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Someone asked me at the show last weekend how much these things are. Each kit comes as TWO sheets of bits'n'pieces, including 22 seat frames! Each sheet is 43 something sterling; for a complete coach you need both etches, which came to £93.16 stg. (€113). Postage is extra. I got mine posed to a friend in the north which works out cheaper than all the charges required to post something from Brexitstan to Our Rainy Island or Saints, Scholars and Joyriders. (I digress here; did anyone ever hear the 1970s Thin Lizzy song, "Dublin"? A reflective song by Phil Lynott back in the day about the typical emigrant's tale of leaving Ireland, with its churches, bad weather and dole Qs, and heading over to Blighty, or the USA - but missing home nonetheless.... One line in the song refers to Dublin as the city that "has no jobs, is blessed by God"..... Fifty years ago, that indeed was the case; yours truly ALMOST emigrated to Canada....so I would have a checked shirt and an American accent by now....) Anyway; back to the carriage. Including postage to the north, it came to about £125 sterling.It comes well packed with a piece of plywood in the pack to absolutely ensure that there's no bending of the sheets. They're very clean - they needed a bare minimum of fibre brushing before starting. Parts are included for the original state of the coach (no toilet) plus the version as some (not all) were converted as, with a toilet.  And if anyone is in any doubt about the finished look of the thing, all you have to do is go to Downpatrick to look at No. 836, in traffic there, and differing only from the original state now by having (a) different seats to the original, and (b) gangways boarded over. Far too many of us have what i now realise is an irrational fear of brassmastery,. I only wish, now, that I had taken half a dozen of Mayner's "tin vans" when they were available. The only reason I didn't was that I didn't want to attempt brass. Wrong decision of mine; I was fortunate to get two of them eventually which had been made up, and mighty fine specimens they are too. I've had to make do with Silverfox ones for the other 4 that I have.

A pair of absolute charmers. Lovely work.

Can’t beat a bit of Robin! (Was awaiting the right plates at this point) 

First steps with one of these today (I’m doing two; one with, one without, a loo).  This may very well be Mol’s first ever coach kit, but the etch and more importantly, instructions, are far better and more professionally designed and laid out than ANY I’ve ever seen. I’m a complete novice at this sort of thing, by my “learned instructor” has been making brass kits for decades, and agrees.  First steps this morning, starting with the chassis. 

I have a feeling 107 Robin will be doing an excursion down that direction at some point regardless!