MAP66

That's a thought Chris, I checked and its available in HO. I think as I have the OO driver on order I will wait and see what he looks like with shorter legs. I already have a name for him (GWR driver Stan Shorthouse) 😄

Just to illustrate further Robs earlier point on the height compromise required for the driver figure to enable him to see where he's going. This is a ModelU signal man used to represent the driver, the figure is 24mm tall. Front view, using same figure. Looks like up to 4mm will need to be lost in the leg dept. to get an acceptable height as seen in image below. Top of peaked cap seems to be just below top of windscreen, which means adapted figure of driver will need to be 20mm tall approx.

I've ordered the passengers and driver and when they arrive, I will conduct my prognosis on the driver and the best outcome for him regarding surgery. Initially, I'm thinking to put the cut line across his legs just below where his right hand ends, remove around 2mm and then re-join with the aid of some filler to blend it all in. His left arm may also require surgery to align the drivers hand with the controls.

Looking good Rob, I prefer your version of the luggage compartment door mounted onto the tapered fillet. What’s your take at the driving cab end, as I’ve seen images with what looks like a single door and also with a double door? Also, what to do for doors in the small vestibule area where passengers enter the carriage? To secure the roof I’m thinking about experimenting with some tiny magnets I have.

Yesterday, I was dabbling with the coach interior and working out how to add cladding into the luggage compartment, drivers cab and within the seating sections of the coach. Then I thought, how much would actually be visible through the glazing with the roof on, not a lot it turns out. You would certainly need to install some interior lighting to show off all that hard work (another job added to the list). While contemplating all this I discovered that the replacement glazing for the luggage area, at least, is a bad fit. Haven’t tried all the other windows as yet, but certainly there is an issue with the luggage compartment windows, as in my case they are not tall enough and slightly too wide. I think its noticeable and so will be fitting the original Airfix glazing back for these windows. For the panelling, I’m using tongue and groove profile sheet for the luggage compartment around the door partition and the end bulkhead. The profile sheets are quite thick about 2mm which is fine for the luggage compartment, as there’s bags of room, pun intended. The drivers cab, however, is tight for space so card with the boarding scribed on would be better. Scribed on card would also be the choice for the seating areas of the carriage from the floor up to the bottom of the windows. For the doors I will be using card with some plastrut for the door frame. Another thing which was bugging me and needed addressing was the screw boss on the floor within the driving cab. Its very unsightly and clearly visible through the windows so I decided to remove it and filled in the hole. Should also make it easier for the driver to fit. Cladding sheet on the bulkhead, loose fitted for now to allow removal for painting. My representation of the door, not my finest work! Will look better when painted. Driving cab showing screw boss removed and filled in. Excuse the painting, I'm still experimenting 🤔

To me, 'C' has the better head shape than the metal versions. To make the feathers less pronounced give it a coat of white primer and then a couple of coats of white, that should loose some of the definition then place it on the canal along side the metal swan and see which looks best.

Thanks Rob, those pictures are certainly useful. I'm not near the kit at the moment but I think there are 3 or 4 detailing parts included for the driving cab. However, looking at the images there is a lot more going on, so maybe some plastic micro rod, plasti-card and bits from the scrap box could be put to good use to try and add a bit more detail. In other news, I think I've found a reasonable colour match for the sides of the chairs and the panelling, remarkably, its an old tin of Airfix gloss paint G18 (Golden Brown) who knew!

Hi Keith, Thanks for sharing those images, your Dad certainly crammed in as much detail as possible. How on earth did he manage to get his initials on the seat back covers - incredible. I think you've convinced me to press on with upholstering the seating now 👍 A few of you have asked after the Mrs (AKA Jill) she is doing as well as can be expected, its a 12 week recovery period and today is her second week post op. The next hurdle is to get the Warfarin (blood thinning) dosage right as this is critical to avoid any blood clots. we're taking it one day at a time but keeping a positive outlook. Thanks again to everyone for asking how she's doing.

My plan was to add these doors as part of the coach interior upgrade as they would be visible through the glazing and open gaps instead of doors looks wrong to me. I also have a plan to hide the sound decoder and speaker in the luggage compartment as I doubt if they would fit in the loco and then hide them behind some luggage. I'm sure I could figure out a non visible wiring route from the decoder back to the 14XX motor! If I get time today I aim to get some matching colours (by mixing paints) as per the photo for all the woodwork. Looks like there's 3 colours involved, a pale colour as seen in the photo either side of the door above the waist line, a mid brown mostly used on the chair sides, doors and some panelling and the dark brown which I think was mahogany for the chair legs and window frames and reveals. Is that your take on the colours Rob?

I thought it might be of benefit, for anyone embarking on taking the detailing kit on and daft enough to add the springs to the underframe to show the one I installed at the loco end, so below is a close up. I'm not saying its correct but the drawing shows a spring at an angle and attached somehow to the crank? So this is how I did it. I also visited the Ministry of Silly Ideas today and came away with the idea of upholstering the interior coach seating, with printed paper of course not fabric, I'm not a complete loon. I thought it would look better than just a flat colour painted on. My first experiment, looks kind of promising and the paper is just laid on and not glued just to get an idea. Have I got the patience to explore this any further? Maybe, I think I need to paint in the floor and the seat edges, panelling etc. first to get the full effect before I make a decision.

Yes, I formed a hoop at one end, like you have, which hooks over the brass brake rod and then I drilled a hole directly into the underframe floor to locate the other end. I found it much easier to have the brass rod of the spring overlength and drill the hole straight through the floor. Then pass the rod end of the spring through the hole so it protrudes through to the other side of the underframe floor (no glue yet) then hook the loop of the spring over the the brake rodding. I then applied a small blob of glue via a cocktail stick to each end and when dry snip off the surplus rod with side cutters. Hope that makes sense as this way is easier then trying to exactly measure the length required for the spring rod.

Nice work Rob, I dropped the first spring I made and thought it had been lost to the carpet Demon. Luckily it was a short pile carpet and after a brief search party it was safely recovered. I also added a spring at the loco end, it has it on the isometric diagram and it looks like its on an angle and its not clear how or what it attaches to - I did my own interpretation or representation of how I think it went 🤔

Just a quick update tonight as I’m just reporting that I’ve now completed all the underframe rodding. A couple of images to prove it, not the prettiest thing granted, but I’m made up that I’ve got this far and it still rolls nicely along the track. Primer slapped on the brass work. Next stage to make it all mucky and orrible 🙂

This deserves a mention, great detailing on the border collie, the thing is tiny and you even managed a pink tongue, nice work. By the way the hoss is also exceptional and I'm glad you kept him in. Now, how about a big pile of hoss dung along the path, If I remember rightly @Mikkel knows a thing or two about modelling that!

Another use for 5a fuse wire, eh Rob 😄

Thanks Rob, I suddenly had some inspiration and just went for it, good job most of it isn't even in view on the underside as there are a few wonky bits, nothing a bit of paint can't sort. I used up the last of my 5a fuse wire, not the sort of thing you need anymore. I think I had this stuff from when I used to re-wire my mums old fuses when her lights went out. I fancy a change next, I need to come out from under the coach and might have a stab at painting the interior!

I managed to paint up the bogies, the blue on the axle boxes is Vallejo Prussian Blue with a bit of white mixed in, it looks about right to me. Didn’t have any Humbrol 109, so had to make do 🤔 Next, I fitted the steam and vacuum pipes to the buffer beam at the drivers end. At the loco end I’m leaving them off for now as I need to devise a cunning solution for a flexible connection to the loco with said pipes. I then managed to make a start on the rodding which consists of the auto rod which is 0.8mm brass rod and the brake rodding which is 0.5mm brass. I started with the section of brake rod connecting the vacuum cylinders together, this seemed the most straight forward place to start from reference to the diagram. The diagram shows a spring hanger attached to this length of brake rod which is not part of the detailing kit. I made mine from wrapping 5a fuse wire around a short length of 0.5mm brass rod (see first image). It was then necessary to refit the bogies to allow the auto coupling rod to be fitted, as the rod travels the entire length of the underframe and passes over the top of the bogies. Forget trying to remove the bogies once the auto rod is fixed in place. The auto rod also limits the turning of the bogie (drivers end) so I opted to attach this end of the rod slightly further inwards or away from the wheels. I did it in such a way that it shouldn’t be too noticeable (see second image). I started to put the 3 auto rod hangers in and only the centre auto rod hanger is in the place stated on the diagram. The one at the loco end in my view does not allow enough space in-between where the bogie ends and the edge of the passenger steps. So, instead I located it just to the left of the battery box. The hanger at the drivers end, well there is just no room for it, so I have left this out for now. The next step was to fit the brake rods from the vacuum cylinder cross shafts to each of the bogies to serve the brakes. The 0.5mm brass rod does not attach to anything at the bogies, I just cut it long enough to give an impression that it goes somewhere. I have only completed the loco end as my patience had been tested enough for one day. I’ll have a go at the drivers end tomorrow and then paint them all in. DIY spring made by winding 5a fuse wire around 0.5mm brass rod. I moved the brass rod slightly more inwards to where it should attach to allow more movement on the bogie. Springs in place on the brake rodding

Well, I’m head nurse for the Mrs for the next 8 weeks or so while she recuperates from heart surgery. I’m able to do a bit of light modelling while keeping her company watching the TV and doing puzzle books. I’m picking up where I left off and am just putting up some images of the underframe and I now have the dynamo fitted. The underframe has had a rattle can spray coat of grey primer, followed by Chaos Black and finally the sole bars, truss work and all the added details received a liberal coat of Vallejo German Black Brown applied by brush. Bogies to paint next and another question, can anyone tell me the correct blue for the axle box covers? Dynamo now fitted and I also added 2 lengths of plastrut angle to the side trusses connecting the queen posts. I didn't like that the battery boxes were without backs so I made backs from card. Loco end. Drivers end.

Long for me.

Your best bet would be to see what length looks right, remember we are in the art of compromise in scale, so a prototypical rope length might look too long for your stretch of canal. I would get some cotton thread or similar in scale lengths of 60, 70 and 80 feet and attach in turn each one to the front of the barge and the tail of the horse and take a photo of each one and we’ll let you know which length looks right to us. Just an idea.

Due to unexpected events, I will be putting this project on hold for the time being. I may have opportunity in a couple of weeks from now to start it again but updates will be a bit sporadic at best until things settle down again. Thank you all for following and my apologies for bringing this to a temporary halt just when things were getting interesting. I will be back at some point but at this moment in time, I cannot say specifically when or in what capacity. Regards Mark

I wasn't able to do any modelling yesterday and doesn't look likely today and perhaps even tomorrow. I've gone down with the dreaded Norovirus and feel icky and generally unwell. Hopefully it will run its course quickly and I'll be back modelling again soon. Before the vomiting and squirts started I did however manage to fit the dynamo with bits, spray all the underframe and bogies with grey primer and then with Chaos Black which is one of the War Hammer paints - sorry no image to show. Anyway, I'm looking forward to feeling better and catching up with Rob.

Thanks again for all your input Neal, the way things are going and if I'm not careful, there is a risk of me actually learning more about Auto trailers than when I started 😄

Rob, you should be asleep now after posting all that very, very useful info and great images during the nightshift. I was completely stumped on the dynamo but all is now clear, although I do have several hours of filing ahead of me.

Thanks Rob for putting that up, I just couldn't work out what was going on from looking at fig.15. I had lots of flash on my bits (Oh Matron) and couldn't see the wheat from the chaff so to speak.