So to continue: The buffers are actually pretty good, better than the other major kit manufacturer’s offerings. The holes in the bufferbeam mouldings were opened up a tad and the buffers and vac pipes trial fitted. The inner ends. Oh dear, g…
It was was some trepidation that work began. I settled myself with the attitude that this was pence spent so no problem if it were to be abandoned halfway through and jumped on; or recycled back into Coke bottles.The floor was raised at one end by 2-3m…
And so to paint. The whole lot was given a coat of Humbrol 62 orange as a base. Then, slightly paler than normal, the body outer, a coat of Citadel Corax White. Photos of 16 tonners often show an almost white finish, so I could dare to be pale.Th…
A few moves in quick succession: The brake assemblies. As per the prototype, single sided Mortons as per the instructions… only they’re not. The Airfix kits have a knack for making an obvious blooper, note all the wrongly fitted windows on the …
And so to the underpinnings. All basic stuff bar one thing. I don’t usually like plain bearings, but these were to hand. The oval holes were opened out to 2mm and the bearings pushed in. The outside edges of the W-irons at the back of the solebar…
With the new non-door pieces fitted and polished it was on to welds.There’s at least one person I know who should close their eyes at this point. Welds are a problem; good welds are invisible, bad welds can be seen from 50′ away. To make it work I need…
I mentioned that there would be three 16 ton minerals running with COND lettering for Rhiw 2. This sprung me into thinking that I should get the third done as well. To this end the Airfix box was pulled from the cupboard and a start made. Then I …
I rather like doing these. None of your soft Welsh plastic – proper Airfix is the only way for 108s; they still stand up half a century after they were designed. This is the second of a trio of condemned 16Ts for Rhiw 2 with the white hand scrawl…
Only a few details and some scenic patching to do now, all well ahead of the deadline of Beccles on June 1st. Most of this scene is either s/h junk or other peoples chuck-outs. I bought a bag full of tatty trees off a club stand and refurbed a co…