taybridge

STEP 8 Re-install all the windows with some glue to ensure they are fitted firmly. Make sure each window is popped back firmly into each of the coach body window holes.

STEP 7 Mask around window area and airbrush on the grey band. Remove masking. Touch up with a very fine brush! Also paint the window frames grey with a fine brush.

STEP 6 Paint the whole body shell BR blue. I've used Humbrol Acrylic RC411 Diesel Blue and an airbrush. These pictures show the result, with the body shell placed temporarily back on the (unpainted) underframe/interior assembly. I won't be able to continue with the painting until next weekend, as the early-Spring evenings are still dark here... roll on turning the clocks forward B)

STEP 6 Painting! More tomorrow... it's dark here now and you can't airbrush outside in the dark B)

STEP 5 Remove the vent boxes (I think that's what they are) from above all the doors. Also remove the protruding window boxes (one each side at the brake end of the coach). You won't be needing these again! Fill all the fitting holes that have been exposed. Once this is done you should also pop the corridor connections off - use the modeling knife or scalpel again and prise them off. You're going to need the corridor connections again, so once again, keep safe in a sealed envelope. There are little bumps in the middle top of each coach side as well as middle of each side of the roof (for train name boards) - you can see these still in place in the photo below. Slice these off with the modeling knife or scalpel. There was no need for train name boards in 1970.

STEP 4 Remove all the glazing from the coach body (including the two end windows at the brake end of the coach). The glazing is glued in with a kind of gum, so use a sharp modeling knife or scalpel. Slice the knife along the lower side of the glazing, between the glazing and the coach body. This loosens the gum considerably. Fold the glazing away from the body and it all just gradually pops out. Put the glazing into another sealed envelope for safe keeping.

STEP 3 Put the bogies and coupling components into sealed envelopes (or similar) for safe keeping. Remove the coach underframe by unclipping the four transparent plastic hooks (one in each corner) and popping the underframe out. The underframe comes off and the coach interior drops out.

STEP 2 Remove the bogies by putting a small flat head screw driver into the gap between the bogie and the coach underside and prise off. Don't worry, seems to work fine! Study the coupling components before removing, as you're going to have to put them all back! Remove the coupling components - careful now! The tiny spring can spring away!

How to turn a Hornby Stanier brake/third from BR Maroon to BR Blue/Grey circa 1970... STEP 1 Pop out to model shop and acquire the basic ingredients... brand new Hornby Stanier R4236. Hmmm, very nice model.

Repainted a Hornby LMS 50' BG into BR blue. To do this I did the following: disassemble (remove bogies, underframe and windows) remove the corridor connections and plate over, filling all gaps remove the vent plates at the top of each door and fill the holes the plates were attached through pare back the two strakes running along each coach side remove the original running boards and replace with a separate step under each door paint the coach blue paint the bogies, underframe and roof mucky brown stick back windows reassemble! What fun Hope you enjoy.. at the front of a train next to the Gresley buffet..

Managed to make good progress on my mod of the Hornby LNER teak buffer into BR blue/grey early-mid 1970s. Painting the red line was a delicate job Like the orange curtains??

oops sorry Andy. Getting carried away with too much enthusiasm. Point taken Doug..

Here's one at Glasgow Central... this one's got the external pipework, so I will leave the pipework in place for the timebeing... ... and look at the roof - you can see the patch where the roof train name boards were removed. Link to image on Wikimedia

First coat of BR blue... starting to look the part (photo looks quite green due to household lighting and probably cos it's only the first coat...) The external pipework will have to go too. I don't mind the finished product looking a bit bashed as I want the buffet to look as if it's on it's last legs and shortly to be withdrawn

Thank you! I will try to get hold of a copy (I don't have old RM's)... in the meantime will respray the coach and sort out the roof at a later date. Doug.

Fantastic! The green deck is perfect... and the way the ramp moves is testament to the modeller's skill...

Hi Claggy, not sure as FW was long after my time in Scotland, but it used to be the case in mid 80's that if you booked a standard class seat on the overnight train from Scottieland to London or vice versa you actually traveled in a first class Mk2 with dimmed interior lighting. I guess compensation for the uncomfortable trip! I well remember sitting in one of these trains around 1984-6 ish bored to tears at Preston I think, while nothing much happened for an hour or so. The overnight trains didn't travel quickly, otherwise they would get to their destination too early. Plus I guess there would be overnight maintenance shutdowns to deal with. I also took the sleeper on quite a few occasions and slept right through, oblivious to the trials and tribulations in the seated area. Helped on my way no doubt by a few drinkies in the bar car... Cheers! Doug.

Ooops ... just noticed those train name board thingies on the roof! That's the great thing about taking photos for rmweb ... you see the all gory detail. 30 seconds with the scalpel and they are now no more . I have no idea about the layout of the vents on the roof, can only sort of see what's going on in the original photo above, so will just leave them as per LNER original for the moment. Can change that later if/when I can find a better reference for the later 1970's roof...

Various photos with progress today and shots along the way from dismantled, through LNER markings removed, windows filled and new "vertical panels" added.

Goodness me it's been 2 and a half months of home repairs and other stuff, but I'm back with another project. Acquired a Hornby LNER teak buffer, and going to turn it into this: Link to photo in (I understand) John Turners collection

Sorry Richard I have been away for a while... the make is Ratio, and these are (I seem to recall) LMS home and LMS distant. Cheers Doug.

Started work on city back scene... hope you like the photos...

Hi Peter, thanks so much for hosting a very memorable day, I enjoyed meeting you all very much. And for those who weren't there, Llanbourne is a wonderful world of incredible detail, very thoughtfully and painstakingly put together. Impressed! Looking forward to seeing your new scenic section come together... there's even the odd brick lying around, and some sleepers marked up ready for maintenance. Doug.

Thanks Dave, not to your standard but gradually making progress. I say not to your standard because your layout really does look like Waverley down to a T.. Interesting, people do seem to like the ticket collectors even thought there's hardly a train in sight! I have some backscenes en route from UK at the moment - looking forward to looking at how to install them to give this a real inner city feel...

An old print I found in a box of holiday snaps