Hudson Road NER

I have completed a Bachmann/Mainline J72 with compensated Perseverence chassis and detailed cab. The loco will either operate with Kadee couplings or converted to EM, for a future project.

I have been working on a Hornby L&Y B7 pug, adding weights, Kadees, dcc, detailing and a bit of weathering. I couldn't resist photographing it at Hudson Road NER

Lancashire and Yorkshire B7 pug (Hornby) visiting Hudson Road station

Happy Front End Friday

Stock boxes

Having exhibited layouts at shows for nearly 30 years, I'm a big fan of storing and transporting my rolling stock in stock boxes. Since i also build a lot of wagon kits, I'm also keen that the stock boxes offer some protection for the wagons, so they don't end up as kits again during transportation. To this end, I line the boxes with foam to reduce jolting during the drive to and from a show or to the club.

Another advantage of using stock boxes is the time saved when packing and unpacking over storing wagons in their individual boxes.

For years, I have used either box files or plastic storage boxes with card dividers and foam liner (such as used in yoga mats) but I'm always on the lookout for useful (and cheap) materials to make more stock boxes.

To this end, I found a useful storage box in Wilkinsons for £3.50 and an exercise mat in the Pound Shop. The foam mat is easy to cut into strips with a sharp craft knife and steel rule and I now have an inexpensive stock box, suitable for my mineral wagons, opens and/or flat wagons, for under 30 minutes work.

Having a go at a Wills Craftsman kit. Lots of instructions, plan views, building tips and templates to help with the construction

Have a good one wherever you are

Pushkin and Hudson Rd

Fifteen years since Hudson Rd appeared in Railway Modeller. How time flies. (Photo by Steve Flint)

Six years since Hudson Road NER was in the magazines

Wills Scenics water tower with 0-4-0 Peckett (Hornby) and J94 0-6-0 (DJModels). The water hose was made from heat-shrink electrical insulation tubing.