The next big job was to prepare the lower half of the body, adding new transfers (pre made sets from Fox for the numbers) and repainting the black ‘footplate’ into DRS blue.  Thankfully Rainbow Railways DRS blue is a near perfect match with Bachmann’s once you’ve added a coat of varnish to tone down the gloss, it also covered very nicely over a black undercoat.  While the blue was out I also touched in the area where a handrail knob ad been removed from each side when shortening the handrails. 

Next up the ends, in the topic on the Bachmann 20/3 Si Bendal listed the differences between the original batch and the later ones as modelled by Bachmann.  One thing I had missed was the nose multiple working sockets are mounted much higher.  So it was out with the knife to carefully carve it off for reuse (and yet more paint repairs needed.). I’m thinking now there’s going to be no chance to avoid re spraying both ends)

A little later it was into the roof, masking off before spraying with the same B&Q tin I used on 20302.  Unfortunately I was unaware it is on its last legs and resulted in a couple of bits that need touching up (thank god for weathering!)  

so that just leaves the yellow to sort, I’ve removed the cab front windows just in case I need to spray the front (it will likely want varnishing at any rate)