Phil Mc

There was at least 3 units parked up in Marchwood sidings yesterday. cheers, Phil.

The prongs on mine were glued to the plough but a friction fit into the chassis !! As it's a 'superglue' type bond, it was easy to remove the prongs from the plough with a gentle twist to break the bond, then simply pull them free from the plough. To ensure everything lined up correctly, I pushed the prongs into the chassis, held the non-NEM plough in place on the prongs, then glued the 4 touch points. If you're not going to haul the coaches from the 'pointy' end, I think it's worth the effort ..... Cheers, Phil.

I know what you mean, but I stand by my statement !! The GWR one I saw for sale at Doncaster on Saturday was truly horrible, I'm not sure how they managed to achieve a masking shadow behind the cab front lamp bracket that was at least twice, if not three times, the width of the bracket !! 😲 Cheers, Phil.

Presumably being bought by people that haven't seen one up close..... The weathering is almost certainly the worst 'factory' version I have ever seen !! Cheers, Phil.

The rake is longer than our DCC shunting plank !! 😆 That's the reason I don't like cab lights that go on & off with movement, it looks weird on the shed scene.... Cheers, Phil.

On DC, the cab light comes on with the marker lights. The magic wand is used while the set is in motion, to turn the cab light off, but every time the train stops, and is re-started the cab light comes back on ! I'm not particularly a fan of cab lights, so luckily a little square of masking tape is all I need to sort the issue....😆 cheers, Phil.

Is it just how it's filmed, or are the internal lights different colours in each car ? Cheers, Phil.

You can't talk mi' Duck.....😜 Cheers, Phil.

68032 heads towards the dark side (Lancashire!!), leaving Huddersfield yesterday.... And 68033 does the same, later in the evening.... Cheers, Phil.

A few from yesterday. Cheers, Phil.

Resolution……..you closet 50 fan !! 😅 Cheers, Phil.

Wish I’d known that before putting a piece of masking tape over the LED’s…..😅 Cheers, Phil.

So these had to cross the workbench..... When I test ran them, everything worked fine , in push, and pull, modes, once a Hunt 'standard' length magnetic coupling had been fitted in loco and end coach. There's so much slack in the 68's coupling mechanism, that it pushed out to the side when propelling around corners, causing bufferlock issues if using shorter couplings. I also noticed the internal lighting caused light and dark patches along the interior, ( I think that's just the nature of LED's ) so I've attempted to add some 'diffusers' to even out the look. Made from Lego....😆 Very crude, but hopefully it improves the situation. If not, I'll just take them back out ! Fitted some passengers, and added the lampshades..... I've no intention of coupling a loco to the DT, so I swapped the pocket fitted airdam for the none pocket fitted piece.... The cab-top aircon unit got some weathering wash, and the rest was done with airbrush.... Cheers, Phil.

Has anyone else's turned up slightly grubby, and full of squatters.....😆 Cheers, Phil.

The bodies are certainly no more difficult to remove than lots of other models. Just more of a case of being careful when putting the body down, the steps hang lower than the body. Cheers, Phil.

Meadowhall is one. Can only handle 4 coaches of a Mk5 set in the platform. (Not that I've actually managed to see one in service there, only staff training turns.....☹️ Pairs of 185's can only operate doors on 4 coaches there too. Cheers, Phil.

I've used a Hunt 'standard' length magnetic coupling between loco and the end coach, with no modification to the coupling. Experienced no problems pulling or pushing !! The gap between buffers on the straight is a little larger than I would like, but the cam mechanism on the 68 has so much slack that it pushes to the outside on curves, rather than holding firm, so any shorter couplings cause bufferlock issues. Have to echo the praise for the coaches, they look and run superbly well !! The touching corridor connections on straight track look fabulous !! Cheers, Phil.

Cheers, Phil.

The airbrush was out for these......... please ignore the fact that it was starting to rain as I took the pics.....😖

Voyager, working todays 5Z05 from Crofton Depot to Barton Under Needwood Rsmd, passes through Elsecar earlier today. Cheers, Phil.

150211 & 150220 cross paths at Meadowhall this afternoon. Cheers, Phil.

Got all pipework & nameplates added. The 60 & 68 exhaust silencers have been removed, to allow washes & powders to be used on them. Initial weathering wash gone on bodywork.... Cheers, Phil.

I've got one of those kits too. Won't be adding working tines though !!! 😆 Cheers, Phil.