Iain.d

That is just so good! I think it looks very convincing - especially through the windows. I copied (sorry!) the images to my computer for future reference. I think I 'liked' it first time round - if I didn't, I should have. Kind regards, Iain

On getting up today I note that WW had moved on about 4 pages since I posted my picture of a SR box van, and some very interesting discussion too, although I don’t recall any direct criticism of anything for some time now. I was a lurker here for many years and felt that my model making would be of little interest or meet the quality of what was being shown. And then I thought so what if they don’t like it. I don’t ask for criticism, but if someone wants to offer constructive criticism I’m more than happy to receive it; whether I act on it is another matter. To me, it’s about putting things in perspective. I had a boarding school education (for some of it), I did 23 years in the British Army (from the bottom to a reasonable way up) and have at first hand, countless times, seen the absolute worst of man’s inhumanity to man, on foreign and not so foreign shores. I would consider my skin to be reasonably thick but can still be hurt by many things, in my self-learning, its as much, if not more, about how I react that matters. I would implore people to contribute to this thread with examples of what they do. Personally I’m not a fan of pages of text nor equally one word responses. Pictures are interesting. In posts with pictures I would love it if the poster would tell us a little bit more about what they have made. I try and include a picture in as many posts as I can and as much text as I think is interesting (well it would be to me anyway if I was reading it….) but feel that I am becoming repetitive – especially when it comes to rebuilds of old Hornby Stanier coaches. Mind you only four more to go; maybe two today and two in Feb and then its onto other stuff. On the other hand, I put the information in because I have no idea where I wrote it first time in the previous however many hundred pages. I build really simple stuff and the aim of my posts is to put a basic story of what I did, how I did it and what I used, which will hopefully encourage others to think, ‘well actually, that’s not too hard, I can do that.’ Anyway its time to go to the beach…. But before I go, I’ll leave you with a picture, nothing to do with recycled Hornby’s or the ECML. It’s a Ian Kirk Maunsell Corridor Third. So why show it? Well it’s the first model carriage I made where I ‘really tried’ to get it right. It was originally built in 1991, straight from the packet and painted maroon, it ran many miles on a 10x6 layout in our back bedroom! In 2000 I stripped it and started again. Once rebuilt I thought it looked pretty good (and I still think it does) but it is riddled with prototype errors that would offend the purist. It’s the wrong Diagram to be in SR Set 398 (it should be a low window 4 compartment vehicle), it has the wrong running number(!), the bogie centres are wrong, it rides too high, I think it should have battery boxes on both sides, the roof is a less than perfect fit…and it’s the ‘wrong’ colour green! But I don’t care – I’m happy with it. Please just enjoy what you do and be kind to each other. Kind regards, Iain

Back on New Year’s Day I started a simple Ratio 12 Ton box van that had been sitting on my shelf for far too long. Last night I finished it. I’m quite pleased with it; although a humble wagon kit it’s the first one I’ve made in many, many years. I added some additional detail to the underframes, Alan Gibson sprung buffers and a set of adapted/modified screw couplings. Its brush painted with a bauxite(ish) colour and then sprayed with Mig Ultra Matt varnish. I did a bit of weathering using a Vallejo umber wash and a Games Workshop Nuln Oil – a first for me – and then a bit of dry brushing. Not on par with much of the weathering shown on here, but it’s a start. Currently on the go I also have two recycled Hornby Stanier coaches; the build is close to completion. I might get chance to photograph those and show them tomorrow. Kind regards, Iain

Lovely stuff!

Thanks. Yes, you’re right about these sides sitting lower, the D1968 was the same. I will try and take that into account at the next step of the construction. Kind regards, Iain

Thanks Andrew - maybe they'll stay as they are, but they will at least get new bogies. Got these 4 sides prepped last night, just hinges and door stops at this stage; it's so much easier in brass! The bogies and under frames are done. Tomorrow I'll start cutting the sides out of the Hornby donors. Kind regards, Iain

Probably a bit late to the piece on Southern Pride coaches, what with all this photography and layout status talk! That’s me all over, sorry! I only have three Southern Pride carriages – and to me they don’t appear to be of the quality shown in Tony’s maroon BTK images or the blue/grey one. I have always been disappointed with them. These are Bulleid examples with the some sort of matt PVC type tape overlaid on clear plastic sides. They came with a little brass fret with grab handles, door handles and representations of hinges. The hinges I stuck on but didn’t get the paint match right. The bogies are old Bachmann’s with plastic wheels. The underframe detail is rudimentary. I think I improved the brake gear, the filler pipes and end detail on the brakes. The pre-printed black lines representing the door openings are particularly poor and stick out like the proverbial dogs… D2123 Semi Open Brake Third: D2318 Corridor Composite: D2125 Semi Open Brake Third: It was the experience of buying them that I remember the most. I bought these about half a life ago from the SP stall at Warley in November 1998 and they were my first purchase in an attempt at more ‘serious’ carriage modelling, only having started a few months before by refurbishing 8 Lima Mk1s. What still riles me more than 22 years on was the reaction and diatribe of abuse I got from a team member on the stall when I purchased them. I asked a man behind the stand if he had two Bulleid BSKs and Bulleid CK in BR green, as I wanted to build a formation that might have traversed the Somerset & Dorset in the period 1963-1966. He replied that no, they had sold all the BR ones but still had some in malachite, but could only offer two different BSK diagrams and the CK. I agreed to purchase them knowing full well that I wasn’t getting exactly what I wanted but was still satisfied – it was the know-how of building them that interested me more, I could learn on these and if they were good, I could buy the others later. It was then that someone else behind the stand came across and started speaking to the person selling them to me. So the comments weren’t to my face but they were about what I was doing. He contemptuously laughed at the naivety of the purchase, berating the purchaser’s failure to be authentic and the purchaser’s failure to do historical research. It was finished off with a comment to the fact that the novice purchaser was being so dumb as to buy them, they would probably make a complete hash of the build anyway. All of this was done at increased volume, such that other people in the area turned to look and see what the noise was all about. It was also done shrewdly, such that if the comments were countered, they could be defended as comments being made about anyone or a previous purchaser. But everyone who heard, and there would have been 5 or 6 people, knew he was referring to me. I have no idea who he was or why he decided to have a go at me, through the salesperson. I recall the salesperson looking uncomfortable. I don’t know if he’d had a bad day or was tired at the end of a long show. Regrettably, I didn’t say a word but quietly and self-consciously purchased the models, put them in my bag and walked away. My only excuse is that I was younger then and didn’t know a lot about a lot and still had respect for my elders. Today, I still don’t know a lot about a lot, but I’d be less restrained. I have never bought or even contemplated buying another SP product, nor will I. Wrong colour aside for my chosen period, the quality of these kits will not meet my current level of modelling acceptance, so they are in the queue to be refurbished with Comet sides, decent bogies with metal wheels and an improved underframe. They will be SP no more. Kind regards, Iain

Thanks jrg1, I had the same realisation last night. I have bent a 2mm wide bit of waste brass fret into a 'U' shape. This will be the gauge that I place over the shank between the buffer head and buffer housing to make sure the buffer heads are all the same distance. I have found some appropriate cable sheath to glue onto the tail. Kind regards, Iain

Hi farren, That’s looking pretty good. I have done a D1850 BCK, although this one is a former Airfix corridor composite that has been cut about and had Comet sides added. This is the only LMS carriage I have done with the really odd shaped filler pipes like yours, I recall they were a pain to shape and I would have wasted a bit of wire getting it as right as I could. With yours, things that could be done include filing down, to flatten, the top of the round wire you have used as the clamps to hold the filler pipe in place, where it passes over the top of the pipe. Also if you could drill smaller holes in the roof, not easy in aluminium, that would make the fit a little better. I don’t drill any holes until the bends of the wire for pipes is as good as I can make it. Rarely do I get all the bends and curves right first time. Another option for the clamps (I use Bill Bedford Safety loops because they’re easy and soft brass) is copper staples crimped over the filler pipe wire. For roof ribs I just use PVC type tape – this is the last job done after washing the roof (to remove finger grease and the like) and priming the roof. I have a board (made from a cheap A4 picture frame with a piece of A4 graph paper between the backboard and the glass, I binned the frame, but secured these 3 pieces (backboard/graph paper/glass) with tape). So I have a flat work surface that I can line things up on. I then cut a length of tape and stick it onto the clean glass. Leave it a day or two to shrink back to its original size. Then with a scalpel and steel ruler cut it into long thin strips (.5mm to .75mm wide) by eye. Discard the strip from each side of the tape – this will have fluff and stuff stuck to the adhesive that only becomes visible after you’ve painted it…. Then I cut each strip into lengths of about 40mm (while it’s still on the glass). I then lay the roof onto the glass, lining up the cantrail to one of the lines on the graph paper (when viewed from above) so its square. I fix the roof in place to the glass with tape. Then using the Comet plan as I guide, I take each 40mm strip of PVC tape and stick it across the roof in roughly the right place, lining each side up with the relevant line on the graph paper, to make sure it is square to the cantrail. Use a cotton bud to press into place. Once done leave for an hour or so (to let the PVC tape shrink back) and then trim off all the tape tails, with a scalpel, right on the cantrail. Re-press in place with the cotton bud. Paint as soon as you can after to protect the tape. For those little handles on the end of the roof I drill .5mm hole (gently and cleaning out the swarf regularly as it’ll clog and snap the bit in the blink of an eye…) and then on the underside drill with a 1.5mm or 2mm bit, partway in, to create an indent/recess. Then when you bend up the handrail wire and pass it through the holes, you apply the glue into the indent/recess and then when its dry trim off the ends and its fixed neatly on the top and flush on the bottom. Also for the pins for the alarm gear, buy solid brass ones, not brass coated. The brass coated ones are hard steel underneath and will shatter when you squash them in pliers and may fly across the room…ask me how I know! I ended up taking a magnet to the shop and checking the various packets before I purchased! I recall that in my local shop, there was a packet of far eastern manufactured pins, proclaiming to be 100% brass, that were responsive to the magnet! Sorry for the long winded explanation and apologies if I’m teaching you to suck eggs. Kind regards, Iain

Well, we have had a very lazy New Year’s Day! I spent most of it modelling – I have pretty much completed this Ratio SR 12T Van. It has been on my bench, in its box, staring at me for some time now, asking me when its turn to get built was! Here it is pretty much ready for painting. The roof is not fixed in place yet. It has 25g of weight over each axle. It was a very straightforward build although have I tried to improve / strengthen some of the chassis parts. On the underframe I cut off the moulded representation of the brake safety loops and replaced them with Bill Bedford ones. I also put cross members in between the brake clasps and also ran some .5mm wire through the centre of the various cranks and levers. I need to replace the tie bars but I had no suitable brass strip; something to remember to put on the next order from the UK. For future builds I may consider using brass brake levers and the like. I have also fitted Alan Gibson sprung buffers (only resting in position for the photo). Previously I have used AG buffers with brass buffer housings but for this build I drilled out the provided plastic buffer housings. Could anyone please advise me the best way to secure the buffer heads in place so they’re all the same length (and still spring)? With the brass housings its easy as you can hold the tail in a pair of thin nosed pliers and bend the end over. But for these there’s not enough room under the chassis to get the nose of the pliers in. Also I’m worried if I bend the tail against the plastic, it’ll give or distort. I also knocked up some screw couplings for it and another half dozen for future carriages. These are Roxey couplings but I replace the central section with a 14BA nut and bolt. The nut is drilled all the way through. I then very carefully solder a piece of .45mm nickel silver wire into the hole, not quite as far as the thread. The nut can then be put back on the bolt and so the coupling can be shortened or lengthened to the required size. They are surprisingly robust, but I’m not sure how they’ll work in practice on the end of a 10 or 11 coach train; we shall see. I also made up some brake pipes but I think they may have gone down the plug hole on the post solder wash up.… When complete it’ll form part of my 8.25pm Templecombe to Derby perishable service. Kind regards, Iain

Hi farren, My alarm gear is pretty simple. I flatten the head of a brass pin in a pair of pliers and then file the flattened head to the rough shape, side on, of the alarm gear. Using a scriber I then push a small indent into the flat, as in the middle as I can, by eye. Then drill, using the indent as a marker, with a .5mm drill through the flattened head. I sometimes find at this point the flattened pinhead will fail, so I normally squash 3 or 4 in a session. The shank of the pin is .65mm so I drill a .7mm hole in the coach end and pass the pin through it, repeat for other side. I then bend to shape a piece of .5mm soft brass wire to go from one side to the other and over the corridor connector. In all the ones I’ve done I have never managed to get them exact, but not many people can see both sides at the same time. Note some LMS carriages had an inverted ‘V’ shaped connector from one side to the other as opposed to a stepped one. I then thread the bent wire through one drilled hole and then back through the other. I then solder the bent wire in place and trim the ends. If I’m doing a brass coach I solder the pins in too and trim off the shank close to the coach end, on the inside of the coach. If I’m doing a plastic bodied coach, its in and out quickly with the soldering iron and I make the alarm gear removable and fix in place after painting, and then trim the shank. The down part of the alarm gear is just a bent bit of wire, shaped and cut to fit and soldered where it meets the cross piece. I use a .75mm piece of plastic card as a spacer between the coach end and the bent wire and the down piece when soldering the pieces together. Hope that helps. Kind regards, Iain

Happy memories!! I still have the layout’s pages from the Railway Modeller (June or July 1984, or thereabouts). To me, it is still inspirational reading and modelling. Kind regards, Iain

Thanks Andrew, some interesting nuggets of information for me to file away. I think you’re right, the Restaurant Composite can ‘go it alone’ or I can pair it up with a BSL/Phoenix D1807 Third Open that I’ve yet to build. I’ll get a RT (D1901/1923) and pair it with this CO. I have another TO earmarked to run with a RF. In the CWNs I have accessed I can see that trains such as The Pines Express, depending on the year, day of the week or season, ran with either a RF or RS, I’ll build stock to cover a couple of options including other services from/to Liverpool, Manchester and Bradford. The period I’m aiming to model is 1950-1962. I’m building and collecting a range of stock appropriate for this timeframe, broken down into about 3 year chunks of time, the right(ish) stock reflecting the period. This is allowing for what I have built already, so if it’s a Nottingham to Bournemouth service it’s predominantly former LNER stock or a Bournemouth/Exmouth to Cleethorpes service it’s Southern stock. I know for many of these services there was stock provided by more than one region – but I can’t do it all! Its probably only in the last 3 or 4 years I’ve looked more seriously at the stock behind the loco and I have built too much already to start again. What I‘ll run will look about right but won’t be exact. Kind regards, Iain

Hi Andrew, Thanks for your comments. I didn’t think of beefing up the truss rods on this particular construction, although I have tried in the past with earlier Comet Coach builds. What I found was that I couldn’t seem to get the brass angle perfectly in line with the etched trussing, they were in some way out of parallel and therefore the addition was obvious. This was a fair few years ago so having another go, with a fresh view is definitely on the cards. I will be looking to purchase another Comet Coach kit (LMS D1718 RF) and revisit the idea you suggest and see if I can make some foolproof method of lining up and securing the brass angle before soldering. On looking at this carriage ‘in the flesh’, the trussing is not as spindly or fine as that in the photo; it may be that that the white background highlights the thinness. For all of the RTR rebuilds I do, I make my own underframe up from brass strip and 1mm brass angle. I’ve always felt this trussing is a little ‘fine’ but I prefer building this sort of thing in metal rather than plastic…I can be pretty heavy handed at times. I get this angle from Eileen’s Emporium and note that they also supply it in 1.2mm width so maybe I’ll put some of that on the next order. That being said, I have already batch built the underframes for my next four RTR rebuilds and only have to build an underframe for an old BSL/Phoenix carriage. On your information relating to dining cars on the LM – the marshalling of the additional dining seating next to the saloon end of the restaurant car is a point I considered on this build. I’m not sure whether there was a ‘normal’ system or method. I chose to put the first class end of the CO next to the kitchen as I considered the distance the waiter may have to walk/serve food. If how I did it is wrong, it’s easy enough to remarshal the stock. Kind regards, Iain

This morning has seen the completion of my LMS D1938 Restaurant Composite. The build went quite well – but it is a kit rather than by my usual butchery and bodgery of old RTR stuff and side etches. And with its attendant Composite Open. By all accounts most(?) Restaurant Firsts and Restaurant Third vehicles ran with a CO to increase the seating capacity. I read in my LMS carriage book that, generally, restaurant composites ran singularly where it wasn’t expected there would be a high demand for dining services. On checking all the CWN for Somerset and Dorset through trains (thank you to Robert Carroll’s website), I can’t find any reference to RCs running on the line, just RFs and RTs, although I’m sure I’ve seen somewhere previously that the Mondays and Fridays Bournemouth - Sheffield services had them. Need to do some more reading up. I’ve also got the GW A44 Driver Trailer to the primed stage although the roof is complete. Here it is, roof has a slight gap above the sides but it is yet to be bolted down. The seat for fitting in the end compartment is made, but will be fixed after the glazing has gone in. I added a step under the guard's door. The only thing I’ve not been able to fit is one of the battery boxes; moving the bogie centres in (as per the instructions for when these BT were converted to trailers) has meant there’s not enough room for the other box between the brake cylinder and bogie. I don’t have a floor plan for the carriage, as a trailer, so I don’t know if they were reduced to one battery box, put on the other side or the battery box size was reduced to fit the gap. Not to worry, its nothing overly significant. Nothing further will be done to this, this year. Otherwise I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year. Time to clean up the modelling bench to start the next bits – two Hornby Stanier rebuilds into LMS BSK D2161s. Kind regards, Iain

Mine too! If we're showing S&D 7Fs, I have these six to build and the damaged one to repair. They’re all eBay purchases and I don’t think I overpaid for any of them. The damaged one has a Portescap and gearbox in it. I have also built a DJH 7F, my first ever loco build, and a Bachmann one packed away; so 9 of the 11. I’m keeping my eye out for a large boilered version. All being well I’ll begin building these next year. Kind regards, Iain

Hi farren, This is how I have done mine on a Comet D1938. I use the whitemetal water filler pieces that come on the vent sprues and in them, drill two .5mm holes at about a 45 degree angle. This filler is push fit into a hole drilled on the centre line of the roof. I then bend a length of .45mm wire to shape (I do the curved bit on the coach end first - doing the two held together so the bend is the same) and cut to fit the required length from the end of the roof to the filler. To make the clamps/supports I bend thin brass (in this instance Bill Bedford brake safety loops) into a ‘U’ shape, place over my wire and crimp with pliers – a bit like a split pin. I do the ones on the coach end first and carefully solder the clamp/support in place to the wire. There may be a little tweaking of the wire to make them run parallel, clear steps and so on. With the pipe temporarily fitted to the roof, I then draw two lines on each side of each pipe (4 parallelish lines) I then remove the pipes and drill a .7mm between each pair of lines. I then crimp another ‘U’ loop around the pipe that will run on the roof. I then refit the filler pipes, inserting the new clamp/support into the hole I drilled in the roof. Then I solder this clamp. I can then remove the filler pipe, clean it and refit it knowing the clamps/supports line up with the holes. After painting the roof I refit the pipe and paint it; I don’t glue the pipe, the pipe stays in place with friction and a bit of paint. Apologies for the very coarse, grubby photos. I have yet to fix (using tape) the roof ribs. Hope that helps. Kind regards, Iain

I've kept an eye on your layout topic. I've not always left a 'feedback icon' of appreciation/support, but your work is pretty impressive stuff. Particularly like your current run of signal builds/installations. And the ballasting looks good too! Kind regards, Iain

I have tried various ‘curtain’ options including MJT cast ones, painting on the glass ones, cutting tissue to shape then colouring with felt tip and cutting and scribing/forming pieces of plasticard. None really gave the look I was after. Probably more to my skillset limits than anything else. I suspect I could go back to the MJT ones and look to use washes and highlights to get the colour variations. For now though I’ve settled on making my own, like these above. I cut a peace of black plastic card to the shape you can see. These are 18mm(h) x 5mm(w). These dimensions will vary slightly depending on window size I need them for, these are cut for LMS Stanier coach window sizes and provide a bit of slack to get the position behind the glass where I want it. I glue these frames to a doubled over piece of material, I think this is blanket ribbon, using liquid poly. It changes the colour of the material slightly but that part will be hidden anyway. Once dry I cut the frame away from the blanket ribbon strip with a sharp blade, tight to the plastic frame. Then pairing the material and frames (so they’re handed) about a third of the way up I put a couple of wraps of cotton, tie off and secure with a bit of liquid poly. I then position against the glazing and fix with a dab of epoxy; normally securing one end first, letting it dry and then do the other end. They’re not exact – but what is in OO gauge….. Below is a LMS D2121 FK, I think these curtains should really be blue, but I'm sure I've seen orange curtains (could be from a picture or memories of BR Mk1 CKs in blue/grey) And a LMS D2117 CK These are a bit fiddly to make, but they're all individual. I couldn’t sit there making them in one hit, so I usually batch build over time, doing each step when I have chance – letting glue or paint dry on some other job and fitting these inbetween. Hope that helps. Kind regards, Iain

Thank you. I did two D1778 full brakes last year; one in crimson, the other in maroon. Not sure if Roxey ever did them in brass, mine are/were white plastic with raised moulding, whitemetal ends and bogies. I recall them being quite a faff to construct. I cut the height of the sides on one incorrectly (too low) and rebuilt it back up with evergreen strip. The roofs were a pain also. They'll run in a pigeon special and will past muster when moving. I wouldn't be in a rush to do another one! Kind regards, Iain

For 2020, my first modelling completions were these two SR vans from Parkside, a PMV and a CCT. Both have had a reasonable level of additional detail added which includes improved brake gear and undergubbins, handrails, brake pipes, screw couplings, etc and substituting plastic parts for metal such as step boards and roof vents. Then I managed two former GWR special cattle vans, again Parkside. These look the same but are different diagram numbers – not hugely apparent side on. Their level of detail has been improved as the per the SR vans. I’m not a fan of identical rakes of vehicles, I will always try and vary vehicles of a type, if only ones that will be neighbouring. For example if a CWN states 3 x TO, I will make each of the third opens to a different diagram number. And then I did this Parkside SR BY. All of the above vehicles are intended to run in a representation of the mid 1950s 8.35pm Templecombe to Derby perishable service. Vehicles of this type are listed in the train make up although I suspect the cattle vans would be southern ones rather than GW ones. In addition all of the above have MJT rocking axles at one end. Not sure if they’re really needed but being longer wheelbase, they could have issues on non-level track and point work. They all need some weathering and the transfers on the cattle vans need replacing. Next up was a SR Maunsell 3 coach set from Roxey Mouldings. I’m pleased with these and think they turned out quite well. On opening the box they seemed quite daunting but by breaking them down into manageable chunks they were quite easily completed. For my intended layout I needed a two coach set to form the 6.05pm Bath Green Park to Binegar service. So I added sides to an old Airfix non corridor composite. It rides on Comet bogies and I scratch built the underframe and painted it crimson. I think it pairs quite nicely with the Hornby brake third on the right, which in itself has been slightly improved by painting the edges of the glazing (to reduce the prismatic effect) and spraying with a coat of satin varnish. This has lifted the otherwise dull Hornby colour. Following on from the Maunsell 3 coach set, I did a former LSWR set Below are three former 1980s Hornby Stanier coaches that have been completly updated; only the ends, solebars and roof remain, everything else having been replaced. The brake is a D2123 and the third open a D1999. The composite (D1903) will be paired with a Restaurant Car. I have since added corridor connectors / bellows. Just about finished – and will be before 2020 is out, well assuming I can find a can of Tamiya Primer (having not been able to purchase any for some months now from my local shop) is a GW A44 Driver trailer and a D1938 Restaurant Composite Apologies for these being ‘old’ photos (from November…). The builds are complete and the models have been cleaned pending painting but I don’t want to handle them to photograph them. They’re currently in a sealed Tupperware type box just waiting for the weather to be cool enough to spay them! It’s been quite warm recently; Perth has been in the 30s all week with a high of 39 on Tuesday or Wednesday. My garage, where I spray, is currently 27 and its 7.30am – mind you that warmth has accumulated through the week. I'll post some pictures when they're done. On compiling this post I just realised, this for me, was quite a productive modelling year! Thank you to all those who contribute to this thread and share their work, suggestions and nuggets of modelling knowledge – it has been an inspiration to me. Long may it continue. Kind regards and stay safe, Iain

Me too, as well. It looks good. Kind regards Iain

Hello The Johnster, the only BSL/Phoenix GWR carriage I have made is this D94 BTK. I think the only difference between this one and the D95 is the D94 has one less compartment. It’s a fairly old kit (older than me) in the bag when I got it was a price list in pounds, shillings and pence. I bought it on eBay about 6 years ago for a tenner. It has an aluminium body and chassis, whitemetal ends and a wooden roof. I’ve used araldite on this – probably a whole packs worth – to glue the ends to the floor and sides to the floor. The whitemetal ends had a flange that sat above the floor pan so I drilled the two and fitted a couple of 16BA nuts and bolts to help the glue. Its seems to be holding okay. The fit between the roof and ends could be better... The doors have been scribed and I drilled for the door hinges – the hinges are flattened and shaped brass pins that are then soldered on the inside. Obviously the solder doesn’t adhere to the aluminium but it does the pin. I guess it’s akin to a rivet. The windows, corridor handrails and grills in the brake end are secured with Micro Krystal Clear. The window panes (real glass) are fixed with araldite. I scratch built the under frame but the bogies are the original castings. Kind regards, Iain

I’m inclined to agree! But I think they make a terrific base for modifying though. I have done heaps – the most I have forked out for a second hand one on ebay is about 5GBP, I’m not too fussed how damaged they are or what bits are missing – as long as the roofs are in a reasonable condition. I did buy some new ones at the Bristol show in about 2001 for 7GBP each. Very little survives from the original. I do reuse the ends but detail them substantially. Pretty much everything else is replaced. All the sides I've used are from Comet/Wizard. I bought myself an airbrush a few years back to assist in painting them. Despite having a good selection of quality bow / lining pens I still use HMRS transfers. I have had a dabble (and watched the videos on here by the likes on Mike Trice) but there’s still something I can’t seem to get right. The plan, over Christmas, is to dedicate a day or two to having another go. Anyway here’s a few of my modified ones - don't worry about the sticky up corridor connectors / gangways - they flatten when formed in the rake! Stanier D2119 TK: Stanier D2161 BSK: Stanier D2170 TK: Stanier D1915 TO: Don’t mention the roof ribs….. Kind regards and good night, Iain

Evening Tony (nearly bedtime in fact!) I don’t dispute that this thread has been a huge source of inspiration to me and probably has to many others. There is some brilliant stuff posted on here. However, in our increasingly social media dependant world, we need higher levels of emotional intelligence as we rely entirely on our interpretation of the written word; we have no other visual, verbal or non-verbal cues on which to work. Nor do I dispute that everyone has opinion to share. The challenge is in how we express it. Kind regards, Iain