Continuing the trend of starting a lot of projects (and finishing none) I've been wanting to get on with this one since finally finding a cheap loco to use for the project on ebay.

Inspired by this blog by Nick (Buffalo),

This will also be getting a High Level chassis, along with the Mainly Trains detailing kit, new washout plugs (following Nicks method) and a scratch built cab interior with an open door.

The inspiration for the project is a 1949 photo in steaming through cheddar showing 5813 on a E140 B Set.

Work so far:

The first job was to prepare the basic shell, removing the boiler, cab roof and coal, and getting rid of the Airfix chimney and smokebox door.

The model had been fitted with etched number plates (poorly) which has damaged the side slightly. this has been smoothed off with a bit of filler (with the rest covered by the new plates)

The missing underside of the boiler has been added, I started removing the plastic from where the bottom of the smokebox extends back behind the splashers. Next a length of 40thou plasticard cut to the inner width of the smokebox, this was glued in flush and formed the base onto which the rest of the boiler was built.

Next another identical piece of 40 thou was added on, with a 45degree cut on the sides to form the basis of the curve. Onto this I glued progressively narrower lengths of 10 thou, before filing to the correct profile and adding a final top coat of filler.

5813 does not have a top feed, so this was carefully chopped off (and the auto fittings will also be chopped off once I know exactly what needs removing.

The cab roof was next, My earlier research has indicated that the summer of 1947 was particularly hot. As such I want to model the majority of my locos with the roof vents open. After carefully cutting a hole, I added the cover in the retracted position from plasticard.

If Mainly Trains service is anything like what it used to be, more detail parts will be arriving on Monday...