Brassmasters finescale rods

I'd made these rods up a while ago when I first P4'd my one 08 shunter. Unfortunately after getting the first one perfect I rushed the 2nd late at night and broke it after i'd soldered it solid and not taken the correct route of stripping and starting again! It went back in a box after that as it won't run properly without the correct movement within the rods. I got it out this week and decided to fix it up and get it completed again. The rod was fixed with a spare lamination from the fret that was supposed to go on the back of the rods. I didn't bother with this as its not at all noticeable in practice. I cleaned up the existing parts, thinned the repair as much as possible and drilled the new pivot, this time nothing was solder solid and it works fine!

Eventually i'll go over them with a little filler and polish up some of the laminations before painting them.

Shawplan Laser cut Glazing

@PMP gave an introduction to these here and I was lucky to get a set at Stormex to try out. I need to query Brian at Shawplan whether he has done the rounded windows the doors on this really need as the glazing on my sheet is for the other type of door.

They look really superb when fitted and I polished the rear cab window i've fitted so far with t-cut before fitting to really shine it up. Obviously it needs a tiny bit of weathering back but at the moment it had the effect of really clean glass.

Left one is laser cut while the right is original.

Right one is laser cut while left is original, note how you lose the white outline and the window looks bigger. This window needs a clean really before I Klear it in place and all windows need their surround painting black.

Note how the rear wall has a false section where the rear windows are glazed, you lose this with the replacements and the detial on this bit needs reattaching to the actual wall.

Eventually i'll probably remove the door operating stuff and glue them in solid as you see it a lot clearer with the new windows.

Bringing it all together we get the following though that cab side window needs to go up a bit when I replace it, South Wales is colder than that

Note the farther rear window is much more flush being the laser cut example. I've fitted the Brassmasters balance weights to this and am glad I have as you see too many P4 08s around without them.. Wheels just blackened with a permanent marker for now while I run it in, pickups really need replacing completely though.