Taking Steps - Fairburn Fashion

[Right Away]

Still a bit chilly for operating in the garage, so following on from the Mk1 coach mods posted earlier I turned my attention to a task that’s been hanging around for a few years now; namely the provision of front footsteps to a Bachmann Fairburn tank (32-882). (Idealy, Bachmann might have offered the steps as an optional accessory.) I had previously renumbered the locomotive and fitted SR smokebox lamp irons made from flattened nickel silver wire, but had not got around to the front steps.

As mentioned in my previous post, my  modification efforts can be somewhat fraught with the undesirable effects of “high mileage”.

 

The footsteps were simply fashioned from Peco Code 60 nickel silver conductor rail, filed flat and then reduced in width. Scaled from photographs, the nickel silver which is quite strong, was bent to a rectangle and soldered and the middle step soldered into position. After painting the step were affixed with a tiny dab of superglue gel. The result is not too shabby at “normal” viewing distances.

It is worth noting my curves are generous enough to allow clearance for the leading truck wheels.

 

For reference, here’s a quick pic of the engine.