My quest for 70D and all its locos and some others not sheded there.

[30368]

Having started 00 scale modelling back in the 1960s and like many retired people I returned to the hobby, in my case to kid myself that I was still useful. Whilst I started to build a scale model, as close to prototype as possible, of Basingstoke shed and the SW main line (part!) as I remembered it in the late 1950s and 1960s I quickly moved on to building white metal, then brass kits and now I have built some locos from scratch. 

I can recommend this aspect of the hobby, it is a bit tricky to start with but so rewarding.

 

One thing I discovered early on was the superb support offered by model railway suppliers. I must mention PDK and their excellent kits and they also built a couple of loco's for me which provided much inspiration. Alan Gibson and Markits are excellent but I am always impressed by BranchLines and South Eastern Finecast, tiny outfits but they achieve so much. These last two company's are resurrecting the Nu-Cast range of kits and I have just purchased one of the first ex LBSCR C2X 0-6-0 kits from them which I intend to build after completing a PDK MN kit which will be 35009 as it was in late 1952.

 

Anyway that's all for now - I will post a few pictures taken by my son-in-law of a few of my loco's - I hope you find them interesting and I encourage anyone who is thinking about having a go at loco building to do so, you won't regret it!    

[AdeMoore]

Some lovely modelling going on there, and I also like what we can glimpse of the shed and yard. Ash and weathering looks spot on.

Cheers

Ade

[30368]

Some lovely modelling going on there, and I also like what we can glimpse of the shed and yard. Ash and weathering looks spot on.

Cheers

Ade

Many thanks Ade, comments much appreciated.

 Kind regards,

 

Richard

[JeffP]

Looks superb. Can we see more, please?

[30368]

Looks superb. Can we see more, please?

Dear JeffP,

 

Many thanks for your comments and for that matter all the comments received. The layout (my first attempt) featured 70D, including the yard, coal stage and turntable. My late brother and I called into the shed on our way to school every morning so my desire to model it all was rather sentimental. It also featured the mainline with the western end of Basingstoke station. It was never completed and when we moved last December I had to dismantle it all. However, the plan is to install it in the (largish) garage next winter so I will update as appropriate. I will post a few pictures of my current project 35009 as it was in 1952.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard

[30368]

Now that we have settled into the new house its time to return to 70D.

 

Have just measured up for a new garage based layout and a good friend will build the frame/baseboards for me (at a consideration.) so time to dust down my model of 70D and get cracking ASAP.

 

Will be about 4.5 m x 1.5m and an "L" shaped return of 3m x 1.5m which will be the fiddle yard.

 

Will firstly finish my H15 project and then build a J36 kit for a local club.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B