So here goes, first foray into detailing! There are so many good articles written on detailing Panniers that it seemed like the best place to start. In particular, the blogs Albion Yard, Chronicles of Penhydd, the many posts on RMWeb and George Dent's excellent book Detailing and Modifying Locomotives have given me a head start in theory, now to put it all into practice...

5726 is first up on the workbench to undergo the basics: new smoke box dart, lamp irons, real coal, windows, renumbering, shed plates, works plates, vacuum pipes and scale couplings. I'm also planning to replace the brake gear and am still pondering a new chassis and even re-gauging... but that's another matter...! Having no experience of etched kits or soldering I do look upon chassis construction and EM/P4 with a bit of trepidation, as much as I'd like to do it.

Anyway, keeping things simple for now... progress so far on 5726:

I made a rookie error with replacing the rear windows - too much glue! I'll see what it looks like when repainted but I'm tempted to start again.

Next steps are fitting the mainly trains lamp irons, replacing the front spectacle windows (might have these opened if I can), adding coal, fitting sandbox pull rods and new sandbox covers, brake rigging and renumbering.

There is a nice rear facing image of 5726 in the March Steam World, hauling a mixed freight through Oswestry station.