Job done. One 4mm scale armoured train ready for action.
The SGT's Mess resin and whitemetal kit is easy to assemble and price-wise, very reasonable. If you want to quibble, it should have been designed for 6 and not 9mm track but I'm not going to fuss over 3mm here.
There is plenty of potential for detail freaks to get excited about. I made a few changes to the locomotive with new smoke deflectors/cylinder protectors. A thin plastic cladding might look better than the casting but you'd need to make a really good job to improve on what is supplied.
The carriages are detail free inside but some of the photos show riveted plates in there that might be a nice and not too difficult addition. Since these vehicles were converted from bogie hopper wagons, I can't tell if the ends should be flat (as per the model) or retain their sloped ends. This doesn't show in the photos and while I suspect the kit is right, it wouldn't surprise me to find different. Not that I'd be bothered enough to modify things now but others may feel different.
All in all, I've enjoyed the project and am happy with the results. If I can find a way of motorising the loco, I'd do it all again...
There's some footage of the train in the Classic Trains series:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpmILxCOpxc
Well, the video rather answers the question about the ends of the carriages being flat or sloping...
ReplyDeleteHmmm, the video rather answers the question about flat vs sloping ends on the carriages...
ReplyDeleteIt's a fantastic film and as you say, shows the hopper ends should slope. There are much more promiannt rivets on the carriage sides too.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if I ever build a working model...