Thank you for the very kind comments!
Following hot on the heals of
Apapa is another English Electric loco, but this time one later on in its life - 37514 as it was in 1992. This makes use of a Bachmann loco with various parts from Shawplan. The windscreens and fan grilles are the most obvious changes but I've also refined the openings around the valance to avoid the chunky look which the Bachmann models display. The fan grille is a beautiful etching - as you'd expect from Brian. The model runs on Penbits running gear
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The Penbits bogies all complete and working very nicely; I've added the cosmetic frames with their separate brake cylinders and steps. The brake cylinders are the last of my stock of Hornby Class 50 ones. The steps are modified from the Bachmann originals with PH Designs step treads epoxied on. As they come the PHD etch for the steps have the two lower the steps mis-spaced. So, whilst the solution isn't perfect, the overall effect is relatively pleasing. But at five quid a set for the steps, just using the treads isn't very cost effective - I used them as I had them in stock and had intended to use them for the model before realising the issue with them.
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So the model is mechanically complete now, all the remains is to add the remaining details, and there are a lot of them, especially around the underframe - it could take a while! As you can see, once you cut away the bits which shouldn't be solid, there's an awful lot of daylight there which needs filling!
Also progressing is a real hybrid of a model. It combines a Lima body, a Heljan chassis with Penbits running gear again.
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The chassis has been reduced in width by about 1,5mm - a friend kindly milling the block for me and the tapered ends were finished by hand - you could mill these but I think setting up for all four corners would take longer than it would by hand. This allowed it to fit properly within the Lima body. The body is being treated as I've detailed earlier in this thread with all sorts of Shawplan parts. I think I help pay for Brian's skiing holidays sometimes with my orders!
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The key parts, or at least most of them, for the running gear. If you've not yet tried any of Penbits' kits then you're missing out. The kits are superb - not simple but so well thought out. The brake gear is beautiful, and surprisingly sturdy too which should allow it to stand up to handling. The pipework on the bogies is in the course of being replaced, whilst not quite to the extent of Jon Hughes' work, it will hopefully be enough to look right once painted on a layout.
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