BACHMANN MK1s (2)

Bachmann Mk1s finished and ready for service.

My fleet of 1980s era carriages is taking shape, slowly but surely. Having picked up the odd model here and there over the past 10 years, I've finally amassed enough of the various vehicle types to make up two believable rakes for a typical North West secondary passenger service. However, with Bachmann only producing a standard end across its Mk1 range (apart from the recent Sleeper stock), I've been left with a need to make a few modifications - namely to remove most of the end access steps, alter the handrails and move the lamp brackets to the gangway surrounds.

Apart from all the hacking, sanding, filling and filing, there's the paintwork to touch up and the running numbers to alter. While I was at it, I thought I may as well upgrade the buffers and add extra details to the end carriages of each rake. Then, there's the interiors to spruce up, passengers to install and the weathering to apply.

Who'd have thought that passenger stock would take up so much time?!

Look out for the next issue of MODEL RAIL magazine (MR208) for the lowdown on how I upgraded these MK1s...