Workbench update...

Right then...here's a few shots of recent/current projects from my workbench.  First up, I got around to putting together my rural church kit, which was one of the most recent offerings from Outback Model Company. 

 This quaint little structure will tie in perfectly with the small township I will be modelling on my Triple Creek home On30 layout. Was able to get the kit together fairly quickly and trouble free, with the longest process preparing and aging all the weatherboards pre assembly.  I was aiming for an aged, but not delapidated structure.  The timber would have taken a bit of sunburn from the Aussie sun, but still have some osrt of proud presentation to the community.  Also on the cards from the same manufacturers is a small rural schoolhouse (still just a mock up), which will go hand in hand with the church on my layout, since many churches also ran the local school.  There are still a few parts to complete with the church, such as the front steps, but these will be installed on site once I develop the landscape for it on the layout. 

Also underway on the bench are a number of VR narrow gauge rolling stock, as offered by Ian Lindsay Models.  These are very nicely cast reproductions of the 2'6" wagons run on the likes of the Beechy, Gembrook (Puffing Billy) and Walhalla line around Victoria.  So far I have assembled 2 NU vans, a NT and a NH (both of which there were only one of in their class). The wagons have been primed and await further painting and finishing, assembly of the white metal fox trucks, and finally some couplers. 

With the exception of the NH van, I am intending to paint these as some of the rolling stock that was in use on the Beech Forest line in the 1940-50's.  The bulk of my rolling stock collection will consist of the common NQR wagons, with  a variety of loads, such as potatoes, lime, timber and general goods.  Also to join the fleet will be a number of NBH passenger cars, to run the odd tourist special on the line.

Another of the small projects that gets picked up when in the mood, or when I get a short burst of modelling time, is adding some life and colour to the figures that will populate the scenes.  Here's a few of the local's that I've been finishing off lately.

Mainly a collection of Phoenix and Buffalo Landing figures, which I enjoy for their quality of casting and nice details in the facial features.  I also recently picked up a number of the 1:48 figures on offer by MK35, which I have yet to start painting, but have started to assemble and prime.  Often I have a selection of these figures to pick up and tinker with when modelling at exhibitions, as they are handy little jobs to complete while the glue/paint dries on the main projects.

Thought it might also be interesting to add in a recent photo of the current state of the modelling room.  Believe it or not, underneath all that is actually some working track.  Until I get around to introducing some landforms and scenery shape, its all too tempting to use what ever flat surfaces I have as work storage spaces.  My kids keep asking if they can come in and drive a train.  If they can find a spare couple of feet of track that isn't covered over with "current projects", I'll let them come in and run a train. There's a small space about 6" square down on the bench which is the common workspace, and so far, I don't think I've lost track of where anything is.  This is actually still a clean view...you should see under and above the layout space.  Like I said...got about 10 years to clean this room up!

Cheers,

Dan