Bluemonkey presents....

Looks fab. Absolutely cracking love it.

Oh well not to worry but thanks and one for the memory bank.

Nearly completely lost it yesterday! After killing off a number of very expensive tropical fish through my complete and utter idiotic incompetence, I discovered the roof was way too wide and need to be reduced. At this point everything nearly went to the wall and out the window, including myself. So the reduction took place cutting away a thick slim of brass roof section. I messed this up as well and gagged the edge half way down and I am still not sure the roof will sit right. I think I too k too much off the middle section. I tried a quick fix by just painting this newly cut section but it looked really bad and the paint left a ridge between the old and new. The rain strip needed moving up a little anyway so went for the full strip back. The bottom rain strip removed along with the destination board. I really do not want to remake the roof so I am trying to make good this poor job. Rain strip now repositioned higher and covering most of the paint/brass line (phew!). I will take the opportunity to add the toilet roof vent. This will have to be 'best guess' as I do not have a detailed picture so will use other coaching stock pictures to bodge something. The glue has been allowed to go off properly over night and the plan is to mask off from under the upper rain strip to try a prevent any further paint ridges.

Very nicely done Chris, your toad design looks fab. Certainly could sneak one at least into my collection 😉

I have some plastic strip in small lengths from a job lot purchase. These have can in handy if not a little brittle at times. I have pictured the roofing supports before painting so they can be easily identified. Look a little rough but are not for show and will be covered (hopefully) and painted black. Still dreading the actual attachment of the roof! Glazing first though for the skylights. Wider strip has been placed at the ends to ensure a really good surface area for gluing. This also reinforced my reasoning for not using plastikard for the roof, I think it would have proved rather disasterous, at least in my hands!

After spending a long time deciding on and viewing various kits and how they achieve attachment to progress the roofing and how to attach to the body I think I will be adding strips between each section in order to add extra gluing points to secure as it will have to be glued.

Finished my wagon off with the door bangs etc. Rather pleased with these fashioned from split pins.

Steps painted and attached. Got the worn board look I was hoping for. Now the steps are in place it is surprising how much a difference they make than the coach/van without them. It is is also surprising how many hours such a small detail can take to construct and complete.

After reading @Compound2632 posting about MR wagons from Slaters seems I need to add the door bangs before finishing that 3 plank drop side. This will be done to finish along with couplings and buffers. Apologies, with the lack of my knowledge and research abilities I have also 'stolen' the wagon number ref. This was more by coincidental than a direct steal as it is one of the plate transfers I had decided on.

Looks fantastic Chris

Still contemplating the toilet roof vent, possible will leave it off but apart from the final protective varnish coat for the transfers and skylight glazing I think it is complete. Unfortunately the paint sprayed a lot thicker than I expected but I'll have to live with it. Been a little slower to finish this as distracted by; (Matt's Railway) not the more common version Midland Railway 🤪 So on to the missing steps and boards. Found myself some etch brass off-cut waste that is just the right width and thickness for stepping boards as well as stanchions. These are quite thin so once cut to length and shaped a small amount of solder was running along to add rigidity. The Swindon factory van did not seem to have foot steps on the bogies so that was a blessing. These steps I should have made up when completing the underframe and then would have been soldered in position however in my haste I forgot so the upper boards and lower steps will now be superglued in place, once painted. Painting will be overall black followed by a mid brown for the boards. This will be dry brushed with Sinai Grey and Gunmetal followed with washes of Agrax Earthshade and Nuln Oil until an aged, walked on effect is achieved.

Could be of benefit to some/many customers to Eileen's Emporium; "To celebrate the Queens Jubilee we have a special offer, for website orders only. A massive 15% off everything from now until Sunday 5th June 2022. Orders will be shipped as soon as possible, but remember we are not in on the bank holidays. To take advantage of this offer simply type JUBILEE in the Coupon box underneath the Shipping Method options and a discount of 15% off all goods will be applied at the final page".

Lovely build and descriptors Mikkel, thank you for sharing. I have been thinking about that all brown livery for a while for a rescue I have lurking could be just the push I need. Looking forward to your lining and 'photo shoot'.

Buggger, forgot to fit the toilet roof vent! And first coats are on, oh well a little but of sticky should sort it.

Morning Rob, Cracking work on the joint secret project. Wonderful attention to detail and build structures. You should put some pictures up on your thread as well especially as a joint venture.

Gents, an excellent mode; designed, built and painted to a very high standard with exceptional detailing. I think that covers it. Outstanding work from you both.

Hi Ric, I am going to have to use superglue as the roof brass is thin and does not hold a full bend/shaping and the interior formers and wagon body are plastikard.

Thank you everyone for your comments. As always very much appreciated by myself and helps motivate for completion and future projects. It certainly has been a battle to get it this far and I have my concerns over attaching the roof to the main structure. A little light sanding and then respray with primer today and tomorrow white. It will then need to rest for 3+ days to ensure the paint is well set and hard as there will be a lot of pressure and handling to get in onto the body, dont want cracking or finger prints in the paint.

Second rain strip added and now primed. It is amazing how a coat of primer can change the appearance. This will need a little sanding and recoating before any further colour is added.

Running board supports fashioned from some scrap brass fret, soldered and re-shaped to fit the roof. This is then soldered to the roof, after measuring and marking distances in order to align the boards with each other as well as ensuring a reasonable distance from the roof edge. Been considering omitting the second (higher) rain strip as it could appear 'too busy' but after placing the boards I fell it really should be included. This will need to be added before priming. Initial bracket fit to the boards. Shaping the bracket bases using a Hold 'n' Fold. Marking out full board length and each support position before soldering in place. Extra rain strip needs to be positioned behind the running board supports prior to priming. This will be the same material and method as the previous rain strip although this one is in three parts so will need a little cutting.

Whilst preparing to make up the running boards and deliberating on what material to use I remembered my brass strip 0.396mm x 3.18mm from K&S metals. Remembering the trouble I had finding this product (now discontinued (typically!)) and my relief as a very well known and advertised supplier suggested they had the equivalent by from a European supplier. I had purchased a number of these for future projects and unusually for me when they had arrived I put all my trust and faith in the supplier (of which I do not normally) I just stashed them for such a project. One of my many failings is trust of strangers or business people (out to make a quick buc!) this time I did trust the business person and did not check dimensions, as they are here to help modellers like me and he said they are the same size. NO they are NOT twice as think at least, no good for the intended use, of which I had described to said model materials supplier. Through trust I have been ripped off! Normally I check everything even counting bearings as purchased/supplied with wheel sets but this time I trusted the metal was the correct thickness. Lesson learnt; Trust no-one, check everything, believe nothing and live isolated. At least I have wagon kits to build for eternity. 😭 Upside the boards have been fabricated from the thin brass sheet like the roof, was tempted to laminate them but no. As well as trust issues I am also very lazy. Will solder up some brass waste fret for the roof attachments then I think it is ready for priming. This will show what needs a touch of filler before continuing with the white rattle can.

Thank you and yes for sure. Were you watching! 😉

Well the roof is virtually completed. It genuinely has been a struggle to motivate myself to this point as it has not be plain sailing nor overly enjoyable, making up the skylights and frames not to mention the call of the veg plot! I forgot to take pictures during the finishing touches although this was pretty much; select, measure, cut and stick. I have used a variety of plastic strip to fabricate the skylight boxes and frames. The rain strips are 0.25x0.5mm evergreen strip and the gas light piping is Slaters plastic rod 20 Thou. Whilst I was ordering this I could not help myself but order one of the MR drop side 3 plankers, this is my motivation for the final push. I have glued the plastics to the brass, the rain strips are not fully glued to enable the curve. This I hope will be anchored when painted. I have just the running boards to shape and fix and it will be ready for priming.

Hi Mikkel, Looks like you have had very tricky obstacles to overcome but overcome you have very well. It's surprising how much detail is included within the bogies and how one seemingly small omission can result in a world of pain. I welcome you with open arms to my world 🙂 Great build though, a superb looking coach.

Yes one of the older ones as it was in a Slater's box rather then the packets of toady.