I have been a bit quiet lately mainly due to work and girlfriend related activities and I have not been doing much. In all honestly I have been investigating other scales and need a bit of a changed from my general OO stuff. As well as this, my work commitment, my girlfriend and my other interests need some time as well.

So I’ve been looking at what I need to get done 4mm scale wise and what can be left for another time. Namely my passenger stuff and most of my other engines. However I have asked if I can get my 9F and Mucky Duck to run on our layout “Hartburn Junction†at Blythe 2012.

A swell as this I have also offered to trains for them to haul. A coal train made up of Bachmann modified Bachmann models and updated Parkside and Dapol kits and a bolster train again made up of an assortment of Parkside and modified Bachmann models.

Anyway… back on to interesting stuff. I have been busy modifying (and swearing at) a Hornby Railroad 9F.

These things have been well publicised as being a good basis for modifications and updates especially at being (at time if writing) half the price of a Wachy Bachy 9F.

I don’t know the total logic of these updates so I would rather people refrain from “Well why didn’t you just buy a Bachmann 9F and re-number it?â€

The only real answer I can give you is… I like to work for my achievements.

Anyway.

What it looked like before

Here are the mid-way results.

• I added a Golden Arrows BR1F Tender
  

• Single Chimney (247 developments)…I had lost the original one which started off my dismay
  
• Steps (Dapol kit)
  
• Draincocks
  
• Sandpipes
  
• Brakes (A bloomin’ nightmare!)
  
• Lubricators (comet)
  

• I had to file away at the metal to get them to fit!
  

• A new smoke box dart (comet)
  
• Smoke deflector bracing
  
• Smoke box steps (along with a replacement front)
  
• Buffer Steps
  
• Sanded off the mould lines on the firebox & smokebox
  
• Vacuum pipes
  
• Less obvious model coupling
  
• Lamps Irons
  

• Coupling (Dapol kit)
  

• Pony Truck springs
  

• Beefed up the right hand side piping (Dapol simply placed over the original stuff)
  
• Sandbox caps
  

• Left hand side piping
  

• Rear bulkhead with bracing
  
• Cab hand rails
  
• Cab doors (they ain’t fitted yet, I plan to secure them after painting the interior)
  

• The tender uses the ladders from the original tender
  
• Hand rails
  
• I have filled the gap at the back of the tender where the ladders go with plasicard filed to fit.
  

• Screw handles (Dapol kit)
  
• Water level indicator
  
• I have also drilled out the fire irons hole
  

Currently it reminds me of an engine from India or Pakistan or possibly china with the different colours going on!

I have also been busy with filling my coal train with coal… only I forgot to take a picture of the end results!

Finally I have also been modifying a Hornby LMS based brake van giving it an underframe ballast box and new handrails.

Further updates on both of these and some more project soon but please let me know what you think