AUSTERITY MEASURES

I've had a detailing and modifying kit for the Hornby J94 Austerity in my 'In Tray' for nearly a year now and, finally, it has reached the front of the queue. Aimed at improving a BR or an Industrial version, there are plenty of etched and cast bits and bobs to replace the moulded details on the RTR model. Before work can begin, however, the loco has been stripped completely, including removing the motor and drivetrain, which is a necessary evil in order to separate the chassis from the running plate/lower boiler section. I've also cut away all of the plastic that is to be replaced with superior components, the image giving some idea of the amount of work involved. What you can't see is that the back of the cab and bunker has also been extensively modified.

I'm looking forward to making a start on adding the new bits, but the model needs to dry out overnight after a good bath and degrease. After all that filing and sanding, I need to tidy my workbench too as there's black plastic dust everywhere!

Look out for more updates on this project....