I've been modifying a couple of RTR ballast hoppers for a future steam era LMR engineers themed layout.

First up is a Hornby Trout, the model represents an example built for British Railways by Metro Cammel, the plan is to back-date it to a Leeds Forge example built for the LMS. All livery has been removed with T-cut, although the build plate also needs to be taken off and swapped for a Mainly Trains etched example.

The buffers have been replaced with the correct LMS examples from Lanarkshire Model Supplies. The channels on the hopper body do not run to the top on the Leeds Forge hoppers, so plastic shims have been added to fill this in, the second from right one needs replacing. The axle boxes are also wrong for an LMS hopper and also for an LNER one. They should look like this:

The shape is similar, but no one makes a cast example from what I can tell. I have sanded off the BR (E) writing and reinstated the rivet. I may add the LMS lettering at a later date using etched letters.

The underframe is fairly self-explanatory, interestingly the brake shoes have a little recess to add rodding to them.

Next up is a Heljan Dogfish, this was originally an olive green example:

The body has been soaked in superstrip, although I still need to remove the electrification flashes. The springs and axleboxes have also been removed and will be replaced with chunkier cast examples.

Brake rodding on the underframe again, smiths couplings need to be added.

As the title says I have also been building a cambrian dogfish:

Traditional wonky handrails, footsteps have been replaced with fabricated plastic strip ones. Whitemetal buffers are fairly standard for me, I've also modeled the vac piping next to the solebar.

Not pretty, but it looks right from the outside.

Apart from a few tweeks, these are ready for painting/varnishing and transfers.

DW