After lord know's how many renamings/renumberings of Southern Region Locos, I'm doing one with a distinctly Western flavour. Upcoming is a 6800 Grange class 6870 Bodicote Grange ​to be precise. A suitable donor has been requisitioned, just got to acquire the plates

In the meantime 34031 Torrington's tender is completely modified and currently awaiting it's next stage of painting, I'll post a picture of it shortly in it's before painting form. Once finished I'll get the engine all renumbered and the loco will then be weathered together.

As promised here are a couple of pics of Torrington's, modified Wrenn Bodied 5,250gl tender and the the work I've done to it to bring it up to spec of the loco! (added on 26/11/11)

Summary of work carried out

• All the molded on handrails have been replaced with nickle silver wire ones,
  
• The tender's molded floor has been removed and one from spares of the scrap 4,500 gl tender has been used
  
• Roof has been reduced in length by .050" to match the later Hornby ones
  
• Ladder holes have been filled and ladder (scratch-built using a spare ladder from a 5,500gl WC tender) position in roughly the right place - they seem to vary slightly from re-bodied to another.
  

Currently letting the varnish dry and nearing completion is N15 30797 Sir Blamor de Gamis. Will need coaling and final detailing as per the norm.

What I won't be doing is adding a decoder to it, after much cursing and swearing I fitted them to 30770 Sir Prianius and 34095 Brentor, which both proved to be right pigs (I can see why Hornby have been putting the sockets in tenders!!) I also fitted a decoder to Q1 33036, which happily proved tobe the easiest of the bunch!!!

Speaking of Q1's another one's joined the queue!!!!

That's all for now

TBG