GONK43

Daft though it sounds, are the gears the correct way around, if there is a right and wrong way around. Some gear teeth are angled. Just a thought.

Yes Il Grifone. I have got the coaches coupled close to allow them to go around curves without buffers clashing into each other. To be honest, where do you stop trying to get as much realism as possible. There is a limit for me. I do not have the heart to start cutting up perfectly good models, when a small bit of customisation will do for me. My bogie and wheel upgrade, painting interior, nem pocket and buffer upgrade will do fine for me, with a bit of weathering works OK for me. Thanks again for all inputs to the topic.

good one giz. Flush glazing looks promising. ISW makes a good point with keeping certain parts of the internals to stop interior falling out.

Oops, read it again. Sorry ISW, you did say LIMA bogie. I am not using those.

So ISW, are you saying the Bachmann bogie that I have bought is incorrect? It came with the coupling at the wrong end?

OK, I have attached a couple of pics to show the improvement you can do with a bogie and wheel upgrade to lima coaches. Also did an nem pocket change to. I appreciate others have already done this. Lima original on right, upgraded on left on first pic. Upgrade bogie on second pic. Original bogie on third. Just need the buffer upgrade now.

Hello westernfan. I have not got to the mk2`s yet. Looks like others have given you some advice. Think customising our own fleet is a pretty good idea personally. Looking at the price of new coaches now.

Excellent , thanks all.Very informative.

Funny enough DCB, I do have a lathe which I could utilize. Good idea. Yes understand the retracted buffers. I have adapted some Bachmann commenwealth bogies with nem pockets and 12.6 wheels. These are the nearest to 14mm I can get without fouling the body work. They improve the look no end. Oddly, the lima moulded buffers have one retracted, and one semi retracted! Probably for going around bends maybe.

Thanks andyman7. Have measured a Bachmann tpo, and they are roughly 7mm x 4mm. Do you know where I should be looking for good quality buffers please? Brass or steel would be better, as looking to remove buffer head with saw, and drill through remaining and fit a thin pinned type buffer, eg slaters 4070 type, oval not round. Ta very much

Hello All Need some assistance with an ongoing project please? I am doing some lima blue grey mk1 coach upgrades. Have attached a photo. They have round buffers. Looking to add some upgraded buffers, something like slaters 4070. Do I keep the round buffers or do I have to change to oval buffers, and if change to oval, the reasons why? I am also struggling to find reliable info on interior corridor colouring. I have painted these with a wood effect. Is this correct? I have seen someones work showing lower half blue, and upper half white, with wooden door surrounds in wood. Ta very much for all info provided. I do realise there is no roof attached! gonk43

OK Olive_green1923, it is quite difficult to show someone what to do in words not pictures. To achieve this finish, take celotex, remove silver covering, then using any means of scribing, i used a flat thin screwdriver, push lightly into the celotex horizontal lines, the length of the wall you require. Now this relief is not to scale, just what looks good for me. Then scribe vertical lines as individual stones between the lines. I then use Rustoleum STONE and spray the entire scribed wall. Allow to dry, then I use black, grey powder to weather to you taste. Thats basically it. Attached some pics to try to show the celotex pre painted. I also glue to the back of the celotex some card, using pva. This allows me to stick it to other materials, i.e. plastic. It also makes good tarmac roads, and platforms. The roughness of the celotex, gives you relief on stones.

Thanks for pictures dcb.

Yes can see this kevinlms. Did this mod interfere with the interior seating? It looks like it does.

Ah thats interesting kevinlms. That might work. I was looking to turn a round dowel of plastic rod on the lathe with spigots on both ends. spigot on one end to fit into Bachmann bogie, and spigot on other end to fit into lima body. I can stil do this but in the recess body you mentioned. Excellent. Thanks very much, lovely advice.