Hi all,

Thought i'd restart this topic which was mainly started by Ian Fisher on the old rmweb: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=40988

I'd already started on this previously but hadn't made agreat deal of progress, this gave me a bit of a kick-start and some good info and pics of the prototype.

The JMA, originally used by National Power before purchase by EWS shares the same basic bodyshell as the Freightliner HHA, with Bachmann releasing their excellent model of the HHA, it was possible to have a go.

I should have taken some pics before this but i didn't, this shows the bodysides with the various levers and attachments removed, as the JMA's don't feature these. There is a cut-out for a brake control lever? which needs a lip adding round the outside. Other work includes the removal of buffers for all except the 'outer' wagons which have buffers and screwlinks, the 'inners' have knuckle couplers which will be represented by Bachmann e-z mate couplers ( those on their HTA's) mainly because they ar easy to fit, and seem to work.

The picture also shows the distinctive inside track bogies, LTF 25's, these have been slightly reworked from a whitemetal kit from S kits, i'm slightly underwhelmed by these at the moment and only 1 has been completed so far.

Instead I've decided to concentrate on the far more fun task of painting, and eventually transfers and weathering, to create a rake of wagons that look like something off the fiddlers ferry - Liverpool docks coal runs. Hopefully in all their tatty and faded glory, with a few still showing NP logos etc.

So far the wagons have had the paint stripped (not much fun) and then a few details added, then a coat of white primer

Seen here enjoying a bit of autumn sunshine a few weeks back, i do most painting outside and i think ive left it a bit late to complete these with the weather turning, hopefully i'll manage to sneak the spray booth in the house for a day or two. The pic show shows the buffer and non-buffer fitted versions, with the holes drilled for where buffers would be attached, as per prototype.

Before priming i formed some thin copper wire into shape to represent the lip round the brake lever hole, which i think has come out quite well.

After priming i realised i'd missed off a small oblong that is positioned alongside this hole. So its back to the workbench to fashion these from plasticard, also the wagons will be rubbed over and re-primed before thinking about actual painting, which has been a long time coming...

Hopefully this is of some use, or interest to someone, I will try to keep progress updated regularly, hopefully it'll help keep me going a bit!

Cheers

Chris