NEC CLassic Car show

Yes, it cost £35 to get in, plus my train fare, but for 6 halls and over 16,000 steps worth of exhibits, I think it was well worth it. 

The highlight for me was sitting in a Talbot Alpine, the first car I ever drove. OK, it was up a farm track, probably didn't exceed 10mph, and ended with me bumping into a fence post, but an important vehicle in my life. It's also the one I learned about Isopon body filler on, as I packed an awful lot of it into the front wings. 

But, what a lovely, comfortable place to sit! Far more foot room around the pedals than my Peugeot, and so roomy inside too. I have fond memories of that car, we took it on holiday several times. 

In fact it's so exciting that for a change the Matra Rancho wasn't the best car in the show, for me anyway. Second best maybe.

There was also the first car I drove on my own - a Mark 1 Ford Fiesta. OK, ours was grey, and had the 950cc engine, but it wasn't a million miles from this pristine example. Sadly, there was no chance to sit in this one. 

If I had the space the money, this South African import VW Beetle would have come back home with me. £10,000 for something unwelded, running well (apparently) and with some interesting local details, such as these odd little front reflectors. 

At the back, the taillights seem to be a mix of the elephant's foot ones on my bug, and the earlier version. I don't recall seeing these before. And yes, I am being nerdy about Beetle bits. 

For research purposes, I took quite a few photos of this Porche Junior tractor. There is a kit for one in my stash, and it's interesting to take a look at the real thing. 

So, other than travelling I spent a train-free day. Is there a connection between classic car shows and model railways? I think so. If you look at a lot of layouts, you'll spot old cars that turn out to be the first ones owned by the modellers. We all love a bit of nostalgia! 

Sadly, my family seems to specialise in owning vehicles that no one makes model of. Peugeot 206, Berlingo, Nissan Juke, Talbot Horizon - nothing doing. There is a Mk1 Fiesta in the Oxford Diecast range, but there is something very odd (to my eyes) about the rake of the windscreen, so I don't own one. 

You are probably wondering if I bought anything. Well, there was this Alfa that screamed "Mid Life Crisis car" that I liked the look of, but no more cars for me until the Beetle is back on the road (Permissible exception: Rust-free UK spec Matra Rancho in Bronze or red, for under £5k), but I did come back with a couple of things. You won't guess what they are though...

Lots more photos over on Flickr. 

Saturday Film Club: New York Central's Mercury: An Art Deco Masterpiece

A quick look at some stunning American locomotives. I could get into collecting models of these - they are beautiful! 

Painting delay

 

Just paint for the SR van then. Slight snag, for the last few days, Stampy has decided that my modelling board is the perfect place for a kip. He might be comfortable, but it does really slow me down...

Garden Rail December

 

We start off with a visit to the Butterley Garden Railway Association, where the magic of miniature trains meets public wonder. How many future modellers have walked away from their line at the Midland Railway Centre thinking, “I want to build one too!”?

Then we journey to the legendary Compton Down Railway, revisiting Peter Jones’ iconic creation through the eyes of his daughter Kes – a tribute to one of the hobby’s most imaginative builders.

On the workbench this month:

• Mini dioramas with maximum charm
• A laser-cut carriage shed
• Replacing Taliesin’s safety valve
• Scratch-building a classic tin hut
• Small wagons sized for little locos
• Planting tips to prepare your line for next year

Plus: Our Christmas Gift Guide is here to help you find the perfect present for the railway enthusiast in your life - and don’t miss the heartwarming tale of how Eddie Castellan was reunited with a beloved steam locomotive.

Chassis upgrades

 

It's no good. Those wobbly stretcher bars are annoying me. As has been said in the comments, you can't really repair them. 

At the same time, I remembered that I'd not replaced the moulded safety loops on the brakes. I used to do this as a matter of course, but as I say, I'm out of practice. 

Some small clippers removed the bars, and moulded loops. The latter are replaced with bent-up staples. Maybe a bit chunky, but you can see through the loop, which is what matters to me. On a layout, looking along a train, I like to think is is noticable, even in the gloom under a wagon. 

The stretcher bars are replaced with the smallest brass angle I had to hand. This still looks a bit big to me, they scale out just under 3 inches deep, but the job is quick, and hopefully not too obvious when painted and weathered. I've not actually done this before, but I'll look to add some thinner angle to my metal stocks at some point. 

Incidentally, why weren't buffer shanks and heads included in the kit? I had to dig around in my spares boxes before I found a set of Parkside leftovers. Yes I have metal ones, but they are complete with the housings in a kit of bits, and I'm not breaking one of those up for this job. This is very much a layout wagon, and the sort of layout I build, not some super finescale jobbie.