The Vale Again

Himself has decided we need another model of the FR's Funkey Vale of Ffestiniog.

We've had a model for years, built from the Worsley Works scratch aid kit, and finished in the National Power livery it first appeared in after the magnificent rebuild by our much-missed friend, Steve Coulson.

In recent years, though, the loco has sported a two-tone green livery looking just like a 1960's class 47, and it appears Himself would like one for us too.

Unfortunately it's not a case of just building a new body to swap onto the existing chassis, because the 'blue brick' had a light grey underframe and bogies and the repainted one has those bits painted black.

I thought this might be an issue, because the Farish 91 chassis is like hens teeth to get hold of these days, selling for silly money on eBay whenever they appear, but I had forgotten that many years ago Himself invested in a spare, so that's what will go under this one.

He's been working on putting together the body, with it's very tricky angles, and correcting the errors in the kit such as the over-long roof.

My contribution will be to cast the new side frames for the bogies.