Happy Christmas

I would like to wish all my blog followers a Happy Christmas for 2009, track work has commenced on the depot layout and I will upload some photographs for the 2010 blog.

Small depot layout

I have been working too many hours to even think about putting some time into Futatsu no Kawa so I have decided to start on a small depot layout so I can at least exhibit some of my 20 locomotives. These depot layouts or TMD as they are called here in the UK are very popular take a look at http://www.dyserth-road.co.uk/ and http://www.wellsgreen-tmd.co.uk/

I dont know of the name of the depot layout as yet,, suggestions are welcome.

More modern motive power

At last TOMIX are meeting my plea of some more nice modern motive power, the model of the EF210 is superb and just what Futatsu no Kawa needs to haul some more container trains. It would now be nice if we had the EF510 (red locomotive) to match the EF210 but all we can do is hope.

Christmas again (楽しいクリスマスおよびよい新年)

Happy Christmas and a good new year to all my blog readers (楽しいクリスマスおよびよい新年) hopefully 2009 will see some more action on the layouts construction with some photographs added of the scenery construction.

The photo above shows one of my favorite Kiha 100 series JR East DMU sets in a snowy setting, i have several of this type on the layout made by ENDO in the PRUS plastic and brass range.

After spending several months away from home, due to a new water supply being laid, I am now back and starting to commence some work on the layout during the winter nights. During the summer period no new rolling stock has been obtained, and I will now be looking via my various Japanese sources to see whats available.

!!! HAMAKAZE !!!

The latest release in 1/80 from our friends at TOMIX is that of a nice four car type 181 express DMU set in the colours of JR West and used on the Hamakaze service. I decided against this model when it was available in JNR red and cream and the wait was worthwhile, all we want now are some modern style diesel express units, to complement this gradually being withdrawn old JNR rolling stock.

Bare Metal

When the Japanese national rail system introduced the standard KiHa 58 DMU sets they were initially produced in the JNR orange and cream livery chosen for DMU vehicles. All this changed when the new private JR regional companies introduced a plethora of colour schemes on these units to represent an area or particular line that they serve.

The Kato model has only been available on the mainstream market in the "as new" ex works orange and cream livery, however Kato did produce a few years ago a run of these models in white enabling the more artistic modeller to repaint them into a chosen colour scheme, I am now down to my final pair of white units and i am pondering as to what livery to get them repainted into, im spoilt for choice but these are my last two!, I will update the blog when the final scheme is chosen.