Express models lighting SK, a FK, a CCT and a 12T engineering wagon

The post heading really details what I have been focusing on this week. I think that if the Royal Mail post-person had manage to knock on the door I would have been the proud owner of a new NCE Powercab to play with. This is the new DCC control system for my Amberleigh layout and upcoming Watergate Halt layout. However, this was not to be, so I spent the end of the week finishing off some of my workbench tasks. Finally, a few models have neared or at the completion stage.


The 12T van trundles past Amberleigh halt, behind engineering 33101, in the early morning summers sun.

The first to be finished off was the conversion of the Model Rail 12T engineering wagon. This has been converted to 3 link couplings and had a light weathering job applied to it. I think that with a little work, a light misting of grime, especially on the underframe really brings this model to life. The whole paint job was only 2 shades of weathered black and underframe dirt. I gave the ends of the van body a slightly heavy weathering than the van sides. Normally it takes 6 or 7 passes till I am happy, but after two coats I felt it just looked right. Undoubtedly, I am getting better at mixing paints for the airbrush, so this has probably helped speed up the process. Overall a quick modelling job that I am pleased with the result of.


The finished 12T wagon, showing the light body weathering.

The 12T van is the first of 3 wagons that will run in a engineering train. The other wagons in this train will be a southern PMV and CCT, both converted to engineering use and painted in olive green. The CCT is almost finished, I just have to paint the handrails and brake lever handles white. I am very pleased with this wagon and I will post next week on the finished model.


Another view showing the slightly heavier weathering on the van ends.

The two other projects I am focusing on is the production of two short rakes of coaches. Both are BR blue grey. One is a set of 2 or 3 mk2s and one is a set of 3 mk1s. The mk1 set will be BCk, SK, BSK. All of these are the Bachmann coaches and are to be fitted with the excellent Express Models lighting kits. The BCK is done, the SK is on the workbench and I have yet to save up the pennies to buy the BSK or the lighting kit. The other rake is non lighted and so far consists of the BFK and will soon be joined by an FK. The FK should also be finished this week and will start a regular passenger service on Amberleigh. Both rakes of coaches are typical of the scratch combinations seen on the tarka trail in the 1980s behind locomotive hauled trains, normally a class 33, sometimes a 31 and occasionally a class 50. I am looking forward to finishing these coaches to run on my west country layouts.