a bigger layout at this rate!

Also finished is my Port Wynnstay England engine. Decided to christen it with the name ‘The Duchess’ as being a suitable title bestowed by a railway in the Duchy. 

Having received some remarks about it being a yellow peril / Captain C’stard / is it one of Nobby Clarke’s? / are you adding wasp stripes? when it was in its raw state, I ignored all of those and covered it all quickly with some rattle can primer. 

Whilst most of us think of the historic pre-preservation Ffestiniog livery of being a dark red, historical research published in the superb ‘Little Giants’ book on FR locos suggests that Green was a more common colour in the 1860’s.

Having become fully committed to acrylic paints using those from Lifecolor, I’d also heard good things about Vallejo paints and was keen to try them. Seeing as how much the real England locos have been rebuilt and altered over the years, ‘Mutation Green’ seemed an appropriate colour to choose!

I made a note of all the paints used on the loco and crew, it totals 25! More than you might imagine, but aided by additional shades for wooden and rust finishes. With the extra practice, I’m feeling more in control with my painting of acrylics and feel almost at the stage where my enamels will be thrown away. 

On top of the base coat, masking tape resulted in some black edging which were lined out in red with my bow pen making the loco look very 1970s FR. The clock was turned back a century with Fox white/black/white lining transfers. Using corners and straights took time and patience but the result has been very much worth it. 

After a dusting of Dulcote to seal them in, weathering was dry brushed on, coal was added to the tender and the loco given a run on the layout.

There is a great feeling of accomplishment that this loco is no longer sitting half done in my drawer. 

Also completed ahead of NG Now has been the construction of an extra fiddle yard cassette. This and the new carriages means I’ve added a mixed train to the roster. Time and practice will tell whether I’ve over filled the fiddle yard or not! But it’s certainly cut down the amount of spare stock sitting out at the back of the fiddle yard. 

Tonight (in about ten minutes as I type this) is the fortnightly 7mmNGA Trent Valley Group Zoom session. I was expecting to be busy beavering away on these projects tonight, but find myself with an unexpected empty work bench. Will have to see what my idle hands choose to tinker with…