The first bit of modelling I've achieved since Trainwest, where the 4VEP ran ok all weekend is to get a coat of paint onto the body to become 60074.

Lack of modelling has largely been down to weather and workings like this:

47739 'Robin of Templecombe' passes Avoncliff with 4Z47 Gloucester yard to Eastleigh with ex Fastline hoppers for store 13/4/10

The welcome return of a tug to the Robeston - Westerleigh Murco circuit. 60096 lifts the train of empties up the gradient near the junction in Yate as 6B47 Westerleigh to Robeston 15/4/10

5043 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' races past Christian Malford near Chippenham with The Bristolian railtour, part of the GWR175 celebrations, in association with FGW

Last weekend at the show I picked up some nameplates from Brian at Shawplan for the blue tug (and it's Army liveried sibling) and ordered the transfers the other day from Precision Decals. The yellow and blue is done, it now needs masking and the black painting. The cab interiors and bufferbeam are clipped in place to give an impression of how it'll look. The gloss finish on the underframe bits should help set it out as ex works and a bit special amongst the fleet. The cab interiors have been painted grey and orange, as is normal for me with my 60s, and a driver, complete with sunglasses, glued in. Okay, so I just painted his eyes black, but hey it looks like shades!

So next up it'll be spraying the grills and window frames black, and then a goat of varnish ready for when the transfers arrive. There's a small amount of touching up and detail painting to be done too (for example the grey on the horns) before it all goes together and ends up like this

After 18 months of dodgy paint finishes and a melted shell in Superstrip, this loco finally seems to be coming together!