Hal Nail

My guess is rough riding, shunting bumps and in the case of containers, being lifted up, would cause roof tears and splits from time to time. We are in the process of fixing two or three leaking ones at Alton at the moment and they only trundle up and down infrequently. I don't know how quickly things were repaired back then but even if the tarp was a temporary fix just for that day, its still common enough.

As a quick compromise, how about using wire fixed under the sheet and tucked sharply under the wagon body at the point the securing rings were. Would look more like rope than chains but at least would be something plausible looking? Alternatively often the chains for short containers used the inner rings so you could just have the chains "mounted" on the sides of the container, perhaps lightly black tacked or a little blob of that clear sticky gel-like stuff you can get. Incidentally, had you thought about selling your artwork for (special RMWeb) people to print? A little bit of pocket money for your efforts.

Yes thats ABS - I bought one that also just needs finishing. Mine is missing the vac cylinder and drawing pin buffers! Looks like the door springs have taken a battering and could be bent back out gently!

On the basis they are used to nothing working properly?

Olivias trains generally post head on shots although they haven't got round to either earlier version yet. It's clearly the same photo although the idea is to show both ends!

https://www.accurascale.com/collections/buffers-o/products/br-oleo-13-diameter-sprung-wagon-buffers-in-o-scale

I actually meant a shop opening the box affects the warranty for the purchaser, I think. I'm not sure about this tbh but I've seen it quoted on here frequently (which doesn't stop it being rubbish of course). Also it probably isn't actually a quick exercise for the big retailers when new stock arrives; they regularly suggest they are flat out for a few days getting everything dispatched as it is. I agree its poor by though (as indeed are most things these days!) I'm just offering the reasons usually given.

With most current model manufacturing, individual locos aren't usually tested. They factor in an expected level of duffs, and returning for a replacement is the default position. Presumably if they get too many they take it up with the factory but we aren't privy to that. Opening the box means it is no longer new (the proper definition, as opposed to ebay sellers more liberal interpretation) so reluctance to do so routinely is for that reason. That said if you ask, I've generally found retailers will test locos for you before despatch.

My stock time frame has expanded slightly from 1959 to 1937 - 1978 Does that count?!

I haven't seen the inside of these but my other Dapol/Lionheart stock is a continuous moulded glazing strip, with the visible windows sticking out so they fit flush in the openings, glued strategically between windows. So you can ease a knife or screwdriver under it to release the whole thing. The only risk of damage is if glue has got near an opening anywhere so the glazing could crack or chip at a corner where the visible window is raised which is a bit of a weak point. Popping it in the freezer to make the glue brittle helps. You get the idea from this when I was repainting one side of a B set.

I've not tried it but I've seen a video of someone using cling film to line a wagon before adding a load so, once set, you can remove it and peel off the cling film so you have a nicely fitted load that can be removed. Some use magnets to lift them out.

If you type "dcc o gauge rmweb" into Google, numerous previous threads come up covering this which may help

I haven't quite worked out why they aren't adding VAT to UK customers?

The bottom one does give the appearance of more depth, the middle one looks more like a cover. No idea which is the more prototypical though!

I don't know how many they started with but they had 7 when I looked earlier. Everyone loves a bargain!

You don't have to have played at the highest level to coach! Perhaps time to go and do some modelling. I need some 7mm conflat transfers - maybe you can advise if all the interpretations are equal :)

When I measured a real headcode panel with a tape measure, I had no idea I was performing at the outer edge of human capability.

Like RMWeb, for example, which I really must wean myself back off! :)

Thanks. Yes it is (although I'm not wedded to that livery, it was just my assumption that's what they would have - which I may have got from that kit on reflection). I just haven't ever come across a prototype photo from then and wanted to see how shabby the planks were and whether features such as buffers etc had been changed. I'd literally just found the Bristol pics but being a bit newer, I did wonder if the plywood ones outlasted the original planked.

Slightly specific request but I'm interested in any clear photos of planked Mogos a year or so either side of 1966. I've got loads from earlier and obviously Paul Bartlett's excellent coverage from a bit later but I've never seen one from the boxed lettering era. I'm assuming they did get this in normal use or had they all gone to departmental use by then?

http://www.gwr.org.uk/b-set-notes.html

The other thread has photos next to a Bachmann and the differences and issues are obvious but the bottom line is you either look at it and like it or you don't: no amount of discussion is going to make any difference to that!

Probably take 5 mins in total to drill and push them in?

Just thinking it's interesting how different eras give different weathering challenges. For c1957 I have unpainted wood and can do 16t minerals till the cows come home, but fitted stock was still frequently repainted, so I'm mosty varying filth! By the 70s, any remaining wooden bodied vehicles tended to be far more chipped, faded, patched in different shades, re lettered etc. Later on again you have steel painted in far more liveries, fading down to rust. I'm tempted to get some later wagons myself just for variety. I can probably sell them on and get my money back and have some fun in the meantime!

Thanks. It's not 100% conclusive but that looks like it's still in the original position where it would have been bolted to the back of the original buffer beam pre-extension - if the packing piece is solid that would make sense obviously. Also pretty big lumps of coal!