2020 Hindsight

With the end of 2020 in sight the O9 Keef has had a few jobs completed on it and to all intents and purposes is considered "complete" enough to be sat in the display case. Since the last set of photographs I have added (and weathered) glazing, lightly weathered the loco and fitted MicroTrains couplers. These were the first set of couplers I had assembled for some time, I had forgotten what I was missing out on...!

One thing I haven't made any attempt to do is secure the body to the modified Bachmann chassis, it will likely be a blu-tac job. A reminder that the basic 3D print for this loco it available from A1 Models on eBay - and that I have made several changes to model, especially around the underframe.

There is an air of indecisiveness about the future of the model, it almost, but doesn't quite fit with my plans. A bit like 2020 really... I'm really happy that I have been able to continue modelling throughout the year but with hindsight, what has emerged is something of a mixed bag, a collection of individual models that actually achieve no real collective "whole". I started in this vein with MG Models 'Classic' loco, two paint jobs later and whilst it looks OK it might not be what I really want it to be.

Of course 'Beck Bridge' had a makeover to include a backscene, as seen above, which whilst successful it has still not found a real home for display!

At Easter, with time on my hands I started a micro layout based on Julian Andrews brickworks plan, this has never got beyond the initial phase other than a few tweaks as I searched for a suitable aesthetic for the rolling stock, and failed to get the result I wanted using KB Scale kits (nothing against the kits - just how I wanted to use them), and then some doubts over alternative scratchbuilds.

Not everything has been inconclusive, a Meridian Models Ashover coach kit received as a gift actually led to the one completed project of the year, the 009 diorama 'Humberston'. What started as a plain Manilla build of the coach in original condition turned into a customised rebuild of the coach to represent the LCLR modifications and a Simplex scratchbuilt to match, along with a suitable display base with platform and signal.

I hate to admit it but the other real success story was also 009, although the door is open for an O9 reworking for next Christmas!

Don't worry, I'm not about to rename the blog, plans are slowly coming together to revive the O9 micro layout and the locomotive and rolling stock aesthetic might also be resolved. Watch this space in 2021!

Happy New Year to our reader(s)

Colin