Confessions of an isolated shunter

 First a couple of pics just to prove I don't spend most of my life watching documentaries on the goggle box.

The D21 is slowly progressing ,, we now have some pipes fitted to the side of the smoke box and a Walshearts pump,,[that has to be the first time I have spelt that at the first attempt,,, I just hope it is correct,,,, I'm sure somebody will let me know if not]

The tender is very nearly complete,,, as it is now sporting  a coal hole [ pronounced Koyl Oyl in south Yorkshire ] a water pickup, a brake standard and matching water scoop standard plus a couple of distinctly NER tool lockers,,,the loco boiler now has all manner of lumpy bits stuck to it and it has also been spotted blasting through Epson and Ewell station ahead of a rake of Gresley teak coaches and apart from a little bit of tweaking it didn't let me down. Yoo Hoo.

 

The Jersey Lily has become a bit of an exponent of the  paintshop Oky Koky,,,, it was prepared for paint,, see previous pics,,, and painted,,, yuch,,, with Citroen automotive black,,, which was very shiny and according to some published expert was the ideal choice for using as a base before sticking lining and transfers/decals all over it,,,the trouble was the Gallic Lacquer obliterated all the detail I had spent hours installing,,,so after looking at it for 6 months and trying to convince myself it wouldn't be that bad after I had weathered it I had a sudden rush of the common senses and threw it back into the Nitro Mors,,,, again,,,, I'm convinced it would not have happened if I had used the old reliable British Leyland Austin Allagro/Montenegro Black but what's the point of dragging all that up again.

So here we are again,,, having destroyed most of the handrail wire whilst gently coaching the paint off with a soft tooth brush I am roughly back were I was in March,,,, but so what,,, I've nothing else to do.

 I am also pleased to report it has also been seen blasting through Epsom and Ewell station but with slightly less success than the D21,, in that it got a tad warm and started to smell like my father's old Bush radiogram after I had forgotten to turn it off,,, for a couple of days,,, I'm not surprised it got hot,,, those 1970's McGowan kit castings were sourced from the left overs from the Forth Rail Bridge,,, that is one heavy loco and a real ballast crusher,,, but on the pastures if it can negotiate 12' of track twice a day at exhibitions I will be happy with that,,,, especially considering I started it in 1994!!!!

THE CONFESSION BIT

When I entered the garage at about 5 mins past 10 this morning,,[having just watched The World at War for the umpteenth time,,, the documentaries are good but that music still gives me goose bumps] I had every intention of being productive and even got as far as running the D21 into the fiddle yard to allow me to pick it up and proceed to the workbench with it,,, that was my first mistake,,, I should have just picked it up but NO I had to clear a route for it and make some space as well,,, you all know what happened,,, 2 hours later I was still clearing space for it and having a great time playing with my trainset,,, for the first time in age's,,, do I have an excuse,,, NO and I don't need one,, I was having a great time and I cannot remember the last time I had so much fun being not productive!!!

WHAT A GREAT HOBBY THIS IS!!!

Quick memo to Mr Blogspot,,,, I don't like your up-graded blog insert image thing,,,, on the old system you could choose what size of pics you wanted,, standard, large or extra large,,, now on the improved system you have to fanny about with sliding digiwatsits,,, [that's 21st century latin] and if your not careful your Jersey Lily can suddenly become an inflated sausage loco or even worse a top heavy thumper,,, don't tell me,,, it's progress and what all your users have been requesting. 

Rubbish!!