Isambarduk

I always use wire from an old transformer or coil, which is insultated with enamel and need be no thicker than the wire in the armature in the motor - ie not very thick at all! As it is a single strand, it is easy to straighten (one end in the vice, grab the other end with pliers and pull gently until it 'gives') and so it makes very tidy runs of wire to the pick-ups as well. It has always puzzled me that locos are often wired up with such stiff, heavy, plastic-insulated wires. David

I thought that everbody treated kits this way, but perhaps it's just me ;-) Some kits are a great aid, some kits less so and some kits are absolutely no aid at all! David

That may be the challenge, Tom. I cannot find any mention of the size of the wheels in the D&S instructions but, on an outline drawing for the 4 mm kit that came with the 7 mm instructions, there is a note "10.5 Ø disc" which would be 2' 7½" diameter but I suspect that was ' merely a suggestion' based on what was availble in 4 mm off-the-shelf at the time. Anyway, they were Mansell wheels and I made mine 2' 8" (18.7 mm) in diameter - turned steel tyres, plastic card centres with styrene inserts to represent the coach bolt heads. It was a very long time ago (probably 1985)

Tom, I believe that the instructions state that the wheels were 2' 8" or 2' 10" in diameter (it was a long time ago!). I'll look them out tomorrow and confirm for you. David

Very interesting, Oliver. Any chance of some reasonable sized images; they're really teeny weeny and difficult to see? Cheers, David

Ha! From our past experience, I believe that Simon and I adopt the same philosphy: Treat every kit, even the best ones, as an aid to scratch-building, recognise that some kits are more of an aid than other and concede that some are just no aid at all! I think Simon did start with an aid, in this case. David Approved. Go for it!

I think you'll find that the Tower Models 7mm L&Y Pug is RTR. David

The thing is to use low tack masking tape that is designed for jobs such as ours, rather than using conventional masking tape, as used in the automotive trade, for example. I always use Tamiya 6mm wide masking tape and I've left it on for 'many' days without any problems. Humbrol Maskol, on the other hand, can be a bit 'recalcitrant' after a few days; it has to be removed in little pieces, rather than one great springy chunk. David

I see, oh well, nothing lost except some workshop time For what it's worth, my routine for painting a loco (that is not just all black) is: Prime and undercoat all over in grey Spray buffer beam(s) - red oxide followed immediately with the red Spray inside of the cab upper and roof - cream and/or white When dry (after a day or two), mask off buffer beam(s) and cream/white areas inside the cab Spray all the black areas When dry, mask off the black and spray the livery - undercoat (could be grey, red [oxide], brown, green, etc.) to achieve a uni

I'm interested: if this is going to be 'the first round of paint', why have you started masking off already? David

That's useful to know, and heading in the right direction ... but the flat offerings are only 10" / 250mm long. D

I would be interested to know where from, Mr N. Clock springs, although they look similar, are quite different, I understand. David

Have you tried Northroader's suggestion of Dettol, yet?

Ah, not me, Phil, sadly. David

Your loco is starting to look the part now, Phil - well done! On the black parts, I spray them first and then mask off everying for the body colour, just as you did - was there some reason for not doing this, given that you first sprayed black inside the cab? Yes, red is a 'difficult' colour, I agree, but all that is needed is a good undercoat (essential, I would say): red oxide, brown, grey - or even black may be used to good effect with dark reds, such as yours. On a conventional loco, I go about it this way: prime all over undercoat buffer p