Darius43

Rooftop fan vents stitch drilled away to enable the fitting of the A1 Models etched grilles. Etched roofside grilles also fitted. The large bodyside grilles will be fitted after the body has been painted. Cheers Darius

I spotted this Class 56 body on eBay. It looks like an MTK product and has been quite well put together, if in need of some tlc. So, with that in mind, it was duly acquired along with a Mainline/Dapol chassis and an A1 Models detailing set. The MTK buffer beams are pretty good representations but the side valences are not. The beams were cut away and put to one side. Thus enabled the valance pares to be easily detached. The assembly was pretty good but the cab fronts lacked the distinctive inwards sloping profile. To correct this cut were sawn into the cab side walls and the front bent back to the desired profile. The cuts were backed with plasticard and filled, along with a few other visible joints. The “face” didn’t look quite right so I carved off the moulded on details and reprofiled the main windows. Cheers Darius

Finishing touches… …and light weathering to finish. Passing the test… Cheers Darius

Hornby GWR railcar bogie side frames fitted to Bachmann motor bogie assembly. Modified bogie assembly re-fitted and scratch built plasticard undergibbon parts fitted. Cheers Darius

Battery boxes fabricated and fitted to the motor coach. Roofs repainted. Cheers Darius

I suspect the Ultrasonic Test Train would have been more of a challenge with respect to the undergibbons and more obviously incorrect if Bachman left the standard DMU kit in place as they have done with Gemini. I built the MTK version of the Ultrasonic Test Train earlier this year. Cheers Darius

I have always been fascinated by the RTC fleet of locomotives, coaches and wagons. When Rails announced that they had commissioned Bachmann to produce Test Unit Gemini, I duly placed an order. The unit is nicely finished but a major issue is that the standard diesel traction undergibbons remain beneath the units as per the standard Bachmann Derby Lightweight unit where there should be the batteries that give rise to the unit’s BEMU description. To rectify this, I first removed the standard undergibbons, which became useful additions to the spares box. Using reference photos I made a card template for the battery box and framing that is a major feature of these units. This was tacked to the model and tweaked to make sure it looked right. The template was then used to make model battery boxes and frames using plasticard. Once assembled, these were primed, glued to the model and painted black. There are more undergibbon bits to fit and the motor coach needs a replacement bogie frame - I have a spare one from a GWR railcar somewhere. Cheers Darius

Glazing fitted to cab and one side. Cheers Darius

Had a go at improving the Hornby interior. Cheers Darius

Additional painting to the cab area and back end. Cheers Darius

Primary painting completed. I went with the BR blue and grey livery that the Class 140 was finished in. The Class 142’s were never finished in this livery as far as I am aware, but I like it. Cheers Darius

Hornby chassis modified to fit. Cheers Darius

Bodies sanded and primed. I removed the rather coarse cast window bars. The plan is to replace these with finer bars pre-painted onto clear acetate sheet. This will be cut to size to flush glaze each window. Cheers Darius

Bodyshells assembled and joints filled. I’ll let the filler set overnight. Sanding and priming tomorrow. Cheers Darius

Started this morning. Plan is to adapt these Hornby chassis to fit the MTK bodies. Sides and roof parts joined together with plasticard reinforcement. Whilst gluing, I lined the roof edges and tops of the sides against a steel straightedge to ensure that these edges were true. Gaps have been filled at this stage and the bottom edges of the bodysides tidied up. Cheers Darius

Now it’s finished Cheers Darius

Interior painted and upholstered… …and fitted within the coach. Decals then applied. Cheers Darius

Ah yes, Traveller’s Fare… I also remember Casey Jones burgers from the mid 1980s - rather liked them… Cheers Darius

Chassis completed and glazing fitted. Cheers Darius

Primary painting completed. Spare Limby interior modified with a plasticard buffet area. Cheers Darius

Ironmongery fitted and primer on. Cheers Darius

My favourite train trip had a Stranraer connection. I had been shortlisted for a graduate civil engineering sandwich placement with BR in February 1982 and was provided with a cardboard return ticket from Belfast York Road to London Euston to attend an interview. The ticket included the Larne-Stranraer Sealink ferry trip and I made it as far as Carlisle before the trip went awry. The overhead wires were down in Cumbria and the London bound train was delayed. I spotted a train with aircon coaches that looked like it was departing, asked a BR person if it was going to London and jumped aboard when told yes. The train pulled out heading south and duly followed the Settle and Carlisle route - spectacular in clear blue skies and recent snowfall. We eventually arrived at Hellifield and stopped for a time before heading to Preston via Clitheroe. We pulled into Preston in the darkness (I had left York Road at 06.30 ish) and then headed south, arriving at Euston at 9pm. I didn’t get the BR job but enjoyed the train trip. My next and most recent trip over the Settle and Carlisle was in 1985 behind Lord Nelson and Flying Scotsman. Cheers Darius

Found this in the stash Looks like some cutting and shutting will be required… Cheers Darius

Decals and further details applied. Cheers Darius

Fantastic stuff. It’s great when older models are given a new lease of life. Cheers Darius