After a summer without any real modelling achieved, Sunday saw a return to Scaleforum on the DEMU stand for the day. 

The run up to the show was a little chaotic, with a lack of time resulting in my grabbing the first available project boxes that I could find.

This resulted in two projects to work on:

First was 20302, The main things holding up the completion of this loco are the glazing, bogies, window frames and adding a cantrail stripe.

There was nothing that could be done on the latter two points (not having the etches or transfers with me).  So I started off with the glazing.  I wasn’t going to spend more on Laserglaze (and had lost the original front windows), so the solution was to make my own.  These were carefully cut and filed from redundant coach windows (from an Airfix Centenary that now has brass sides).  There are a few gaps in the corners, all of which will be hidden once the etches have been glued into place.

The next job was the bogies, these need to be replaced with the correct design eventually, however I decided to go with an alternative as a temporary measure.  Carefully drilling the holes in the lower part of the frame, its not perfect but does give the right look.  The only issue was that when trying to remove the bogie frames, the whole bogie came out.  Unfortunately when refitting it, the top flange of the bogie mount snapped off!

Moving on, the main work for the day was spent working on a Class 67 which will become 67003 in EWS.   This is really James Makin’s fault, after seeing photos of his 67s made me do some research as to what 67 I could fit at a stretch, before finding photos of an ex works 67003 in Plymouth in June 1999.  June 99 is a bit of a stretch for my period, (the photo in question also contains a Fag Packet livery HST), however its close enough for me to accept.

This is a continuation of a project which according to the etches I started in 2009!  I had previously spent a lot of time designing a full set of detailing etches for the ex Lima model.

The Etches

This included adding two part replacement grills for the main body side grills, replacement frames for the second set of side grills (that are not so see through on the prototype).  A new roof grill and radiator assembly, new windscreen, multiple working socket, WIPACs, cab side window frames and various other small details.

Most of the chassis work had already been prepared (removing the plastic between components and adding separate air tanks).  A few more detail etches were added to finish it off, just needing new buffers adding after painting the yellow triangle to the end.

There is a slight issue in that a lot of the parts I fitted yesterday would have been much better off fitted after painting (as was the case when I did the original test build on a Limby model in Royal Train livery.  For the most part this can be resolved by masking and painting, however I think the cab side windows will need to come off and be refitted after I eventually spray the body into EWS red and gold.

Finally with a little time to spare a the end of the show was 33116, this has been sat on my workbench for a long time after fitting an Extreme Etchings roof grill.  I took the advantage of having it at the show to give the grill a quick coat of BR blue paint, so it is now ready for a good coating of roof dirt to blend it all together.