The Old Tanker
If your still interested Erwin, this one seem to be made of Styrene, like the type used in the early short run kit's from companies like Special Hobby, Huma, CMK, etc. I have had no problems working with it, but have found the sprue runners very large, again like a short run product. Good cutters are a must! I personally don' think the barrel is that great, so I turned my own from aluminum on my lathe, along with a bunch of shells. I also changed out all the walk ways with a more "scale like" tread plate, and have been adding some "metal" texture to some of the parts, again a personal choice. I've been picking at it on and off for a couple of months now and have been enjoying the build! I would recommend this kit. Hope this helps!

Erwin Leetink
Thanks. Nobody replied as of yet. I have not started it yet (first going to finish my current, long running, project. See my profile). I would be more than interested in the barrel and shells, if you are willing to make them for me?

The Old Tanker
Hi! I had a couple of minutes to look at your train station work. VERY NICE. I hope to come back for a look when I have a little more time. To be totally honest, I do not do any machine work for other people. My lathe is not computerized or even digital; every thing I produce has to be done by hand, with lot's of measuring. double checking, etc. I have tried in the past to help some "friends", but sometimes it can be very hard for me to stick to a time line or even get the part just right. Then I would get calls and e-mails complaining "wheres my stuff" when I offered to do all the work for free, so I just don't do it any more. Please don't think that I'm comparing you to anybody, but people sometimes can be ???, so my life is easier if I just do work for myself. I do know that there is a barrel available from Schatton Modellbau. I hope that helps. Again, I look forward to going through more of your great work. Hope to stay in touch.

Erwin Leetink
First of all, thank you for the compliments. This dio is a great, big learning curve for me but I am generally very pleased with the result. I am currently (when not on holiday) on a figure painting spree, which will, once done, nearly complete it, after many a year.
I fully understand your point of view. It was more or less wishful thinking on my behalf and have no hard feelings whatsoever 🙂 I love to stay in touch with you.

The Old Tanker
Hello Erwin. I found some time to take a closer look at all of the posted photos of your dio. You certainly seem to have put a lot of fine and detailed work into all of it. How long did it take you to build and paint the loco? The work on the inside of the switching building is great. Good documentation too. I managed to understand the scope of what you are doing by studying the last photo. It really shows me all you have done. I have about 100 questions on how you did all various parts and brought them together to compose such a scene. Do you draw up a plan of what you want to do, or do you develop an idea and "plan as you go"? I am really looking forward to seeing the finished project with all the figures added. How many people do you plan to use? By the way, I understand what you mean about painting figures; I tend to do all my figure work at the same time as well. I usually find that by the time I get to figure #10 or so, I'm going back and redoing #'s 1, 2 and 3!! As for the web site, I've pretty much added all my main kits to my "stash". I think it's a great way to be able to see all my stuff, although I haven't added any of my figures, resin kits, conversions, photo etch, buildings etc. All of that will just about double (or more) what I have listed already. By the way, you have some neat things in your own stash. Anyway, please drop me a line when you can, and KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! It's good to stay in touch.

Erwin Leetink
Good day! It just happened to occur to me that I do not know your name! :|
Anyway, I once again thank you for the compliments.
For the locomotive, I bought it about 12 years ago when our daughter (the eldest of our 2 children) was just born. I started building it enthusiastically, but somehow my building came to a stand still for many years. Only when I took our, then 8 years old, son to a small local modelling show, the itch came back and I started modeling again. I first built a plane for our son, but then th locomotive came out of the dust and I started making repairs (some smaller, fragile parts had come off or were broken) and continued assembly. I really can't tell how long it took to build it. It is mostly OOB, on having added slid windows, door handles and other decals. Oh yeah, and I added some real coal. Those colors really can not be replicated by paint. Those decals, were a nightmare, btw. Thick, and split illogical (word are split horizontally!!!). Yet, they look better than the originals. Also they contain the then omni present swastikas. Mind you, I most certainly do not endorse the nazi theories, but if you try to faithfully create a civilian scene from that period, the symbols they used should be included. The railway station itself is a old kit from Custom Dioramics, containing the base, signal tower and main building. The walls were okay, but the interior parts were, erm, not that good. Also the layout is quite illogical. Windows for a 2nd floor, yet no floor present, let alone room for stairs? I really have thought long and hard about this, but saw no other way out as to create a floor without the stairs. Anyway while trying to improve the present parts, I found myself (scratch) building a complete interrior on both buildings.
I also collected a lot of figures over the years, making up scenes as I bought them. As a matter of fact I have the new MiniArt railway figures on order. Usually, when I see a figure, I try to envision what scene they will fit in. So I really plan while going along. I try to create several scenes, both big and small, giving the diorama theat busy look, and with human interest. I recon there will be somewhere between 30 and 40 figures all over the base.

As for the site, I started using it at the same time I picked up modelling. I went to the attic, where my stash is located, with our son and tablet, an while my son read every thing out, I faithfully adde it to the stash manager. I add everything, but paints (use an app for that) and books. I have quite a few physical books and a lot of e-books.
If something is not listed on Scalemates, I will add it myself.
You have an interesting stash too, and I see a couple of similarities between yours and mine.

BTW, our son started modeling too, and so does my wife (civilian (European) old timer cars, like the mini and beetle)

Speak to you later.

The Old Tanker
Hi Erwin! Sorry I haven't had time for a proper reply to your last post- will get in touch soon, John. (Yes, that's my name and No, I'm not really that old!)

Erwin Leetink
Dear John, (hmm, sounds strangely familiar 😛) No worries, I patiently await your response. Where does that name come from then?