Moving on from my last post, I have now made a good start on 7723

All the moulded on details have now been removed, along with all logos and numbers. The original handrails were also removed with the intention of replacing with scale handrail knobs and finer wire

Starting with the cab, the roof has had the hatch removed carefully and been replaced with a small piece of 10 thou plasticard cut to size. I have removed the glazing from cab windows, (one popped out nicely the other had lots of glue and cracked in removal) I am thinking about trying to fit Shawplans laser Glaze, depending on how well my experiment fitting open windows works (using a couple of brass surrounds) either way this will of course be post painting.

On the dome I have carefully filed back the 'nipple' to blend it into the profile of the top of the dome. I think I am nearly there with it now, certainly a big improvement over how it came.

Sticking with the top of the tank, I havent done any more yet, but I am getting very close to removing the pipes running to the top feed and replacing with brass rod. It just doesnt look quite right in a n profile instead of being round

I think looking back to my original photo the bonnet cover looks to be a different colour to the green of the tanks, so it looks like it needs a polished version. In which case I will chop off the moulding and replace with a brass casting.

Moving below the tanks, I have now drilled out the centre of the brackets at the end of the firebox, along with cutting out the injectors from each side. While I was at it I also removed the lower few mm of the top feed pipe to replace with brass linked up to the Gibson injector castings (once they arrive)

The firebox will now be made up from 10 thou plasticard (ensuring it doesnt get in the way of the new motor). I think it makes a big difference, adding another mm of depth under the tanks, along with bringing the injector slightly forward into its correct position. I am really looking forward to getting the castings so that I can see how it all fits together!

The final job is to remove the pipework between the injector and the cab steps (which will be replaced at the same time as fitting the injectors), after which I will be removing the infill above the sandbox filler in the cab steps. Along with probably replacing the pipe that runs along the underside of the footplate

Finally I need to add the sandbox linkage to the right hand side, rather than copy the left hand in brass rod, I am debating fabricating in flat sheet.