2 Mags

Two articles in two magazines for me this month. In Railway Modeller you can read about building a Gauge 1 Ruston loco. Alongside my text is a short article on the prototype with a nice plan. My words concern the Diesel-Mechanical version of the locomotive, not the Diesel-Electric version recently featured here.

I hope this encourages a few people to have a crack at Gauge 1 modelling. As I've said on numerous occasions, this loco would form the basis of a fine minimum space shunting layout. Something like "The Melbridge Box Company" but in something rather bigger than a boxfile !

In Hornby Magazine, Parker's Guide covers the BR 21-ton coal hopper. It's not that easy a kit, although like all modern Parkside, care and attention to the correct order of assembly results in a very nice wagon.

To take the article beyond simple "stick a to b" territory I have tried out a weathering technique picked up from military modellers. This uses salt (as in the stuff for chips) to give aid painting rust patches on the sides. I'm pleased with the results and plan to use it again quite a lot in the future. Buy the mag now though and you can be ahead of the game.