Darius43

Some more stock running in the shed today. Hornby MGR wagons behind a Bachmann Class 37. 3DWagonWorks JGA cement wagons behind a Bachmann Class 66. Hornby Class 101 DMU (with Express Models head/tail lights fitted) and Bachmann Class 108 DMU. Ian Kirk kit built articulated suburban coaches behind an Oxford Rail N7. KR Models GT3 hauling modified Triang Mk1 coaches. Cheers Darius

Roof glued on and weighted down to be left overnight to cure. Cheers Darius

Sides and cabs cemented together. Roof dry fitted to check the fit. Cheers Darius

DC kit obtained several years ago. My original intention was to graft the kit body onto a Bachmann Class 105 chassis, but the chassis is about 2mm too long due to it being for a single cab coach. The revised plan is to use the DC kits chassis and graft on the Bachman motor casing, bogies and undergibbons. Cheers Darius

Took the opportunity to stage a more atmospheric photo. Cheers Darius

Rake completed Cheers Darius

Now only 6 more to go… Train-Tech tail light fitted to last wagon. Cheers Darius

Some more wagons converted… Only 13 more to do… Cheers Darius

Hornby MGR wagons modified so as to be a permanently coupled rake. I first replaced the large Hornby tension locks with pivoted magnetic couplings but the pivoted connection wasn’t strong enough and there were several failures in service as seen below. These couplings are now being replaced with hone made fixed bar couplings made from black plasticard - as used on the rake of Hornby Freightliner flats that I modified a year or so ago. Four wagons completed - a lot more to go. The coal loads are a mixture of cast resin loads (from eBay) and Wills plastic coal loads with real coal bits stuck on with diluted pva. The Hornby MGR wagons themselves are all from eBay obtained at minimal cost. I replaced the Silver Seal wheels with metal ones and “tidied up” the roughly applied weathering using an airbrush. Cheers Darius

Rake completed I have ordered a couple more - for the white/yellow/green liveried Tarmac versions. Cheers Darius

Train-Tech battery operated flashing LED tail light modified to fit inside the hollow tank body. Cheers Darius

Only two more to go to complete the rake. Cheers Darius

Two more completed. Four more to go… Cheers Darius

The MGR train did several circuits after which the magnetic couplings began to fail as shown below. The couplings are from West Hill Wagon Works and are the latest of several failures I have had with their couplings. I am forced to conclude that they have a good concept but their execution and engineering is poor. Alas I won’t by buying anything else from them in future. I plan to make my own fixed bar couplings (like I did with the Freightliner Flats) and create permanently coupled rakes of 5 wagons with tension locks at each end. Cheers Darius

Watching the trains go by in the shed today Cheers Darius

Decals applied followed by some light weathering. Cheers Darius

A couple more of the 3D printed JGA cement wagons detailed up using brass rod, tube and electrical wire. Followed by a coat of grey primer, with air hoses and buffer’s picked out in black enamel paint. Cheers Darius

Finally got roundtuit and completed the Snow and Ice Treatment Train wagons (3D printed kit). Cheers Darius

Nope - hit “post” too early Cheers Darius

Running session in the shed today. Cheers Darius

Dummy (non-motorised) Class 66 made from spare bogies, chassis and body sourced from eBay. For running on trains that have a loco at each end. We tried running these trains on the layout with powered locos at each end but could not get them to match speeds over the full throttle range - resulting in the train being stretched or scrunched. Cheers Darius

Mk1 Pig completed. I remember queuing up with my Mum and sister in the street beside the Avenue Cinema in Belfast one evening back in 1978 to see the film Grease. We had just moved to Belfast (Dad worked for Michelin) and the street was fenced off down the middle as the Grand Central Hotel next door was being used by the Army. Vehicles like these were being prepared to go out on patrol. Both the cinema (a real flea pit as I recall) and the hotel are long gone and the Castle Court shopping centre occupies the space today. 1:48 scale Alvis Saracens - HLBS resin kits. 1:50 Alvis Stalwart Mk1 - modified Verem diecast model. Cheers Darius

Humber “Pig” Mk1. 1:48 scale 3D printed kit from eBay. The model as printed is fairly basic with little detail. The bull bars were fitted to the Mk2 so we’re not used. I added more details using bits of plasticard and brass rod. Cheers Darius

Some more 3D printed 1:48 scale AFVs cleaned up and painted. FV434 Ferret Mk2 Cheers Darius

Trojan AVRE completed. Cheers Darius