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A clean GFYE 47 (or any loco) in the late 60s / early 70s was a rarity in itself!

…and then I could take a picture of my workbench on your workbench on my workbench… 😀 You have the same fan heater as me!

Organised chaos, though in my defence, I was working on my Class 81 before work today.

So sad to hear this. I’ve bought a lot of stuff from them over the years and I always found the website very good for finding stuff. I hope all concerned are OK and find new jobs easily.

All primed.

The bulk of the body detailing is just about done with just the handrails on the ends left to do. Will get the finish just right and get it into primer before I turn my attention to the chassis.

I’ve taken quite a bit of plastic off the top of the Trix cab roofs and cantrails. The Trix roof is flatter with sharper corners than the Bachmann one. I literally had a flat sheet of 180 grit and, holding the assembled body upside down, sanded the protruding bits of the Trix roof then refining it with finer and finer grit. I removed up to getting on for a millimetre or so of plastic in places.

Most of mine have all 8 screws (wibble!). 😄

I'm enjoying this thread immensely and great work. I grew up about 1/2 a mile from Navigation Road station which is in a couple of the pics above. I was alive when these were running but I only remember the 304s. Would love to see how the 304 turns out.

The Class 81 is starting to take shape with the Bachmann centre body section replaced with the Trix one. Liquid poly was used to attach the parts together followed by running a bead of flexible cyanoacrylate around the inside of each join followed by a spray with activator. It was necessary to file and sand the Trix rear cab roof sections and the cantrails back to match the Bachmann cab profiles. The recessed gutters have been filled on with car body filler and new tail lamps will be made from styrene tube as the existing lenses refused to budge on 2 tail lamps and the surrounds were slightly damaged trying to remove them. I've also tweaked the holes for the handrails downward a touch on the cab fronts as they are slightly lower than the 85. I'll do the tail lamps and plated headcode panels next.

I use an NCE Powercab (forgot to put that in my earlier track cleaning/thrash post). Standard PSU to boot.

The sound equipped AS 37s get used on track cleaning duties on my layout which involves a lot of drag from the cleaning wagon, which is great for enjoying the thrash and all perform faultlessly whilst on duty.

Project 81 is go. Bachmann 85 cabs will be grafted onto the 81 mid section and mounted on a Bachmann 85 chassis. The Trix cabs look a good starting point for the Class 83 so will be kept for reuse.

There was a Voyager episode titled "The 37s".

It wouldn't be in OO...

If you read the Accurascale and Cavalex threads then they are experiencing similar delays but the models always turn up in the end.

Regarding the sockets on the nose end PCBs, on mine, the plugs get levered out gently using a pair of thin-nosed pliers rocked in the recess between the plug and socket, followed by a fillet of epoxy applied around the base of the socket and the PCB with a cocktail stick before the plug goes back in. I avoid putting any epoxy over the soldered connections between the socket and PCB just in case. Hope that makes sense.

I’d be keen to know of a source as the fitting looks similar to the jumpers on Class 40 bogies either side under the nose ends. I’ve tried making them and also filing the overscale Bachmann parts down but not achieved the level of perfection I would like. I haven’t yet explored getting them printed though. Hmmm….

What a smashing picture too!

Google found this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325891832419 Links to a built 40 and the 47s are available off the above page.

10 minute job to fix. A little carefully applied masking tape removed the old data panels leaving a rectangular glossy patch for the new one to go on. Slid the new one on to some acrylic varnish and it will have a couple of thin coats of matt brushed over it when dry. Thanks for the eyes, folks!

I thought it did but I may be mixing it up with 106 having taken a closer look at photos of D200. I may just have to tweak it! It’s getting sound fitted next month so will sort it then unless I find some pics with it definitely in blue.

D200 coming off duty.

They were great times, eh? I passed my driving test in ‘86 so this opened up a whole new dimension to chasing the departmentals at places like Allerton, Garston, Helsby and Warrington. Also got a good look at them at Kingmoor, Crewe Basford Hall and Tyseley when they were withdrawn with all bar 060 getting preserved. It was regrettable that 060 was cut up as it lasted almost as long as D200 in service.