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James Makin's Workbench - 1990s dirty diesels & grotty wagons


James Makin
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Hi James,

 

Sorry for not posting sooner, it was great to meet again at Showcase for a chat, albeit briefly. I think it may have been a Showcase where we first met but when it comes to people and faces my long term memory is terrible! You might have been with Loftus Road?

 

Cheers

Wayne

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For those with extra long memories, some may remember a pair of Hornby Class 90s I'd refurbished & painted into Virgin livery back in 2009, trainspotting favourites 90002 Mission: Impossible and 90009 The Economist for my electric depot layout Wells Green TMD.

 

42485908195_fe72820074_b.jpgRemotored Hornby Class 90 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I was pretty pleased with them at the time, amongst my large-ish detailed Class 90 fleet, these were the most detailed yet, with oodles of roof modifications, as well as the usual bufferbeam, cab detailing and some striking repaints which unusually didn't end in a total disaster!

 

28520470067_ac61423808_b.jpgRemotored Hornby Class 90 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

However, they never ran that well and often derailed - I'd already remotored them using my standard Heljan 'Hymek' recipe, but the design was essentially flawed, relying on the new Heljan bogie gear towers being perfectly aligned with the surrounding Hornby bogie sideframes - which was of course nigh on impossible!

 

So in the intervening years, these were sidelined and I got stuck into the world of Electrostars, wagons, buildings and Worthing MRC's Loftus Road layout. But with the spanking new Bachmann Class 90 coming out soon, I felt sorry for my forgotten Hornby 90s, and decided to dig out the Virgin pair and see if I could fix the flaw in my remotoring design.

 

Inspired by the great Nigel Burkin's EMU builds of many years ago, I opted to instead build a plasticard mount above the bogie gear towers, and let the whole bogie pivot off a top screw similar to the RTR Bachmann and Hornby locos of today, taking the weight off of the bogie side frames and thereby allowing the loco to traverse the truly awful pointwork of my Wells Green TMD without derailing!

 

41581781630_d015b08113_b.jpgRemotored Hornby Class 90 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Simple enough stuff, and it makes so much of a difference! Most of my other remotor jobs work fine, but it's great to get another couple of ancient Hornby Class 90s working again, and I'll doubtless think about doing this conversion on some others if they start playing up.

 

Here's a few more shots of the red beauties...probably one of the smartest liveries to grace a 'Skoda'!

 

29519731408_f80d7aee4b_b.jpgRemotored Hornby Class 90 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

28520509897_bfb994a163_b.jpgRemotored Hornby Class 90 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Wells Green TMD is once again appearing at our local club show in Worthing - on September 29th & 30th 2018 - more details at www.worthingmrc.co.uk.

 

29519736448_9b1d6e9e4b_b.jpgRemotored Hornby Class 90 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I also promise I've got a number of other fun classic retro late 90's/early 00's loco projects on the go behind the scenes, all awaiting a big final airbrushing session later in the Summer before they're ready for unveiling, but watch this space!

 

Cheers,

James

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Wells Green TMD is once again appearing at our local club show in Worthing - on September 29th & 30th 2018 - more details at www.worthingmrc.co.uk.

 

29519736448_9b1d6e9e4b_b.jpgRemotored Hornby Class 90 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I also promise I've got a number of other fun classic retro late 90's/early 00's loco projects on the go behind the scenes, all awaiting a big final airbrushing session later in the Summer before they're ready for unveiling, but watch this space!

 

Cheers,

James

Nice to see some more late 90s output, I wish I could get down to Worthing and see it. Sadly with 3 long distance trips to shows in the diary already this summer I cant justify a forth. Make sure there are plenty of photos! :P

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I have to ask is there a reason the bogies are carrying the loco on the side frames, instead of using the original Heljan bogie mounting pivots and having the side frames only there as cosmetic?

That’s a legacy thing from when I’d done the first batch of remotoring in circa 2006, it seemed the easiest way as I didn’t have much access to tools for cutting the metal chassis block into which the Heljan parts would sit (they are different to Bachmann’s top-down screw fixing), and it just seemed an easier bodge at the time! I had some initial luck (more fluke than anything!) but now my old remotor projects are ageing they’re needing a bit of an overhaul and doing properly!!

 

In the new format with the top mounted styrene boxes with pivots, the Hornby sideframes are trimmed of any of the old mounting points and just glued to the gear towers and ‘floating’ so are entirely cosmetic now, and thankfully are running much better!

 

Cheers,

James

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Excellent stuff James, I enjoyed spending a few evenings browsing through your website for Wells Green a few years ago once I’d found a photo of yours during a search for a project (can’t remember which), and now I’ve got a couple of 'lecce remotoring projects in the 'to do' pile myself! This is when I have a layout with wires to run them on, of course....

 

The question is, will you be investing in a few new 90s or 92s when (or if...) they appear?

 

Look forward to more,

Jack.

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Excellent stuff James, I enjoyed spending a few evenings browsing through your website for Wells Green a few years ago once I’d found a photo of yours during a search for a project (can’t remember which), and now I’ve got a couple of 'lecce remotoring projects in the 'to do' pile myself! This is when I have a layout with wires to run them on, of course....

 

The question is, will you be investing in a few new 90s or 92s when (or if...) they appear?

 

Look forward to more,

Jack.

 

Thanks very much Jack!

 

I'm very much looking forward to when/if they appear!! I've got my pre-orders in, two each of the Bachmann '90's, DJM '92's and Hornby Virgin '87s' for when they arrive - I've not been excited about new RTR releases like these for many years! 

 

I must say the track work & catenary on my Wells Green TMD is terrible, and although my giant Didcot Parkway layout project is definitely my next baby in development, I can never-say-never on a cheekier, finer-scale, double-size 'Wells Green 2' appearing one day if I give in to temptation!!  :jester:

 

Cheers,

James

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Thanks very much Jack!

 

I'm very much looking forward to when/if they appear!! I've got my pre-orders in, two each of the Bachmann '90's, DJM '92's and Hornby Virgin '87s' for when they arrive - I've not been excited about new RTR releases like these for many years! 

 

I must say the track work & catenary on my Wells Green TMD is terrible, and although my giant Didcot Parkway layout project is definitely my next baby in development, I can never-say-never on a cheekier, finer-scale, double-size 'Wells Green 2' appearing one day if I give in to temptation!!  :jester:

 

Cheers,

James

 

I just wish to correct a mistake in your post;

I can never-say-never on a cheekier, finer-scale, double-size 'Wells Green 2' appearing one day if when I give in to temptation!!  :jester: 

 

As always superb work, I use to read your website way back when, so guess I have you to blame for some of my projects :)

 

Wild Boar Fell

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Well, I keep meaning to move on to other projects but I just can't stay away from ballast wagons!

 

Joining the fleet today is ex-Loadhaul ZCA 460165 and ex-Mainline OCA 112001.

 

28839930601_6f20294d1a_b.jpgOCA SPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The 'ZCA' is based upon the FTG Models SPA wagon (discussed elsewhere on this forum) and the trusty Bachmann OCA. 

 

I was looking to model some of the bolder liveries on these wagons and both of these met the criteria of having been photographed in Didcot Yard at the turn of the century, so it was out with the paints to ruin a pair of wagons!

 

28300085933_6fdf29c2d6_b.jpgOCA SPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Looking beautiful in their liveries - both are repainted in faded versions of the original colours, which were then further toned down by coats of whites and light greys -

 

28300089103_bc1901c0f8_b.jpgOCA SPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

As per the previous wagons, the data panels were created in CorelDraw with the Gunplay font. With the prototype ZCA covered in a good few scars from grabber unloading, these were scratched into the side and allowed to fill with rusty brown paint during the usual paint-on/wipe-off stages. Additional browns of varying shades were then built up around the damages to capture the look of a wagon livery slowly losing the battle to the tin worm!

 

28839937801_baa90ae744_b.jpgSPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

After much work and a varnishing, the wagon was ready for service. I've added small white handrails to the ZCA on the ends, along with a smidgen of ballast load, as per the original photograph. 

 

28300091143_5a8dac320d_b.jpgSPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The rusty spots were fun to create, more visible on the orange paint though - I always find the lighter wagons come up much better than these dark beasts but I'm fairly happy with the result. I'd probably fade the paint a stage further on the next black model.

 

I've also got to think about coupling options - these FTG 'SPA's have short tension-lock couplings that don't actually function, so I'm torn between a bodge of a new tension-lock position or jumping straight to fitting something like instanters, and converting the rest of the ballast train as well.  They'll look a lot more finescale but will probably take an age to couple up the train at the start of an exhibition!!

 

28810436022_1d73f73215_b.jpgSPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The dollops of ballast were added on top of a small coating of PVA in the corners, and then the centre ballast bits just laid loose and secured with coats of filthy cheap hairspray and then the final matt varnish coats - fixed as solid as granite now!

 

28630552970_207f52491c_b.jpgSPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

28630554620_b9b875bb66_b.jpgSPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I always like to model pairs of stock as it saves a lot of time - and this OCA was perfect for the job, adding colour to an otherwise dull ballast train formation!

 

It's ex-Mainline and what's more - it's only Number 001! Modelled just as in the early 2000s, this wagon has gone through changes and current pictures show it faded almost to white, with a layer of lovely graffiti, although this would be a little too late for my period layout unfortunately!

 

28630556260_b60e3baf71_b.jpgOCA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

A custom blue was mixed, then the fading added on top with Humbrol 34 and 1, before addition of Humbrol 62 to get the start of the rust streaks. This was topped up with Humbrol 186 and Phoenix Brake Dust and Dirty Black to get a few different shades around the developed rust patches.

 

28300096763_4afc0704f6_b.jpgOCA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

There's evidence of some white graffiti on panel 2 above, though this has mainly washed off leaving only a ghosting.

 

28884083526_2f9da3e911_b.jpgOCA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

As with my other OCAs, the thick Bachmann plastic sides are thinned down to look slightly more realistic, though it is amazing just how much plastic you'd need to file away to get them looking scale, probably easier to start with etched brass sheet sides!

 

28839952891_84dc5ff56a_b.jpgOCA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Fox Transfers data panels and Colin Craig brake discs added a final touch and the wagon was ready to go into service!

 

28884085426_10829361e6_b.jpgOCA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

28630566140_62099302d7_b.jpgOCA SPA wagon by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I started the project during the last Bank Holiday earlier in May and it's only just got finished what with the Loftus Road Salisbury show in the middle, so it's been a fun, if protracted project! I'm at a crossroads in terms of modelling next - I have planned an MOD 'OCA', dozens of old 1980s wagons needing to be rebuilt into passable modern prototypes, a Ford Blue Train on the go and a quad of Bachmann '47's to be painted into an attractive colour scheme...I need to prioritise, or more likely tackle something completely different!

 

And finally a cheeky plug...the current Rail Express magazine has my article on the mesh-sided 'OBA' wagon I did a while back, complete with a picture featuring my Xmas tinsel!

 Have been browsing through your workbench James and I love those dirty engineers wagons!! :good:  I have a soft spot for them and this is why I am doing an engineers layout. The ZCA No 460165 was coded "Sea Hare" and it was a SPA with welded doors to make them ballast carriers BTW.

 

Keep up with the weathering (and graffiti)!!

 

Jules

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If you are looking for Instanter couplings, but want a coupled rake, have you thought of trying these?   https://www.shapeways.com/product/QKWW9ZGGJ/nem-oo-type-2-couplings-strait-instanter-x4?optionId=63332699

They look like a good idea, however putting a step in them to bring them to buffer beam height would improve the look in my opinion. I know brassmasters produce lost wax brass ones in a similar fashion (http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/coach_couplings.htm), with a spigot for mounting behind the buffer beam which is ideal for fixed rakes, but no instanter version unfortunately.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

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Among my other longer projects, I couldn't resist squeezing in a quickie!

 

42756522555_5b03463864_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I picked up the C-Rail 40' OOCL High Cube back at the Warley show last year as part of my container bulk buying feast, and set about finding an interesting prototype to model from Flickr's vast archive of container pics.

 

The one I'd found was in reasonably good overall condition, just slightly faded, with a bit of patch painting, some transport damage and surface rust in the usual places.

 

42756511525_6abaeddabd_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The first step was to give the grey container a coat of Humbrol matt varnish, to give a 'key' for the paint-on/wipe-off weathering to stick. Following this, coats of thinned white and light grey were painted on, followed by a coat of Humbrol 62 Matt Leather.

 

28771236587_1ff5f1db25_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Following this, the grey patch painting was added, carefully following the prototype picture, along with the rust scars on the sides and the usual corner posts, applying light browns to dark browns - and as you can see, some recent Blondie is the recommended soundtrack to rusty scarring. 

 

41851476750_eaa3c0ea41_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Once weathering was completed, it was then given a final coating of Humbrol matt varnish to seal-in and get ready for a life on the back of a Freightliner train on Worthing MRC's Loftus Road!

 

42756504095_e618d23661_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

And it's all ready to get loaded onto a wagon! 

 

41851497160_309b17907f_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

As mentioned before, there is some more meaty content coming soon I promise, I'm beavering away on a few classic diesels, alongside some Class 66 projects for a mate, and a couple of low relief buildings for Loftus Road...updates soon!

 

Cheers,

James

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Among my other longer projects, I couldn't resist squeezing in a quickie!

 

42756522555_5b03463864_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I picked up the C-Rail 40' OOCL High Cube back at the Warley show last year as part of my container bulk buying feast, and set about finding an interesting prototype to model from Flickr's vast archive of container pics.

 

The one I'd found was in reasonably good overall condition, just slightly faded, with a bit of patch painting, some transport damage and surface rust in the usual places.

 

42756511525_6abaeddabd_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The first step was to give the grey container a coat of Humbrol matt varnish, to give a 'key' for the paint-on/wipe-off weathering to stick. Following this, coats of thinned white and light grey were painted on, followed by a coat of Humbrol 62 Matt Leather.

 

28771236587_1ff5f1db25_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Following this, the grey patch painting was added, carefully following the prototype picture, along with the rust scars on the sides and the usual corner posts, applying light browns to dark browns - and as you can see, some recent Blondie is the recommended soundtrack to rusty scarring. 

 

41851476750_eaa3c0ea41_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Once weathering was completed, it was then given a final coating of Humbrol matt varnish to seal-in and get ready for a life on the back of a Freightliner train on Worthing MRC's Loftus Road!

 

42756504095_e618d23661_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

And it's all ready to get loaded onto a wagon! 

 

41851497160_309b17907f_b.jpgC-Rail OOCL High Cube by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

As mentioned before, there is some more meaty content coming soon I promise, I'm beavering away on a few classic diesels, alongside some Class 66 projects for a mate, and a couple of low relief buildings for Loftus Road...updates soon!

 

Cheers,

James

Stunning work James!

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I've been on annual leave and finally had the chance to catch up on a few more modelling projects for Worthing MRC's Loftus Road - mostly scenery-related enhancements, including this cheeky little ambulance job below!

 

30166125138_6cd30e13cf_b.jpgLAS Ambulance by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I've added a few finishing touches to the Oxford Diecast LAS ambulance, adding a crew, changing the numberplates, a light traffic weathering and toning down the glossy finish with some matt varnish - now good to be added to our traffic jam on Loftus Road!

 

43128504585_09da7640b7_b.jpgLAS Ambulance by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Meanwhile, it was my birthday on Sunday, and as is traditional, I like to treat myself to a trainspotting trip "me time"(!) but usual Sunday engineering works put paid to that, so it was a Monday trip instead!

 

Now as some of you may know, I bang on about Didcot very often, with relatives up there, the hallowed ground of the station has become a second home, although I've not been up to the station for a fair while now and I had quite a surprise going to see what had been done. 

 

So it was interesting to go up there again yesterday to see it post-Great Western mainline upgrade - and let's address that elephant in the room upfront..."THEY'VE RUINED IT!:jester:

 

Anyway, what was bizarre and somewhat ironic, the first train I see is an Electrostar! 

 

43128680565_a2e6c029e6_b.jpgGWR 387145 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

These are shuttling in and out of London and reversing at Didcot, presumably while they finish off electrifying the rest of the line going West. The drawback is that their 8-coach formations hang around obstructing views on the spotter's favourite Platforms 4-5, and who also enjoys busily 'photting' away being a proper train geek while a trainload of 'normal' people pulls up right alongside, doh! 

 

So I'm a little miffed already, anyway now to see that the HSTs have mainly made way for these - 

 

30166288238_f36231d370_b.jpgGWR 800027 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

They're not actually too bad, and the livery does look rather nice, they sound reasonably good under diesel power, but it's no Paxman Valenta is it!!

 

30166309028_55391b0efa_b.jpgGWR 800027 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Adding to this, the stabling sidings yielded no locomotives, but things perked up when after waiting ages, a flurry of freights arrived - including these two beauties - 

 

44034838621_de369a5979_b.jpg66572 and 66766 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Sad isn't it...when the best thing to arrive is a pair of '66's...where are those long lines of stabled RfD '47's and class 60 thrashing by!

 

Now as you may have guessed, I don't go trainspotting much these days, but when I do, I have an odd knack of seeing something that's just been discussed in magazines or online...and yesterday was no different with the new Freightliner orange 66413, accompanied by 66524 in the traditional green & yellow more befitting of these lovely locos!

 

43315801274_2aee92be6b_b.jpg66413 and 66524 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

One interesting addition to 66524 was this mobile job advert now - 

 

43315808024_c508f57932_b.jpg66524 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

When will we see a Monster.com or LinkedIn Class 70?!

 

Every now and then, we'd get a 'celebrity'(!) HST arrive!

 

44034790601_5cefc3daaf_b.jpg43180 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The last time I did a proper day's spotting at Didcot, I think 2016, I'd ignore these, having seen the whole fleet and sounding like dull busses, but you don't know what you have until it's gone!

 

43315794394_b769035554_b.jpg43025 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

And then this beauty popped into sight -

 

29097318447_495e0584fd_b.jpg66007 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The now-classic EWS livery on a Class 66, and not ruined by silly DB stickers, heaven! (and that is sad of course)

 

Just as I was leaving the station building, as luck has it (and not showing on Realtimetrains.com) appeared DBS Red 66124 on a rake of the JGA-type wagons in varying liveries from the old Buxton Lime to EWS Industrial (who remembers that novelty!) - and what a gloriously modellable mess they are!

 

29097259017_d14bbbb051_b.jpgJGA Wagons at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

There was a lot of VGAs stabled in the Yard too, so here's a couple for reference purposes -

 

43315722724_2881c563c1_b.jpgVGA wagon 210629 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

30166185758_0488563c93_b.jpgVGA wagon 210650 at Didcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I'm always pinching other people's pics from Flickr to model my wagons on, so it's nice to give something back for a change!!

 

Finally, here's a few shots showing the crazy rate of change at the Western end of the station, where the classic 'car-park & MGR train signal-check' photo location has given way to this huge car park extravaganza!

 

29097291717_e4a3ab70ec_b.jpgDidcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The whole scene has changed so much over the past 3 years since the masts have gone up, the fixtures added and now finally wired up, it's almost unrecognisable from it's old self.

 

42225343590_f269cfebfd_b.jpgDidcot Parkway 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

On the upside, the temporary footbridge (itself due to be replaced shortly) yields a great photo opportunity for the Yard - next time I'm up there, it'll have all changed again!

 

43315704394_8d1a3bd94a_b.jpg165108 at Didcot Yard 13.08.18 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

More updates to follow soon on this and the Loftus Road layout thread!

 

Cheers,

James

 

 

Edited by James Makin
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The album of Didcot photos I found this morning look much more interesting, taken circa 1998/99. A couple of Class 37s, a handful of Class 60s and a whole load of ex works EWS MFAs.

 

Sadly I didn’t take any of the HSTs, I don’t think I ever did get a photo in Merlin.

 

Ambulance is looking good

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