Right, sitrep.

The first of the rake, a six-compartment all-first, is finished. My usual varnishing/ sealing method of diluted PVA seems to have gone on a little blotchy; second coat needed to finish I think- though it shows worse in photographs than it does in the flesh. In any case, I am very happy with how this first carriage has turned out- far, far better than my attempts at 1898 stock, which I think are now destined for the breakers' yard.

The second in the rake is going to a five-compartment brake composite; progress so far has seen the bodywork basically finished and glazed and the interior bulkheads and false ceiling done. The plan for today's modelling session is to crack on with the seating. The photographs I am working from show one of the corridor side windows blanked out- I can't tell however whether this is paint on the inside of the window or a blind which has been drawn. I'm erring toward the latter as- well, why go to the expense of putting in a large picture window just to paint it out?

The third in the rake is a seven-compartment all-third. Again the bodywork is more or less done but the interior has not yet been started.

A word on the interiors; I'm only building a suggestive interior consisting of compartments, seats and (where applicable) the corridor. With this rake I'm trying to use some spare Ian Kirk sides I bought a few years ago (it gets them out of my spares box and saves me using more plastic sheet, not that I'm running out of the stuff).

Quite unexpectedly this is now going to become a four-carriage rake rather than a three!- through the good offices of Londontram I have sourced another brake carriage. I am currently debating whether this will eventually become a second five-compartment brake compo or a four-compartment brake. I have the photographs for the former and a drawing for the latter.