Out with the paintbrush again.

Continued to work on that visually annoying slab of ceramic slabbieness.

Slab1.

Some relief.

Added relief.

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Much listened to this week:

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Currently reading:

Still enjoying

Still enjoying.

More diorama fiddling.

The dark blank expanse of wall running along the side of the station platforms has always upset the visual balance of the diorama.

So I decided to remove it........

And paint the back of it white ...........

Aleady a big improvement but next I'll draw in some windows and other features.


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Currently listening to:

My favourite record of the moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPSLtrI2rW4

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Currently reading:

H0 scale Renault Fregate in situ.

My new Renault Fregate arrived from Germany.

No time for any other stuff today.

Metallic green roof.

The lego roof of one of the most prominent buildings on the layout has been bothering me for ages - wrong colour and clashed with everything around it.

Tried grey paint then red ......

....... and now metallic green.

I think this harmonises more with the adjacent buildings; partly, I think, because the green roof is now the same tone and colour as the piping around the church's stained glass windows.

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Currently listening to:


My own recordings on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/tony-morris-308328247/tune2


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Currently reading:

Bob Harris's excellent autobiography.

I have to say, Bob Harris has led a completely different life from the one that I thought he had!

A passage a day.

Re-painted a roof and splashed out on a Renault Fregate (H0 scale)

Still very dissatisfied with the overall vista: the different visual elements do not tie together.

I think the matt grey colour of the lego brick roof is sucking the visual energy out of the scene.

So, slapped on some red paint.

I think I'm on the right lines.

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There is a provider of high-quality H0 scale model cars in Germany called Martin Fredrich Modelle:

http://www.mfredrichmodelle.de/

They sell metal kits, but for several euros more, you can buy ready made versions.

I love these 1950s 1960s Renaults like the Dauphin and the Floride, but this week discovered another type, the Fregate.

And so I ordered one:

Renault Fregate 1/87 scale

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Currently listening to:

August edition of Optimo podcast on Rinse FM

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Currently reading:

Who died today.

Surprisingly, this is pretty good.

A passage every day....excellent

Who died in 1804.

3 Issues:

3 Issues:

Here are 3 issues that I want to attend to:

1) The back drop - still not sure about it:

I'll continue to ponder this matter. Once I've sorted out some of the problems presented by the mess of different tones and colours of the various different buildings, the existing backdrop may fall into place.


2) The excessive plasticky appearance of the plastic railway carriages:

My plan was to obtain an estimate from RBW Model Trains who advertised a weathering service for model trains. Unfortunately, they seem to have gone out of business. There's no way I'm carrying out this task myself so I'll have to search the web for another company who offer that service.


3) The mess of tones presented by the top, side and front elevations of the church:

The front of the church is glazed ceramic so its tone cannot be altered. I'm going to re-paint the side and top surfaces to be in harmony with the lighter and glossier frontage.


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Currently listening to:

24/7 Rinse FM podcasts

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Currently reading:

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Miscellany:

Another great musical night at the Art School

Oxford H0 scale model cars

Bought this Ford Mustang in a model shop in Kings Lynn.

What was remarkable about it was that it was 1/87 scale ie H0 whereas I'd thought that all Oxford models were to 1/76 scale ie OO.

In fact, it was the only example of 1/87 model in the shop, everything else was OO scale.

Reminder: British model trains tend to be OO scale whereas Continental models are H0 scale; although both run on the same gauge of track, for some reason.

A Ford Mustang is not French (obviously) but it is of the right era (early 60s) for my layout. I'll pretend it is being driven by a glamorous visiting US film star.

These Oxford diecast models are very reasonably priced  at under £5.

Here are some more examples from the right era that I might purchase from the web.

Lincoln Continental 1956

Ford Edsel 1958

Lincoln Continental 1941

Mercury 1949

Ford Thunderbird 1956

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Currently listening to:

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Currently reading:

A passage a day.

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Miscellany:

Cracking performance by Golden Teacher last night at Stereo in Glasgow: