I thought I should put up a post as I have been reading on some forums of how we who have blogs don't update them often enough. I was a little perplexed at this as we all don't sit on our rear ends and play on our computers all day, we have family's, we work and in between all the other thing's life throws at us we try and have a hobby. I'm probably not the most active modeller and find little time to sit and enjoy this wonderful hobby of our's so I sometime's ask other's to build or assemble kits that are beyond my skill level or I beleive they can do a better job than me on that particular item ( bit like sub contracting really).
One such case in the Na loco I purchased from BGM many years ago, I looked at it many time's then employed Peter to assemble and paint it for me as he was responsible for the extra notes in the kit to sort out the gremlims. I reckon he did an excellant job.
Na 12 ( BGM On 30 first run kit, assembled, painted and weathered by Peter Mac, Thanks pete. )
I do beleive he has captured the true condition of these run down loco's in their last years of service and yes before you say anything, my layout and modellers licensce allow's me to run the head lights in the 1960's. I like the look of them and that's how it will be on my layout. I know the VR appeared to have lost them all by the end of the Narrow Gauge and most of the historical photo's show only marker lamps as head lights or nothing at all.
The beauty of the hobby is you can do what ever you like and no body should be offended ( except the rivet counters ) because its your railway. If we tried to make everything exact we would get that frustrated I think, well I would just explode.
I do do my own kit building so you don't think I'm totally lazy, so I have included a couple of thing's on the workshop bench at the moment.
NB & NM
NT & NH
NWT in original style
I don't want to sound as though I'm full of it but the hobby is to be enjoyed and we need to encourage more to see that it can be a lot of fun as well as fullfilling.
ENJOY yourself and Don't ever be afraid to ask for help or ideas as we can all learn from each other to better ourselve's. If your a really good modeller, share your knowledge with other's, Peter has encourged me to have ago at an Na and with his help I will.
Regards Ollie