Combining extensive prototype research with creative flair, TIM SHACKLETON models a Stanier ‘Jubilee’ in early post- Nationalisation condition, still carrying pre-war LMS livery.
Above: A lot of thought went into detailing and finishing this locomotive. I wanted to convey the impression of tired paintwork, of wheels and motion glistening with oil, the sense of a hard-working engine that was still well cared for despite difficult circumstances. If the outcome is something that you wouldn’t automatically think of as being a largely unmodified ready-to-run model, then I’ve been successful.
BEFORE I start a modelling project– whether it’s a locomotive or a lineside hut –I like to have a clear mental picture of my subject. I’ll have drawings and photographs to consult and very likely my own memories and impressions to inspire me, but even that may not be enough: imagination is ultimately what counts in generating the creative spark.
The process of forming that image is a kind of meditation, and the outcome is a powerful composite likeness that gives me a lead for what I want to achieve – my only regret is that I can’t download it and use it as a reference source!
This faculty is useful if I’m working on something I haven’t known at …
