Tavistock Junction Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot

[The Fatadder]

Progress on 950001, after a lot of effort I have now got the body stripped back to bare plastic, followed by removing the redundant window frames and other details.   It will now wait until the etches arrive so that I can crack on with the conversion (though it’s probably missed the boat for painting this side of winter.

 

the central door locking lights have been removed, I am in the process of drawing up an 3d printed replacement to be printed in transparent red resin and then painted with Vallejo translucent orange.  A test piece with scrap 3d print resin worked well so it should work nicely.    They won’t be working on this (there’s no need for it) but it saves painting as the print can be added once the model is finished

[The Fatadder]

I previously covered my Bachmann / Airfix mk2d hybrids on Wheal Imogen.  The 2d TSO is now almost finished, having cut a new window frame for the toilet at the weekend when cutting buildings for  Brent.  Now glued in place and painted, there is a little mark above the window that the camera shows off a lot worse than it looks in the flesh (weathering will hide it), the door window needs refitting, and finally once the paint is dry I need to see why the toilet window glazing isn’t firing quite right 

As soon as Amazon get me the resin I will try a test print of the door lights…

[The Fatadder]

glazing was removed again and identified the fit issue was caused by a small bit of the old glazing still stuck to the inside of the body.

 

the door window needs replacing as there is a small glue mark (ex factory) which couldn’t be fixed with Klear.  

 

[The Fatadder]

A couple of projects hit the bench this evening, making use of some 3d printing from last night.

 

First up the hybrid mk2 project.  The main job outstanding on this project was the central door locking lights, these are missing from the early intercity Bachmann mk2s (and also from the Lima mk3s, Hornby 2Es and Bachmann Intercity 2F RMB).   Looking at my fleet I currently have 4 mk3 sleepers, at least 8 Lima GWT mk3s, the 6 Mk2d conversions and 7 coaches in the Virgin XC rake.  The solution of course was to draw up a 3d print, which was then printed in my usual transparent red resin and then painted with Vallejo translucent orange paint.  This gets a part which could still be lit up if required at a later date (tests with a yellow LED worked perfectly.)   I now just need to print another 100 of them, I will also need 2 pairs for 950001 as well as it will be easier to cut off the moulded ones and replace with  the print than it would be to paint the moulded ones. 

 

Next up 37710 (or at least what will become it), As is usually the case with a Bachmann 37 project it has the wrong nose grills for the prototype I want to model.  However its taken until last night for me to get round to printing new grills for it.   As usual I cut out the original grill and glued in the printed replacement after gluing the ends in place.  A touch of filler to blend the nose into the side and it was given a coat of primer.   The plan is to spray the orange on Thursday afternoon, and the black at the weekend (not the easiest masking job to be done...)

Chassis wise this loco is currently sat on a OO first gen 37 chassis and has no bufferbeams, this needs drawing and printing (although may get borrowed from one of my 1980s 37s  for the moment).  The intention is for an unpowered loco which will be used to double head with the other 37s eventually....    The final job will be the windscreen, however I want to see how I get on with the replacement glazing for 510 before I commit to doing any more (the logic being fitting the Extreme Etchings windscreen as an overlay with filed down laserglaze to fit the Bachmann window holes.  Only thing is that I have yet to buy the glazing to test fit... 

Edited October 10, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

A few updates:

37710 has now been sprayed loadhaul orange, it will need rework on one cab side to repair a run.  I’m hopeful that my usual approach with ultra fine wet and dry will sort of…. Plan is to spray the black tomorrow.   

first I will sort out those paint repairs…

 

while in the garage I found my test mk3 sleeper used for 70ft coach testing on Brent before I’d finished any kit builds.  The green is wrong, as are the Replica transfers.  I will definitely be respraying the green band next time I am spraying a HST green.   I will probably redo the transfers at the same time for consistency, as this will eventually be added to my sleeper rake.  One of the Merlin mk3 sleepers will also be used along with the BG for an ECS move on the layout moving it from Plymouth station to the depot for storage before it returns to London.

speaking of the mk1 BG, this has also been finished off (although like the mk2s it still needs a number).  This was originally modified with window blanks as 6336 before I found the photo of this coach in green circa 1999 at which point rather than a full respray of a third BG I cleaned it up and reglazed.  It has been fitted with a Dingham at one end and a Kaydee (in the buffer beam) at the other 

 

Another intercity BG is also on the bench as 6338 a HST barrier coach.  No one does the transfers for this at present so I will have to look into getting some made.

It has been modified from my original conversion to open up the windows on the doors after confirming prototype condition in 98/99.

it still needs the handrails repainting white and Intercity logos adding (as well as the missing HST barrier branding in black).  Now to refit glazing, although finding enough that is undamaged will be tricky.  

 

The other barrier 6336 is now in need of transfers and glazing, this one will almost certainly need a new door window cutting…. Again I it still needs transfers but it’s just a simple 6336 in white

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

This morning I sprayed 37710 black, unfortunately the masking was a bit of a disaster with the tape not cutting cleanly enough and a bit of a jagged edge.  
To make it worse the black Halfords paint crackled in a few places needing sanding back and redoing.   Thankfully after a fair bit of reworking and a coat of satin varnish the paint is nearly good enough now.  The plan is to give it another going over (particularly around the ohle stripe and area above the cab windows) to finish off.  I’ve order Railtec transfers for this (along with numbers for 58049, Hst details and a set of Fag Packet powercar transfers.  Hopefully allowing for Railtec’s ridiculously quick delivery times I can finish odd 37710

at the weekend.

 

I have also test fitted the body on its intended chassis (a mk1 4 axle drive version). If I hadn’t already fitted ploughs I’d have been tempted to swap it over with the P4 chassis under 37510 seeing as this is the chassis from my original 37510.   
 

This highlighted that the plastic underframe parts are too wide on the mk1 chassis (and the cab interiors in the wrong place) both of which will now need fixing.   May well be a case of just buying a new current gen chassis, but will give modification a chance first.   The intention here was always to produce an unpowered loco for double heading) which in theory means the poor 4 axle drive chassis design is less of an issue.   Thinking some more I could swap it with one of the DRS locos that sit in the display case……:

Edited October 13, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

A little work with the xurons and the original 37 buffer beams fit ok.    Just need to glue them in place now.   I’ve also fitted the Extreme Etches roof fan into the Bachmann mounting plate.   Certainly one of the worst liveries to paint masking wise, but love the livery on a 37

 

[The Fatadder]

Finishing off (bar the numbers) the two barrier coaches, which have now been glazed and in the case of 6336 fitted with wheels.

 

6338 needed repairs to the bogie (which had previously been fitted to some kit build in the distant past). This needed a replacement plasticard plate adding to the centre the bogie to replace material that had been cut away.

 

next up couplings…

[The Fatadder]

Had a delivery from Railtec this morning, transfers for 58049, 37710 have now been applied.  The former will eventually get a set of Shawplan plates (which will hide the patch work where I have touched up the ews red after removing the 3 beasties logos.). I think the plate should convert this entirely, else it will need more paint and sanding to tidy up.  

can’t believe how many OHLE flashes they put on this loco.

this is now  almost ready for weathering, this will sort out the bits where paint seeped under the masking on the door gaps and improve the look of the grills.  Need to reattach the door handrails.

 

I also got a sheet of HST details, http://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=1900 

not sure how much of this sheet I will use but it has the “load 22 tonnes” that is missing from my resprays (although only 2 locos worth) which will finish a couple of my powercars off

 

it also included this for 43027

My expectation is that I should be able to make a better job of these than Hornby have managed with their transfers (see I will strip it back and re do it in Merlin.)

[The Fatadder]

The long awaited HST powercar project arrived this morning, comprising a nearly finished powercar in Merlin that just needs finishing off and another in all over GWT green which will be a basis for 43127 in fag packet.

 

So this evening I have set to work finishing them off.  First up was 43127, unfortunately it is missing a cab door (another reason I hate opening doors!)  the part is available as a spare but would involve a wait and more expense.  Instead I am trying a test to see how a Lima door looks (it’s currently drying).  
On  the side there were a couple of strange marks (which looked like nameplate scars). For theses I have gently cut back the paint with fine emery paper which now need revarnishing to blend back in.

Finally on both powercars the cantrail grills are incorrect (all finished in roof colour) whereas the bottom 3 slats should be green (at least on every photo I’ve looked at.). So this was carefully repainted.  
 

I wasn’t happy with the roof finish on either so both are earmarked for a respray once the green is dry to allow for masking, after which I can make a start applying the Railtec transfers for the stripes.   
the other stumbling block is the missing door, I am trying a modified Lima door to see if I can avoid having to buy a new one, but I suspect there will be no alternative.  I was hoping for an option that will allow me to crack on with the transfers…..

 

The Merlin powercar was more complete (numbered as 43003 with the main transfers in place). Along with the aforementioned paint fixes, it also needed tweaks to the white on the nose (squaring off the lower green band), adding the buff line, and renumber if (given that I already have 43003 (with green end) and the cooler group is wrong for this loco.)

 

The number transfers were easily removed and replaced with 43185 along with fitting a set of Extreme Etchings plates.  These came off my hybrid Lima Hornby model which will now get a renumber. 

There is quite a pronounced masking line showing between the ivory and buff  in the above photo which is much less noticeable in the flesh, something I will have a look at later to see if it can be improved...

 

Edit: This morning before work I have sprayed the roof Intercity dark grey (correcting the remaining green bands going too high up the cantrail, and painted the inside of the handrail channel white (for the lower section).   I have also removed the handrails from the FGW powercar and left them in IPA over night to shift the paint (from the looks of it they hadnt been stripped and were then painted green making the paint far too thick by the time I had repainted them in white.)   The Lima door still is not ready, it fits but the paint quality is not there at the moment (and i am unsure if the window is too big).  

 

All being well the GWT powercar will get a cantrail line and varnish at lunch today, maybe followed by a start on the FGW transfers...

 

As of now the fleet for the layout stands at:

43176, 431191, 43185 In Merlin, 43003 in Merlin with green end, 43172 in Intercity and 43127 in FGW all using the Hornby model

TBC (ex 43185) detailed Lima body on a Hornby chassis (which will likely eventually end up with another resprayed Hornby shell should I find another reasonably priced example on ebay.)

43168, 43042 detailed Lima body on rebuilt Lima chassis.

(plus of course the 4 Virgin powercars)

 

This still leaves me with two spares (both in Virgin) which will probably end up in Merlin by the time the layout is built.

Edited October 19, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

A little more work at lunch applying the remaining transfers followed by a coat of varnish and reassembly. 

 

There is an issue with the lighting which needs further investigation (it’s a new Hornby lighting board which has been hard wired into the chassis). Tail lights work but no headlights, wish I’d tested it before reassembling!   For now I’ve left it alone seeing as eventually all of the powercars need a new headlight board to give 4 headlights lit.

 

 

So that’s the easy one finished, tonight it’s onto the FGW powercar….

[Torbay Express]

On 07/09/2022 at 11:16, The Fatadder said:

To save the development of my next diesel project becoming lost within my Wheal Imogen topic, I think it is about time to start its own thread as it heads through the final stages of its development. 

 

In the same way as Wheal Imogen was designed and built in an attempt to learn the lessons of its predecessor Blackcombe Torr, this project sets out to build upon the memory of one of my earliest layouts Tavistock Junction TMD (although other than the size of the scenic area and the name the two share little in common.) 

 

The key requirements:

• I want a layout in which I can utilise my HST fleet, along with other elements of my passenger stock.  All of which is intended for a future large layout for which space and budget is currently lacking.
• It still needs to have some form of through running, having learnt from operating other layouts that its really useful to be able to just shuttle a DMU back and forward when you are trying to have a conversation with viewers.
• Ideally I still want to keep some element of China Clay / Freight 
• Size - the initial view was for a 6ft layout with a potential 3ft extension.  In practice I think that now may revert to the simpler 8ft.  Width is limited to that which can fit under Brent's fiddleyard (which from memory is just under 2ft)
• Track gauge - remains rather up in the air as per previous posts on Wheal Imogen.  I have come to the conclusion that after about 15 years of trying P4 is not really for me,  much as I love the look of the finer track I am less happy with the expense of rewheeling, more to the point I have never been happy with the quality/consistency of running that I have achieved.   Furthermore, there is no way I would consider building the long term project in P4, which leads the question being whether to go for EM (which I should have done in the first place I suspect), or follow Brent and stick to OO with hand built track.
• Stock will at least initially be divided between the two projects, with a core of clay stock earmarked for Wheal Imogen intended to stay in P4 until that layouts eventual demise. 
• Having thought long and hard about building an accurate (or semi accurate) corner of Laira, I came to the conclusion that it would be better served using a freelance design that takes inspiration from the prototype, but makes changes to better enable operational interest. 
• Will continue to be set in 1998/1999

 

The simplified background for the layout is that when BR built the 1960s diesel depot it was built further out of town at Tavistock Junction rather than on the site of the existing steam depot.  Further to that I kept the Launceston branch open rather than the Callington branch seeing as this in turn will allow for running a DMU service on the branch.

 

Architecturally the main shed buildings will all be based upon those at Laira, The backscene will in part be formed of two sets of mk3s in the stabling sidings, there is a triangle of free space on the left hand side of the plan which could either end up as a wedge shaped baseboard or filled with houses etc.  Another iteration of the plan uses some of this space to add an additional siding for the fuel unloading point, again adding a little more operational interest.     The nearest siding would include the crane (assuming that I can get it to fit).

 

The intention is to model the service and maintenance building (2 or 3 roads) and the heavy maintenance shed (1 road), giving the opportunity for other locos to arrive for wheel turning, along with various powercar moves.  I like the idea of having one of the last Intercity powercars arrive and enter in Intercity then leave in GWT, likewise there is a good photo of a powercar that has blown its engine with oil all down the side which would be a good arrival.

 

I have added a through track at the rear which can be used for multiple purposes including movements with locos deeper into the off scene parts of the depot, TTAs arriving with fuel, or the shunting of the Plymouth portion of the sleeper. 

 

A final change to the prototype will involve who actually uses the depot, at Laira both Great Western Trains and Virgin Cross Country used Laira as a base for complete HST sets.  However the repairs and maintenance of Virgin's powercars was conducted elsewhere.  So other than a few very rare photos you would not see individual Virgin powercars at Laira.  Here I am more inclined to dispense with historical accuracy and go for operational interest and have Virgin also making use of the maintenance facilities. 

 

 

 

 

Very nice layout idea.  Didn't 43104 spend along time there, in Virgin? 

[The Fatadder]

17 minutes ago, Torbay Express said:

Very nice layout idea.  Didn't 43104 spend along time there, in Virgin? 

43104 (in tatty intercity) is on my to do list eventually using a scrap Lima shell (which donated its door to 43127) 

More on 43127 will be posted soon once I’ve finished the transfers….

[The Fatadder]

The next project was of course 43127 in full FGW livery using Railtec's transfers.    As you would expect covering half a model in transfers is not the easiest job in the world, however I am very pleased with the end result.  While working on it my thoughts were never again, however I am already starting to think about doing another in the intermediate livery with a white end.  The transfers themselves are very crisply printed, and as usual with Railtec also include all of the extra bits (First logos, OHLE flashes, numbers etc), I will be curious to see it along side Hornby's transfer effort but for £200 less I am happy with the result.

 

One lesson learned after completing the first side was to prepaint the door handles / grab rails + door rail for the rear door.  I found the best approach was to prepare the inner ends first (cutting a triangle off the transfer), then to separate the remaining transfer into 3 sections (grill to door, door, door to end).  This matched up the joint lines in better slices of transfer with the panel gaps on the model.  In addition I also precut the transfer cutting away the material from the lower door handle on the cab door and a slice off the top on the rail for the rear door.   Once the transfer was in place, the grab rails etc were touched in with silver paint, with hindsight a much better option would be co cut off these moulded details and replace in wire after applying the transfer.   The point on the front of the transfer was cut freehand following the angle of the green once the transfer was in situ, really helpful as there appear to be differences between class members (probably based on how well the vinals were applied).  The FGW vinals were not (at least on 127) fitted into the handrail channels (in which you could still see the top of the ivory stripe an inch or two below the top of the FGW stripes), so the transfer was cut out of these.   The included numbers didnt cover 43127 (however it did have 4312x and xxxx7 so it was easy to cobble together the number I needed).  The red gauge on the lower fairing is another Railtec transfer (which I will now be adding to my other powercars).   Finally the orange cantrail stripe was applied.   

there is a small mark where I’ve damaged the transfer post application at the corridor end, I have a tiny bit of offcut left so will try a repair once it’s glazed

With the transfers sorted all that remained was a coat of Satin varnish to blend it all together and seal in the transfers, this will be followed by reassembling the glazing and handrails (along with the all important headlight unit and cab interior) later this evening.

 

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Now fitted with the glazing etc, along with the final touch ups to the transfers, the windscreen cracked slightly when refitting (I think Mr Hanson does a laser cut replacement).  All the lighting works perfectly. It will still need some weathering despite being intended as ex works, unless there was reason otherwise FGW didnt bother cleaning bits that didnt need cleaning before adding the vinals.  There are photos of practically ex works powercars with really tatty ends / filthy roofs a week or so at most from being stickered up.

 

This should be the last powercar for now, I am now decided that I will keep my spare Virgin pair and finish one in Merlin and almost certainly the other in FGW but with the Merlin lower front end.  However that will not be until the spring at the earliest, hopefully I will manage to source another shell for an original light HST to use up my last Hornby chassis

Edited October 20, 2022 by The Fatadder

[Neal Ball]

What lighting units are you going to use Rich? 

 

I need to replace the lights on my Merlin units - both are Lima bodies, one iOS a Hornby chassis, not sure about the unmotorised one.

 

Thanks, Neal.

[The Fatadder]

39 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

What lighting units are you going to use Rich? 

 

I need to replace the lights on my Merlin units - both are Lima bodies, one iOS a Hornby chassis, not sure about the unmotorised one.

 

Thanks, Neal.

Right now I don’t think there is anything available (at least I haven’t seen anything which has exactly what I’m after).  I will have a proper look once the layout is a little more along, as I have the 3 Lima ones to do as well). I think all the options I’ve seen available from the trade only have tail lights and two rather than four headlights.

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, The Fatadder said:

Right now I don’t think there is anything available (at least I haven’t seen anything which has exactly what I’m after).  I will have a proper look once the layout is a little more along, as I have the 3 Lima ones to do as well). I think all the options I’ve seen available from the trade only have tail lights and two rather than four headlights.

I thought I saw some replacements on eBay a while back? Maybe not?

[The Fatadder]

8 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

I thought I saw some replacements on eBay a while back? Maybe not?

If I remember rightly they were a direct replacement for the original Hornby with just one headlight on each side.  I will investigate further once I get home.  I also have a locsound chip that I need to get reblown (currently has a random German diesel).   Half tempted to go HST (though that would be an expensive road to go down, so may just get it done as a King or a Castle instead).  
 

Decided on the identity of my next HST project, it will be City of Truro.   Perfect to accompany 3440 (although her return to the mainline is a little late for me).

[JackB95]

Chorrr that looks absolutely gorgeous. Well done!

[The Fatadder]

I noticed on the photos of the FGW 43127 that the green paint on the cantrail grills has rubbed off leaving the old black showing through (a little concerning!) so I have repaired this morning and the loco is back to ex works condition.

 

I think that will be enough on these locos for now, unless the weather suddenly dries out and I get stuck into working on the next pair early.  I do want to get the full line up out for a photo (possibly tied in with getting the track plan printed out.

 

 

Hopefully next on the bench will be the departmental 150.

[The Fatadder]

After a lot of work (and some suggestions from Mick) I have finally got the lighting working, turns out the headlight boards I purchased as spares were common negative and the PCB on the chassis was common positive.  The solution was to carefully file through the common negative on the lighting board, filed a small clearance on the plastic plate to clear the wire and then solder 4 wires to the main PCB rather than 3.  Net result I now at least have head and tail lights (even if the headlights only light 3 rather than 4 lenses). 

 

I still want to have a further play with these dummy powercars to add the engine room light, it was so distinctive driving past Laira in the dark during the time period. 
 

the current GWT fleet (excluding the 3 detailed Lima models which will be kept apart until I find a satisfactory solution for making a new headlight lens).  I think my favourite is 43003 with its green end…

 

(of course while I’ve been careful to ensure that all the liveries can exist at the same time 43172 in intercity doesn’t quite work as all the powercars gained Merlin by April 99 and the FGW repaints didn’t start until May/June as far as i know.  The only intercity liveried powercar in the great western fleet at this point would be 43104 however it was a real wreck with a feee growing through the cab and not really a great choice for this loco (I do plan on using one of my Lima shells for it though). 

Edited October 21, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

I said no more HST for a while, but looking at the stock box of Virgin powercars I spotted a difference between my resprayed 43068 and renumbered Hornby pair.  My respray has the lower slats of the cantrail grills in red, whereas Hornby painted them in Virgin grey.  

 

Looking at the prototype my model is correct (as I expected) and the Hornby ones look very wrong in comparison.  
 

simple solution, out with the Virgin red paint and carefully hand paint them red.  Any imperfections will be incorporated into the weathering (this area naturally getting very dirty ) but there was always a lot of red through. 
 

43157 before

 

the pair of powercars after, as an aside I thought the roof on Virgin powercars was Virgin dark grey rather than black?

 

 

[The Fatadder]

One thing that was mentioned in the preamble for the layout was the desire to include branch line workings on the branch track along the front of the layout.  One interesting working in the Plymouth area in my period was the Cattlewater scrap move, where an EWS 08/09 would trip rebodied SSA scrap wagons (with a Queen Mary brake van) up the branch splitting up a much longer train.  For which I would like to have a handful of rebodied SSA, however while the standard SSA is available as both a kit and RTR there is no such luck for the rebody.   

 

I have actually got a 3/4 complete Cambrian conversion started in the mid 2000s, however the thought of finishing it doesnt particularly appeal (yet alone doing another 5 to go with it) so I have had a play on Fusion this evening and come up with this.  I have used Jim S-W's drawing from the P4 New Street website as my initial source, along with photos of the real thing on Tim Horn's Flickr and Martyn Read's Smugmug to verify details.

 

It is intended to use the Stenson Models underframe bits, and whatever suitable buffers are available from the trade.  The next step is getting others to give the drawing the once over to ensure there are no silly errors and then a test print to ensure it is printing as intended.   Once I have a working print I also want to modify to get the other underframe design (with straight solbar rather than stepped)

 

 

Along with this I have also been tempted into a Hattons Class 66 from Hatton's rejects list, it was a little higher priced than I hoped given the condition (some paint marks on the cab roofs, missing axle boxes and a dead motor).  My thoughts are the motor should be an easy fix (I have a couple of mashima's bought for repowering projects which are too long for steam locos which I think will fit).  I can 3d print replacement axle boxes, while the cab roof will hopefully clean up easily.   The bigger issue is that I will need to remove the wing mirrors and fill the resulting holes ensuring a good paint match, and may well need to renumber.    

My initial thought was to model 66027 which was the first class 66 to work in Cornwall, however 66127 (its current number) did work to Cornwall in 1999 and was the loco that visited Bodmin General for the diesel gala that year.  Something that would potentially be of use if I ever do manage to follow through with my plans around Bodmin Parkway.....

Of course before any of this can be sorted I need to phone Berclaycard in the morning to get my card unblocked after they locked it for suspected fraud this evening (with the Hattons purchase being the suspected fraud.....)  

 

 

Edited October 29, 2022 by The Fatadder

[WCML100]

3 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

One thing that was mentioned in the preamble for the layout was the desire to include branch line workings on the branch track along the front of the layout.  One interesting working in the Plymouth area in my period was the Cattlewater scrap move, where an EWS 08/09 would trip rebodied SSA scrap wagons (with a Queen Mary brake van) up the branch splitting up a much longer train.  For which I would like to have a handful of rebodied SSA, however while the standard SSA is available as both a kit and RTR there is no such luck for the rebody.   

 

I have actually got a 3/4 complete Cambrian conversion started in the mid 2000s, however the thought of finishing it doesnt particularly appeal (yet alone doing another 5 to go with it) so I have had a play on Fusion this evening and come up with this.  I have used Jim S-W's drawing from the P4 New Street website as my initial source, along with photos of the real thing on Tim Horn's Flickr and Martyn Read's Smugmug to verify details.

 

It is intended to use the Stenson Models underframe bits, and whatever suitable buffers are available from the trade.  The next step is getting others to give the drawing the once over to ensure there are no silly errors and then a test print to ensure it is printing as intended.   Once I have a working print I also want to modify to get the other underframe design (with straight solbar rather than stepped)

 

 

Along with this I have also been tempted into a Hattons Class 66 from Hatton's rejects list, it was a little higher priced than I hoped given the condition (some paint marks on the cab roofs, missing axle boxes and a dead motor).  My thoughts are the motor should be an easy fix (I have a couple of mashima's bought for repowering projects which are too long for steam locos which I think will fit).  I can 3d print replacement axle boxes, while the cab roof will hopefully clean up easily.   The bigger issue is that I will need to remove the wing mirrors and fill the resulting holes ensuring a good paint match, and may well need to renumber.    

My initial thought was to model 66027 which was the first class 66 to work in Cornwall, however 66127 (its current number) did work to Cornwall in 1999 and was the loco that visited Bodmin General for the diesel gala that year.  Something that would potentially be of use if I ever do manage to follow through with my plans around Bodmin Parkway.....

Of course before any of this can be sorted I need to phone Berclaycard in the morning to get my card unblocked after they locked it for suspected fraud this evening (with the Hattons purchase being the suspected fraud.....)  

 

 

some interesting projects mate, look forward to the updates to follow.

 

regarding the hattons 66, it you can get yourself the 66005 release, it does not have the wing mirrors!