In my last post I mention listed the parts still required to finish the Bird.   I also mentioned the woes with my wife’s car (which needs a new DPF in addition to parts for the Turbo).  Needless to say as we approach Christmas, the modelling budget has been slashed to fund said repairs.  (And some eBaying will be needed to get ready for Warley and some layout essentials which are required there.). All in all it leaves nothing left for the Bird.

However all is not lost, I can scavenge some parts (mud doors, smokebox dart) from a Finney 2251 that given its a P4 build is rather down the “to finish” pile.  The lubricator? cover on the smokebox can be scratch built (the scratch built one on the Manor came out ok).  So that leaves the rivets (no alternative but to buy in) and the washout plugs.

for the latter I was sure I must have bought some when I detailed an Airfix 14xx, however rereading an old blog post it turns out I scratch built them.  So digging through my stores I found a length of 1/16 brass tube, along with some brass pins and started a few test builds 

I have now made 5 (and lost 2 of them while fettling.  I need 16!  So will be making more over the next few evenings.  Unfortunately the noise while cutting prevents me working too late on them.

once done they can be drilled and soldered into place on the body.