Of chimney pots and station signs

Me again!

Now, I know I said that one of my modelling resolutions for 2015 was to post here more often but twice in a couple of days? Well you see, yesterday was a good day with three packets of goodies landing on the doormat and a new loco added to the stud.

Firstly, I managed to get my hands on some 2mm louvred chimney pots courtesy of Mike Topping of Topp Trains of Stafford (http://www.topptrains.co.uk/) and fellow 2mm modeller, Tony Simmons.

Thanks chaps!

Unfortunately, the pots are a bit smaller than expected but a couple of e-mails later, and Tony's produced a bulked up version which will hopefully be on the way to me in the not too distant future ...

Louvre chimney pots designed by Tony Simmons and sold by Topp Trains.

As yet, they're not available from Topp Trains but I understand that they will be appearing on their website shortly.

Secondly, my new back to back gauges turned up (God knows what I've done with my old ones but they'll probably turn up now I've bought some more) so hopefully I can now get the J94 chassis working as it should (thanks to the Steves of Shops 2 and 3 for processing my orders so quickly).

And thirdly ... and this was a very pleasant surprise ... (drum roll) ... some etches that I'd ordered from Guilplates towards the end of last year arrived as well. I'd originally ordered some buffer and cab side number plates from them for the Sharp Stewart and for some other Furness locos that I'm building (both in 2mm using 2mm Locomotives 3F masquerading as a Furness G5 and in other scales) but then I discovered that they did some L&Y signs in 2mm and that they were able to make the ones that I needed that they didn't already do ...

 Buffer and cab side number plates for Furness Railway locos nos. 20 & 123.

L&Y station signs.

 

And the new loco? Well, that was a belated Christmas present of one of Farish's new Class 25s. I'd been umming and ahhing about buying one for a little while and then saw one in the display cabinet in the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway's shop at Haworth and my resistance was broken. In fact I went and bought a set of finescale wheels for it before Christmas so now it's just a case of popping those in and away she goes. Incidentally, if anybody's in the area I'd recommended popping into Haworth shop - they've got a good range of Graham Farish stuff at reasonable prices plus there's a very good selection of books to tempt your fancy.

And yes, I do know a Class 25 isn't pre-grouping Furness, but what's the point of making New Year resolutions if you can't break them??