LMSfan72

The pair of sleepers ready to double head

My second sleeper waiting decals. It took a lot longer to get here as I required for multiple light functions: Day, Night, Tail each end and selectable so I can have either end off. Also fitted an EOT at one end. Loksound 5, all wire and LEDs mounted in the body so I replace the Dapol board with a simple 8-pin socket and mounted the decoder I the body too.

I think my first go will be just moving the buildings, at the correct scale, to fit the gaps since the track fits the board and ignore the photo footprint

I think he'd keep in the same 3 word style: Passage Up Uranus

Hmmm. Looks like a rookie mistake for me…

I thought I’d scaled the photo properly but it appears that I am significantly out. The track seems to fit nicely but now I have printed and triple checked the buildings I reckon I am probably 30% out!

Now I have found a close up of the rail spacing it seems to confirm it:

That is going to significantly affect what I do! N-gauge??!

I came back to this after I wasn’t happy with the lining sitting on the grills. So, with nothing to lose I just masked off around the red stripe, applied a light grey Vallejo primer and then the blue. No problem at all with covering the red with only relatively light coats

The orange I used on 73962 was very light on pigment - turns out is is apparently a transparent paint! - so for 73963 I tried a different paint. Pretty good match to Accurascales:

Mentor was sitting too high on the B4 bogies. So, I cut the turrets off the bogies and printed a flush pivot mount:

Much better now!

23 minutes ago, martin_l_jones said:

Anybody who has purchased the GBRf Battle of Britain 73109, were etched plates supplied ?

 

I had none with mine, thanks in advance, 

None with either of mine

My early Mentor is back on the workbench. A simple job to cut the coach ends of a Bachmann Mk1 chassis. The body fits it and has the screw holes in the right place too. As I have 97201 “Experiment” on the way as well as the Accurascale Mk2B coaches in RTC livery I thought I’d kick it on a bit!

…and what will become 73963 “Janice”…

Having spent more time on the WIPACs getting them better for fitting LEDs I decided that this one will be wired to a Loksound chip with at least 10 functions to control more light modes at both ends. 
 

put back on its jig whilst I wait for supplies!

Went back and made a couple of minor changes to 73971. Replaced the cab mounted shark fins and base with a better version, added the cowl just behind the cab 

GBRF 73962 complete

And stabled with 73109

Page 42. “West coast Accurascale Bachmann” was very effective in the search

Ok, test run and waiting transfers: 73962 Dick Mabbutt:

Night running wired on one end

Day running on the other

Tails

I think that’ll work….

The GBRF one is getting there now…. This will become either 73963 or 73962. The latter needs the emergency ladder bracket fitting to above the AAR multiple working socket so I am working on one of those! 
 

I didn’t think I’d be able to print the pipes and brackets, but, I have to say I’m happy with last nights design!

I learnt a lot on the first builds, not least of which how difficult it was to get the LEDs in place. I had a “eureka” moment overnight and have tried a 2 piece WIPAC for this one. The LED will fit in the WIPAC base and the cover is recessed to take the full lens. They will only get glued in once I have painted the yellow ends.

First print of part of the office building. It’s printed the brickwork quite well. However, it’s so small I can’t see it clearly with the naked eye. Not sure how I will paint the mortar lines!

I tried to hand paint the detail on my first sleeper and wasn’t that happy with my results. This time I masked and airbrushed, very lightly, and am much more pleased

I also decided to edge the roof grill with paper

The closest I think I can find is the ESU BR261 which uses the MTU 8V 4000 R42 prime mover as opposed to the MTU 8V 4000 R43L that the 73/9 has. (I have no idea what the difference is!)

The alternative is maybe the class 43 MTU 16V 4000 R41R……

I’m pretty sure it doesn’t exist, but, does anyone know of a project that might be close to the MTU engines in the 73/9? I know the Sleeper no longer runs on electric but I think the GBRF still does (just to complicate it further!).