Darius43

Hi Tim, I printed the upholstery patterns on white decal paper using a laser printer and then cut out and applied them to the seats as a regular decal - see one of the earlier posts on this thread. The upholstery pattern “swatches” are on This Website. Cheers Darius

Retail unlikely. You may be lucky to spot one on eBay. Cheers Darius

Great news - set duly ordered

A ready made model but of an unusual prototype. My Dad worked for Michelin and did a training “stage” at their French HQ in Claremont Ferrand in the late 1970s. We visited him during that time and I saw the Michelin Test track where this car operated / although not the car itself. Very Gerry Anderson. Cheers Darius

…and brew a pot of Punjana ️

And for “afters”… Cheers Darius

Would that be Giorgio Armani perchance? Cheers Darius

Details added. Body primed and chassis painted. Now need to build the second MBS to the same level of completion. Cheers Darius

For the next MTK project I thought I would take things relatively easy and build the 2-HAL Stores Unit kit using some spare Hornby 2-BIL/HAL underframes to make things easier. The parts for the non-cab ends are missing from the kit so I will need to scratch build those from plasticard. Having already built the MTK 2-HAL De-icer unit this one should be relatively straightforward. The large roller doors are quite recessed on the prototype so the MTK “flush” ones will need to be cut out and replaced. Cab and roof attached and fettled to shape. Non-cab end made from plasticard and glued in place. Checking the MTK body against the Hornby HAL it’s a few mm shorter. This means it won’t fit onto the spare Hornby chassis that I had earmarked for this kit. Not to worry as I’ll make my own chassis as before. Fortunately I still have sufficient spare bogies to hand. The other advantage to making my own chassis (apart from the fit) is that, unlike the Stores Units, the Hornby ones have continuous step boards. They would need to be removed, which is not that simple as the Hornby motorised chassis is cast Mazak including the step boards. Cheers Darius

A load of Murphy Models Class 121 locomotives in various liveries are on buy it now for £158 with free shipping “from China” - a seller called modelsart2020. This looks too good to be true - does none know anything about this? Cheers Darius

Peops added and light weathering of chassis to finish Cheers Darius

Coach numbers and other decals applied. Cheers Darius

Whole interior airbrushed a wood panelling colour - plus a coat of acrylic varnish (Klear). Home made upholstery decal sheet cut to fit the seats. And applied to each seat. Armrests painted to match. Tabletops painted a lighter wood colour. Almost complete - still need to paint the floor. Floor painted. Cheers Darius

Interior fitted and second one constructed. Cheers Darius

DMBSO interior constructed, …painted and upholstered. Cheers Darius

Buffet/Griddle car interior constructed from plasticard and modified aftermarket seats (from a job lot bought from eBay). Interior painted, floored and upholstered. Fixed to coach chassis. Cheers Darius

Composite coach interior constructed using spare rtr interiors, painted and installed. Cheers Darius

Dunglazin. Cheers Darius

Further progress. Cheers Darius

Hi Leslie, Just nine - photographed each side and two of the ends. Cheers Darius

Sorry DJ - couldn’t help myself. Absolutely superb models Cheers Darius

My blue/grey NIR Mk2s arrived today and mighty magnificent they are too. So much so that I have ordered the RPSI and bumblebee sets. Cheers Darius

Another MTK product taking shape - a 4-GRI EMU (Buffet/Griddleversion of the 4-COR EMU. Started with this just over a week ago. Now at this stage. One more driving coach to complete before final painting and interior detailing. Cheers Darius

The layout has now been dismantled in preparation for my friend’s (and shed owner) house move in March. A brand new shed is to be erected at the new house and the layout will be reinstalled in the new shed. Dismantling was undertaken with minimal damage to the “scenic” part of the layout. The new shed will allow us to iron out the bugs that were popping up with the original layout concept. Watch this space… Cheers Darius

Started on Jan 3rd… Plan is to finish it in this livery. Finishing touches today - jumpers, peops and chassis weathering. Cheers Darius