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The three ferry vans arrived at the weekend. Ferry nice models( see what I did there) they don’t seem to be very free rolling but with a nice flat layout this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lots and lots of holes drilled in the motor coaches today for the hand rails. As a consequence and the brittle nature of the body shells I managed to snap off a buffer and a slightly incorrectly positioned drill hole also broke a window bar……not a good start. All of the buffers have been replaced with much chunkier brass ones as I thought this might be a weak point. The window bar is in the process of being glued back in. Both DMBS’s have also had a quick squirt of Tamiya Fine Primer…..it doesn’t look so ghost like now.

I’ve noticed that the drawing does contain some errors. The exhaust outlet is shown on the centre line, photos show it just offset…..and the plan has it also further back than it should be. The plan also shows a part on the roof sheeted over….this is the engine cooling fan! A bit of progress today on both DMBS bodies. Engine room lift rings and exhaust added. The lift rings are from BLMA with the exhaust made from Evergreen U section. The 6B units don’t have roof conduit for lighting but do seem to have a short section that starts over the cab and ends just behind the fans. This will be next thing to add, from NS wire, along with door handrails.

…and a belated happy birthday too.

My ferry vans arrived today. Very well packed. Nice boxes with sleeves. First impressions very good but not the freest running piece of rolling stock ever.

Well I took the plunge yesterday and dismantled the motor block from the 4CEP. After taping up any gaps to the motor and gears etc all the side protrusions were filled off. The motor block now fits the inside of the coach…..just. The motorblock is just tacked with double sided tape to the chassis. When the time is right I will probably have to glue it permanently. Via the Blood and Custard Facebook group I’ve been sent this useful drawing.

It just pulls off with a bit of help from a flat bladed screwdriver.

I’m about to remove the powered bogie from a Farish 4CEP. Does it just require levering / pulling out? TIA.

The vast majority of underframe equipment has now been added to the non powered DMBS. I’ll tackle the powered one next, so that I can complete the bodies together for continuity. Next up will be the TSOL’s.

I’ve just ordered three of the NGS BR ferry vans, one in brown, one in red/grey and an undecorated one. The undecorated one will be getting converted to this……..hopefully someone does suitable decals. https://zenfolio.page.link/KQUmE

While we’ve been away for a week, Steve at Railtec has produced and posted these to me….this is the custom 32 different coach numbers. Includes the coach and unit numbers plus a load of others for me to renumber some Mk2s and parcels stock…..and the class 101.

……and after a lovely week away in Northumberland we’re back. Just two hours drive from York but a different world. We were staying near Warkworth, only a few mins from the former station and adjacent level crossing…….so it was rude not too! All taken in a 40 minute period on 7/6/23. 220003 and 220025 on 1M00 the 1807 Edinburgh to New Street. 800109 on 1W24 the 1600 King X to Aberdeen. 66736 on 6E45 the 0807 Fort William Alcan to North Blyth Alcan. One of just two trains a day to and from Chathill 158851 on 2N35 the 1915 Chathill to Carlisle. and finally 66041 on 6E30 the 1332 Dalzell BSC to Tees NY. also close by at RAF Boulmer was this stuffed and mounted Phantom.

Some running repairs were completed today. All the legs have now had their joints screwed together too……and I’ve made an extra bespoke leg that sits over the bookcase and makes getting the baseboards attached much easier. Previously I piled some books up to support the joint when attaching or dismantling.

The roof vents are already printed on the model thankfully.

Many thanks Dave for the close ups, really useful.

I’ve started a fresh thread for the Hastings DEMU…..I’ll post some Milestone photos in the Olympia thread but day to day progress will be on the new thread. Today some things got glued on rather than chopped off. Battery boxes and air tanks.

I’ve also cut the fuel tanks, these need work to add the cut outs and gauge.

A little bit of progress today, things being glued on rather than chopped off! Battery boxes added at the rear and air tanks added at the front. The battery boxes are from Farish Mk1s the air tanks from tube, Evergreen strip and filler.

I have B and C on my faves list. I worked with John Atkinson for over 20 years, who has supplied much of the info on the DEMU fleet. He’s looking forward to seeing the finished result.

Yes please. Fortunately the long framed 6L and 6B don’t have any lighting conduits on the roof. The 3D printed shells have the roof vents but not the water tank pipe work or any of the vents of the buffet kitchen. No exhaust or minor details on the motor coaches.

The body is narrow, the trailer cars of the CEP and all the Mk1s will need a fair sized chunk removing along both sides. The 3D print is pretty good but missing things like, roof fans, exhaust etc. There is a strengthening rib around the inside which needs partially removing to get the trailer chassis to fit. The 4CEP motor coach will be a bigger job as I might need to reduce the thickness of the motor block. It looks like a very close fit.

I’m about to start building a 6B unit in n gauge using the 3D printed bodies from Shapeways plus a Farish 4CEP and two Mk1s to supply power and chassis. What I’m missing is some decent side on photo of the power cars showing where the fuel tanks etc are positioned. Plenty of three quarter views but nothing more side on. I think Skinley drawings also did some plans for these which would be useful if anyone has a copy. Anyway a couple of photos showing one of the DMBS mounted on its chassis.

The 6B now with TSOL and side views of the three different types of trailer cars.

Repairs completed this morning and the other three cars of the 6B DEMU were delivered too.

Today I made a start on putting Olympia back together, just two boards so far so that I can do a repair on one of the baseboard joint rails. I am also going to reverse a set of captive nuts to make it easier to bolt together in its room.