Hi all,

Here is a blow-by-blow account of upgrading the Bachmann Evening Star. I think the basic model is really superb in many ways, but I wanted to do a few modifications.

Extra weight for improved adhesion

Loco-tender coupling distance

Loco lifting rings on front frames

Correct pattern front coupling and vacuum pipe

Remove steamheating pipe base from buffer beam

GWR pattern lamp irons

Buffer shank steps on loco and tender

Remove NEM pocket from front bogie and fabricate spring and damper

Gibson front bogie wheels

Gibson smokebox door dart

New handrails with correct pillars

Comet front steps

Cab doors (they're actually tender doors in real life....)

Tender buffer beam details

Tender coupling "goalpost"

Nameplate and commemorative plate

New injector pipework under fireman's side of cab

Driver's side under cab pipework

Water pipes from tender to injectors

Remove steam heating fitment from side of firebox (only fitted in preservation)

Detail copper pipes and chimney cap as copper not black or brass

Plus some painting, weathering and coaling to represent the loco in mid 1962 condition, when it was occasionally loved and cleaned but not pristine.

OK, so just a few things to do! Some of these are pretty regularly done and I've drawn inspiration from the work of Tim Shackleton, George Dent and several others no doubt. But I have about 1% of their expertise (if I am generous), so here we go......

Extra weight:

Front of smokebox filled with liquid gravity, set with superglue

I made up a plasticard container for more liquid gravity, as I had no idea which wires to cut and join, and maybe I might go DCC at some stage in the future so I thought it best to work around the DCC socket than remove it.

Strips of lead tape in firebox. There is not much room anywhere in the 9F body so you need to be careful to check constantly.

That's the first bit!

Next bit......

Loco to tender coupling.

I wasn't happy with the cavernous gap using the standard drawbar, so I used a variation on Tony Wright's method. I've done 4 Bachmann 9Fs this way now and it really works. No problems round curves or through points, and no problems with heavy loads.

Loco end - remove the drawbar, which is a fiddle. Fabricate a small figure of 8 from 0.45 nickel silver wire to fit over the mounting for the drawbar.

Tender: attach a length of the same wire to the drawbar post, extend it through the hole and make into a hook as shown. Also need to file down the tender buffers quite some way - maybe 3 mm - to the step that is clearly visible.

I'll show how much of an effect this has later.

Front end:

Comet front steps with diagonal rear bracing are much more prototypical and stronger than the Bachmann ones. They do need trimming before careful fixing with epoxy

Many 9Fs, 92220 among them, had a front coupling with an extra link. These are from Albert Goodall and fiddly but exquisite! Most carried the bottom link hooked over the shackle. White metal vac pipe from I don't know where, maybe Brassmasters (but it is the right shape and detail). There is a characteristic mounting bracket which is hopefully as twisted on the prototype as on mine. WR pattern lamp irons from an etch of the same I picked up on ebay. Smokebox door dart from Gibson. Lifting rings are from Brassmasters mixed pipe flanges, one of which comes out just the right size. Buffer shank steps from Brassmasters too, spares from the Black 5.

I tried to file down the obese lump for the steam heating pipe, and got somewhere with it, even if not completely removed.

Front bogie:

I followed George Dent's advice in a MR magazine. NEM pocket cut off. Plasticard and plastic tube damper. 3 bolt offcuts for the springs. It isn't perfect at all, and it was hard to fit together, but it will do.

I do have a Brassmasters front pony , which will replace this in time but it is scary to look at.......!

Iain