I've not had a lot of time for modelling over the last few weeks, for one reason or another, but I've been doing a bit on 82044 here and there, and having got the running sorted out, I finally got the airbrush out last weekend to weather it.

To recap on the story of this loco, a couple of years ago I thought to detail, re-number and weather a Bachmann R-T-R 82XXX in time for Railex at Aylesbury in May 2011, when I took 'Engine Wood' to the show. Problems with a poor-running Bachmann chassis led to it getting dismantled and a replacement chassis started. This took the form of a Comet 76XXX 2-6-0 chassis kit, which was modified to form one for an 82XXX.

Once it became clear, however, that the new chassis wouldn't be ready in time for the show, I stopped work on it and put it all away until earlier this year. Back in 2011, I had thought that I'd got the new chassis running smoothly before being put away, but a change of motor and gearbox, plus my overlooking of some basic chassis construction principles, led to a period of frustration, due to it not running smoothly any longer.

After a lot of tinkering, tea and bad language, I managed to get the loco running satisfactorily, and then completed the detailing and weathering of it.

I had already re-numbered it to 82044 back in 2011, together with the unusual (for an 82XXX) livery scheme, whereby the bunker sides are not lined and the number is carried on the cab side (82044 was the only one thus treated, and - by the early 1960s - one of the few 82XXXs still running in BR mixed traffic black livery).

One of the final tasks remaining is to fit a speedo.

She will then get boxed up and put on the operational roster for 'Engine Wood' and 'Bleakhouse Road'.