Q23 kit

[roythebus1]

I've recently found my Q23 resin kit that I bought many years ago, made by LBC Models. I've compared it to the Skinley blueprint and fund it's about 2.5mm too short. the discrepancy is in the "centre" bay, there is a variance between the door opening and the 1st window on the driving cab end if you can follow that! 

 

I've done a cut-and-shut job this evening, careful slicing the coach in two with a Dremel and slitting disc, then putting some 2mm plasticard spacers and glueing it all back together. At the moment there's a bit of plasticard under the roof to get the roof lined up, when that has set I'll fill the gap with Araldite or something similar. Pictures below (hopefully). I'm ordering a couple of Black Beetlemotor bogies for it, the trouble is the bogie wheelbases is different on each end of the coach at 31mm under the driving cab end and 29 mm under the guard's end. i've already chopped a couple of BR mk 1 bogie sides as they are the nearest I'll get.

[SRman]

I think the bogie wheelbase variance was due to the longer wheelbase one having the traction motors while the shorter one was unpowered.

Black Beetles are available in different wheelbases if you want to power both bogies on the model. Just be careful when ordering them to ensure you get the same gearing in both as they also offer different gear ratios.

AFAIK, you can only buy the Black Beetles direct from their manufacturer, Steam Era Models, which is based on Phillip Island, not a great distance away from me.

[roythebus1]

Thanks for that info, I've already been in tough with Dave at Steam Era Models and the bogies I need are still available. They're about £50 each plus air freight. the wheelbase is different for the reason you state. They should also have spoke wheels, but Dave hasn't got any suitable. He's got some HO pattern but he reckons they won't look right on a UK model. I'm also getting some bogies for the EFE tube stock.