CLASS 66 UPDATE

More progress has been made on my Class 66s, most notably with a set of extremely fine etched side mirrors assembled and fitted to one EWS-liveried example. The brass bits are from PH Designs and require a good amount of care and patience to fold and assemble. Some good quality tweezers, a Hold n Fold tool and good eyesight are imperative!

I must admit to cutting a few corners with my set, omitting the small brackets between the mirror and stanchion - they were just too fiddly for me. Besides, I think they look OK without them. Once primed and painted (in situ), they look 'the business', especially with the correct square profile of the vertical stanchions.

Look out for a full review of these and other parts in the PH Designs range in Model Rail early in the New Year....

I've also been dusting off some models to take to the NEC this weekend for display on the Model Rail stand. Amongst some of this year's featured projects, I'll be taking along the Network Rail Class 150/950 DMU conversion, a DRS Class 20/3 and maybe the Caley 'Pug' and a 'Royal Scot'. I'm just working to finish a 1980s era blue Class 37 with various new detail bits so, hopefully that'll be ready too.

We'll have planty of our limited edition models and lots of other goodies on show on our stand, including a working prototype of the Model Rail/Dapol Sentinel 0-4-0 loco for inspection. So, if you're coming to the Warley show, do pop along and see us!

The parts for the mirrors are small but perfectly formed!

I've also renumbered one of my EWS 66s - this is not as quick a job as on other loco types, what with the corrugated sides. I'll also be providing an in-depth demo of the techniques involved in Model Rail in 2011.

The re-numbering process has also provided the perfect testbed for a new, high quality Klear Kote Gloss lacquer from Alclad2 that I have under review. Again, keep an eye out for a full appraisal in the magazine in due course.

The re-numbered 66 just needs a bit of weathering to finish it off, but that will have to wait until I get back from the Warley show at the NEC.