BernardTPM

They were certainly using it in the 1990s in one of the military sets that had Hummers in moulded in a light cream with brown camoflage markings on the deck, surprisingly with Tri-ang style metal buffers and moulded underneath as Hornby R130!

Late versions have plastic bogies. In both cases the bogies could be replaced by removing the brass rivet. Obviously in real life the bogie fixing isn't visible from above so there's a hole to fill in the plating. It's a fairly typical design if a little chunky (the tooling goes back over 50 years, after all) but there are drawings out there (the Barrowmore pdf collection) and photos (Paul Bartlett's site the obvious first stop). The Trestrol is a little newer (1963, I think) with much finer detail and always had plastic bogies. It's not quite full scale length, but it's still a big wagon!

There was a competition to build one when the line originally opened, the winner featuring in the Railway Modeller, I think. Trouble is, that's a tall pile that starts with 1986 and ends with 2000 so it takes some shifting to get to the appropriate date in 1987! I've got a half-built model of the original Island Gardens station in H0 downstairs.

Small when printed - I haven't cut it out yet. A sharp knife is definitely called for and good light. I'll let you know.

I've printed out a page in 4mm scale by setting the picture to 254dpi . Now there are some instructions I might give it a go. In the smaller size the superglue should give it plenty of strength.

Simon, a lot of BDAs had brake wheels fitted to the bogies, rather than levers to the underframes; not all though. As ever, I'd recommend a look over on Paul Bartlett's site.

I'm pretty sure I remember seeing that on a cycle tour with my Dad, around 1969. IIRC there was more than one van, but it was likely to have been in rather better condition then!

Ringo, what are the external recognitions points for the TD5 against the earlier Defender? Also does the model have a pre 2007 dashboard or the 2007 on version? (Can't quite make it out through the plastic glass on the ehattons pics).

There's a good shot on BarkingBill's site http://www.flickr.com/photos/barkingbill/2138823352/sizes/o/in/set-72157603696416788/ If you go to the high-res version you can see how much more discreet they were. Not only much smaller face on, but had less depth too.

I realise that; I've slightly rephrased the comment so it's clear that 'period' is just that, the early period. I know that Peaks had extra covers on the roof that disappeared pretty early on.

You need to delete the vertical access panel below the RH bodyside grille group on the upper side view shown (i.e. the one that has the extra access recess in the RH end of the centre valance). Might be tricky/need a dollop of luck to find a really clear shot of the early clips; basically they were a lot smaller.

I've never seen any pictures of them with covers on there, even ex-works or in service in the early period 1962 to '63.

As a matter of record, the Airfix and Dapol figures, whilst very similar, are from different tools. The most obvious difference is the base (rectangular block on Airfix, tapered mound on Dapol), but if you look at the faces and various details, they clearly vary. From the modelling point of view, the best thing is that both are moulded in styrene so can be readily adapted, rather than that flexible (polythene?) that Airfix used for most of their figure sets.

I was thinking along the same lines, but the TV animated version - all you need is a small teddy in a duffel coat and hat to complete the scene.

Well said! Chase realism, not bullet points on a spec. sheet.

I still haven't painted my rebuild - I was going to use the paint from a spray tin of Ford Lagoon (lightish blue) but sadly it had expired into a rusty mush since I lasy used it (1987?). I kept the painted lid as a colour reference. I'll have to see what other contemporary Ford colours I've got/fancy using.

How about a Mk.2 Cortina that looks like a Mk.2 Cortina (regardless of door numbers!)?

For coaching stock aficionados, the coach is an early style Mk.2c TSO - chunky vents and the removable roof panel over one toilet. An XR3 (rather than XR3i) and Sierra set a definite '80s note, though none of the vehicles are right up-to-date for 1986. Quite a lot of Post Office lorries lost their LEYLAND badging like that - late G cabs only had a transfer (white outline on the black recessed area) rather than raised lettering like the earlier versions.

Oh dear.. shame, as they're part of the real thing, I'm afraid! Sorry Pix!

Happy New Year, Ron! I'm sure you'll keep stunnning us throughout 2012 too.

There's a similar effect on the back tailgate of this Astra http://www.nktuning.com/_var/gfx/1f2f4ca2f329ad41b6b8ba6e0b1050ec.jpg - two slightly curved surfaces meeting at an angle, so there's definitely a fold line, but not a simple 'two flats bent'.

Looking good, Simon!

Hi Dave, I think the problem appears to be that the curve is not the same continuous curve it should be from the lower edge (where it tucks in above the bogies) to the shoulder of the roof, matching, as previously referred to, the Mk.1 coach profile. There are two horizontal lines shown on your CAD in the side view, one just above the footsteps and another just at the top of the handrail recesses, that seem to suggest that these are interfaces of differing radius planes, which is how it appears in the renderings. For your information, the radius of the Mk.1 coachside profile is 28ft 17/16th in. (source - dia. on page 3 of "Mk.1 Coaching Stock of British Railways" by Keith Parkin). The outer faces of the cab handrails are flush to main bodyside and have the same curve top to bottom too.

Keep up the good work, Pete. Merry Christmas!

Suggestion to strengthen those fold lines: leave a minimum thickness black edge at each end of the fold line. There should still be enough guidance from the central part to fold where you want, but the thin continuous edge should stop the crack effect going right across. I would also suggest that rather than half-etching below the guard's door, etch everything away below it. They are quite deep on the real thing.