lofty1966

They are ! Measured them out and they are the correct length (honest Guv ')

Been somewhat busy for the last few weeks so not a lot been happening on the models front ,but I did pull up from the basement workshop three of the 70ft stock that I had given the first coat of primer to see how bad my filling and sanding had been. The D84 has a nasty bow in the bottom of the brake end....don't know how I missed that The others need some slight filling and more sanding but not too bad. Lot of work ahead though to sort out flat ends detail and rooves Also have a D94 from a while back ready for mahogany window frames and then decals And finally with its unpainted twin

That's a hair raising thought.

Tempting .....

Indeed it is.Shoulda said that in my post.

Come on then , who is pushing up the price on e-thief for old knackered Colletts ? A set of three boxed ones went for 57 quid last week (worth all of about £18 max) I was enjoying picking them up for less than a fiver.....grrrrrr

Like this ? Its a pain to join as you dont have a lot of room to sand filler down without destroying the (raised) door detail

You have to cut and shut the interiors as well, as Hornby did a bit of a make do on them.

I use the mitre block that the coach is sat on. Though it's obviously not deep enough to go right through a coach from top to bottom.Then it's a case of a wing and a prayer ! Actually the easiest way I find is to use a metal ruler end as a square and draw a pencil line up the side of the coach then very carefully (and it takes a lot of practice) cut along the line with a razor saw. Even now it wanders occasionally. If you are replacing almost a whole side I use a scalpel/modelling blade and score an ever deeper line under the rain strip then "snap" the side up under the roof. Once detached you can lay the sides in the mitre block and cut accurately away. Always clean up your saw cut with a file as there is always a burr from the saw. You also need to gently file across the tops of the sides as where you snap them they are never a square finish. A lot of careful measuring and cutting later you should be able to join your pieces together. I turn the mitre block upside down and lay the pieces with their bottom edge (this is important as the bottom edge should be square as it's untouched) against the metal straight edge (the bit that stops the mitre saw sliding across the bench when you cut) This way when you glue the pieces together they should all run straight. As I showed in an earlier pic , I always run a piece of plasticard about 5mm up along the inside of the coach as this helps keep everything in line thickness wise.(doesn't always work but the theory is there !) You use this to help place your new sides and also strengthen it all. I use SE Finecast Flush glazing which doesn't protrude down like the Hornby glazing (which would interfere with my strengthening strip) Glue wise I used to use Tenax7R which was really quick setting but the Nannies running Canada decreed its too toxic to use so back to good old Testors liquid poly (slow to dry and fully cure) The filler is Tamiya basic and once I have smeared it on (and it starts to set pretty quick) I often give it a careful brush over with the liquid poly which smooths it down and seems to strengthen the joint. Once that's done it's leave it till the next day as if the filler is not completely dry it clogs sandpaper with lumps. I generally have to fill and rub down twice before painting , then after a blast of primer refill any bits you missed. Phew ! Bit of a long winded reply but hopefully helps. If you want any pix on stuff not made clear in the text I will gladly try and make it clearer.

I cancelled my pre-order several months back along with several of their wagons. Oxford Fail seemed to be the order of the day. I shall be waiting to see if the Dean Goods are worth getting once they are released.

More progress on the full scale massacre of the poor unsuspecting Railroad coach (which I found hiding under some bubble wrap in the bottom of a box in the basement)

When did that start ? You making things up?

Who dares wins right ?Only one side done....not enough time to play Interestingly not all the windows work out at 19mm. Two end up being 21mm. Roof ribs will need removing and relacing in correct positions.

Philistine! Tsk !;-)

Brass has a "self lubricating quality" which stops paint keying onto the surface. Etch primer chemically "eats" into the brass. You might be ok if you don't handle it to much.

Oh Kevin , are you in for a treat! UK driving will put hairs on yer chest. Just remember "kill, or be killed" generally gets you through. Driving in Ontario is pretty boring with long straight wide roads in cars with 'slushboxes', when I go back to the UK ,I love hammering around the narrow twisty country roads, stick shifting up and down like my life depends on it (and it usually does)

My razor saw is being sharpened as we speak.... Just need my donor/victim to arrive.

What are the dimensions of the window apertures, please.....wondering if I can cut n'shut this from Railroad stockOn the 70ft Stock the window should be 21mm but Hornby's are 19mm resulting in some compromises along the body.

You are gluing to the paint not the coach side so if the paint hasn't keyed on to the plastic it is possible it could peel away.

Probably shoulda masked off the sides so you would glue directly to the plastic. Now you are going to glue onto paint.

Probably.

One of my A28's Not as detailed as Mr Coach Bogies

The join is a fraction off the centre line.It is braced inside where the metal weight would sit. Flat across the chassis and then two pieces vertically in the well. The piece of white plasticard in the pic is to fill a gap in the footboard. The poor old doner must of had a rough life as it had buffers and coupling hooks missing as well, but for three quid who's complaining ? If anyone needs a stock of BR Mk1 bogies , I can probably go wholesale ;-)

If you pinch the 7ft Bogies off a Railroad Collett they sit in the right spot for the wheelbase. (The pivot pin is off centre on them ) making life easier !(Edit) They dont pop straight in . You need to fettle the pivot hole a little. (Can't remember exactly what I had to do....been a while) but I have to chop up a chassis for the A27 which uses 7ft Colletts so a quick relearning curve awaits.