New stuff and a major advancement!

Hello there,

Sorry for the lack of posts recently - life has been very busy over the Christmas period and lots has been happening on Brunswick Junction.

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful time and got some great gifts - I certainly did!

Firstly, you may remember the Class 419 and 2 HAA hoppers from the Romford Exhibition back in November. Now, they're officially mine, with 4 extra HAA hoppers creating a rake of 6! Now I have a modern era freight train to fit the layout!

Talking of the layout, the two curved points to create the two sidings on the right hand side have arrived (you may have seen these in the track plans earlier) - the track for the loop is now complete! I only have two left-hand points to acquire for the shelf (a run-around loop) and then I'll be done.

On top of that, a Bachmann nuclear flask means another modern freight train, but what do I have to haul it?

The Dapol Class 68 in DRS Livery! I have 68003 'Astute', as that is one of the trains that hauled my Anglia 'Short Set' back in May this year (having checked over this post, it's now last year!) They work well together, but I need another 68 to make it realistic!

My first proper multiple unit is the Bachmann Class 350 that I also received this Christmas. This fits the layout era perfectly, but only just about physically fits on! I am having to store it on the shelf, unless I want to put it away for a longer period of time.

Finally, I got MORE stuff from local-ish model shops recently with some Christmas money. A more detailed Gronk has always been high on my list and I have one NSE Mk1 brake just crying out for some more coaches. As a result, I got... You guessed it, a Bachmann 08 and two NSE coaches (Mk2)! On a slightly more minor note, I also got a BR Intercity Mk3 to complete my rake of Mk3s, although one is a restaurant/buffet (in a 3 coach rake???). The 08 was £50 DCC Fitted and the Mk3 was £8 from John Dutfield LLP in Chelmsford and the Mk2s were £10 each from Rochester Models Games and Railways.

That's the new stuff, now for the advancement. Writing this on 6th January, I have laid down the cork for the loop and works siding (the 3 middle and 2 outer sidings are still to be corked, but I hope to do them tomorrow). The ballast (Woodland Scenics Medium Grey  ballast, Christmas) has been laid in the works siding and so has some scatter (Gaugemaster Medium Green? Grass - £1.95 from Roneo Models, bought a while ago and Woodland Scenics Coarse Burnt Grass and Fine Earth - £3.50 each from Roneo Models, bought today) and foliage (Woodland Scenics Clump-Foliage - £7 from Roneo Models, bought a while ago).

Thanks for taking time to read this rather long post (I shall now write longer, more infrequent posts), how are your railways getting on? Let me know!

Happy Modelling!