All change for Twydall!

 I just noticed that it's been two weeks since my last post here which is somewhat unusual. Whilst I am still painting away on the commission front and enjoying it I have lost all enthusiasm for the gaming side of the hobby once again. We have been busy settling into our new home, including decorating - something I am not a fan of but had to be done - and having hit the big 66 last Friday I have also been doing a lot of thinking about what I want to do next. I have decided that my wargaming days are now over and it's time to move onto something fresh.  I had long promised myself that one I hit the retirement milestone I would make a return to another hobby that I have been interested in for about 30 years, railway modelling. 

It may be of little interest to many of those who follow this blog but I will just describe what I have in mind here and how the  two hobbies have many overlaps. 

TWYDALL - a fictitious pre Beeching branch line terminus set in rural Kent in the mid 1950's.To be built upon a single narrow baseboard (to avoid electrical and scenic joins) just 5' long by 8" deep it will be basically an N Gauge shunting layout featuring both limited passenger service and busy goods depot. Being based in Kent the main goods will be fruit and veg and hops for the local breweries and there will also be the usual morning milk collection  etc. The plan is for totally hands free operation using point switching motors wired under the board along with magnetic auto uncoupling. The line will be operated by just two steam locomotives, all small 'Jinty' tank engine working the goods yard and a small tender loco for the passenger line service and main goods service. 

The above actually represents a considerable challenge in terms of modelling  skills, electrical wiring, kit bashing etc and I am especially looking forward to creating realistic scenic work. I would expect the build to take several months to complete and will be as detailed as I can make it. Of course even in N Gauge some painting of tiny figures will be required, something I'm not too bad at! Step 1 (baseboard build followed by track laying) will commence right away and through February.

The 3mm ancient armies are going to a new home. I'm really pleased to say that all of the armies will be passed onto David Crook next month when he is over this way for Cavalier at Tunbridge Wells and funds will go towards the steam locos ( they are bloody expensive). As usual I just want to see them being used for wargames rather than sit of boxes. I have absolutely no regrets about this decision.

YouTube channel.  I will continue to make painting videos for my YouTube channel as they are proving  surprisingly popular and subscribers have passed 400 now. Most viewed is the Napoleonic Epic/DBA video with 6250+ views and the Potential of 2mm wargaming video with 5750+ views. Tutorials are planned soon as I sort out improved lighting. Again it's something I do enjoy doing. Latest offering is now up on the channel (link above), featuring work bench update, a mention for my supplier of paints for years now S&M Stuff and a quick look at some make up brushes given to me by my Grandaughter that are surprisingly good for fine detail work.