NETWORK RAIL CLASS 150

Now recently returned from a week away in sunny Devon, I feel refreshed and reinvigorated to get cracking on a number of practical projects that have been awaiting my attention for a while. First up is a conversion kit for the Bachmann Class 150 DMU, to turn it into the Network Rail track testing unit.

This is another superb offering from PH Designs and it looks to be an enjoyable, if potentially labour-intensive, project. For a start, the model will need to be stripped and fully prepared before any of the cutting and filling can commence and that is what will be filling my first day back at 'the office'.

What a lovely set of etched bits!

Although I'm not keen on the livery, it's always a shame to strip away a finely-applied factory finish, as is sported on this Central Trains 150.

Not only do the etched brass and nickel silver parts of the kit look to be of top notch quality, but the colour instructions and supplied reference images are a real boon, not least as good detail images of the real thing are not the easiest to find.

More progress reports will follow and the finished article is to appear in the landmark issue No.150 of Model Rail.