By way of a distraction from the current COVID-19 situation, today is the Spring Equinox so I thought I would celebrate the start of spring and the cheery splash of colour that daffodils bring at this time of year!
In the meantime stay safe, keep in contact (not physical) and if possible assist with any isolating family, friends and neighbours, keep washing your hands, support those key people that can not work from home and are required to keep our services, shops, deliveries and the fantastic NHS running!
Remember that the only things worth panic buying are Southern Model Railway items (click here for help to do this)!
Absolutely right.
Self isolating is essential and need not be a chore.
I am busy improving my track running (minimum cost and most if not all bits in house), installing corridor connections on my Maunsells from fair-price-models ( minimal cost through EBay) and checking authenticity of my platform signage!
Next job is checking back to backs on rolling stock. And checking Kernow for best track cleaning wagon.
If I am feeling really strong I might buy a Hornby LSWR brakevan and repaint it in an acceptable dark brown!
In return for a favour, I bought the two SR ‘logo’ versions for a friend; he collected them last Friday. They have already been repainted into the correct colour and converted to run on his P4 layout of Redhill (May 1937)!
Certainly been panic buying; indeed my local supermarket has run out of ‘panics’.
Furthermore have received two orders from Kernow this week although their shelves aren’t empty.
More excitingly, OO Works has today announced an LSWR /SR 0330-class saddle tank (these also had an Irish variant).
These were built by Beyer-Peacock between 1876 & 1883/ The last of the SR locomotives were scrapped 1933 and on KESR 1948.
Links to OO Works and announcement on BloodandCustard
https://ooworks.co.uk/
https://bloodandcustard.net/BCblogpage.html#LSWRSaddleTank
Worrying times for sure, but agree with the need for stock-piling of model railway supplies. This hobby is perfect for self-isolation (in fact, I know of some who have effectively self-isolated for years!) and I hope to have my layout largely complete by the Autumn as a result. Hope all your readers and your good self stay healthy and isolation can end in a matter of weeks (well, Boris hinted at that anyway!)