Irish Royal Mail Steamer Connaught build

[PeeWee]

HI Stuart,

i suppose its not much consolation that you spotted it now rather than after they had been painted etc.  As always great work and your drive for quality is inspiring.

[Eddy Matthews]

At least it's nice to know that I'm not the only one that cocks things up!! 

Eddy

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

and thanks for the encouragement!

Well after a torid session today Connaught is at last starting to look like a complete ship rather than a collection of parts. I managed to fit the bargeboards and trim and the facing plates between the sponson houses and boards. I have a few minor trim pieces to fit and I need to clean up the junction of the paddle box platforms and the top of the boxes. The bargeboards give that final bit of Victorian elegance and sorting out the relative heights has got rid of that 'squat' look she had about midships. I have decided to make the paddle box decoration as a separate panel and finish it completely before fitting it to the recess in the face of the paddle boxes.
Just a couple of photos this time. I can now move on and complete all of the major construction and begin work on the fittings and finish.

All the best

Stuart

[mjt60a]

....I had somehow made the paddle box decoration twice as high as it shold be AND assumed that the barge board was the same height as the handrail....

So it is, I hadn't even noticed that!
Excellent work though, it's looking really good 

[Tug--Kenny]

Looking good. I'll bet you feel better now. 

The elegance is certainty apparent.

Ken

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!
In preparation for priming I have been applying all of the trim and wainscotting to the sponson houses. and finishing off the sponsons themselves. All that remains to be done on this area is to fit the paddle box steps. The model has suddenly come together and now is the home stretch!
The only difficult work left is the two staircases from the flying bridge to the deck - they are very beautiful - so I have to do them justice.

Anyway a few pics of progress so far - I will also be able to get on with rigging etc as some bits I ordered from Clyde model boats arrived today - and very pretty they are too.

All the best

stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

Oh god, that looks fantastic!!

Only one problem, does anyone know how to clean drool off a keyboard?

Eddy

[mjt60a]

coming along very nicely indeed! I see the figures are painted now too 

[Stuart Badger]

Thanks Guys!

[Talisman]

Hi,
Reading this thread again from the start it still amazes me the speed and detail of the build.
From a reader's point of view its a pity there is an end in sight and will miss the tips and tricks to learn from.
Her appearance has changed Stuart,  and looks like a fantastic boat! I didn't think she looked bad before the recent change - i would have been pretty chuffed in all honesty.
 
Good work and looking forward to seeing her on the water.
Regards,
Kim

[PeeWee]

as always I'm impressed.  Eddy, if you find out how to clean the keyboard let me know.

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

and thank you ALL for the comments and encouragement!

Now it's decision time - YOUR decision time because I can't make my mind up about one aspect of the build. I don't know whether to paint all the handrails and stanchions black (scale) or leave them in natural brass. So if you could all please tell me what you think - I will go with the majority decision!

All the best

stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

The handrails and stanchions should be black Stuart, brass looks gorgeous on a display model, but quickly gets tarnished on a working model....

Just my two penneth worth

Eddy

[Talisman]

As much as i like brass I'd vote for Black.
Regards,
Kim

[mjt60a]

I'd say black too, I'm sure they wouldn't have been brass on the real ship - and everything else on the model is so realistic...