A burst of action has just about completed the Warwells and Warflats.  I realised that I needed to fit a coupling to join with Rapido’s at each end of the rake of wagons.  A little length of brass wire did a good job.

I was getting fed up making my own couplings, and had a bright idea – a permanent coupling between pairs of wagons.  A little fettling with some scrap brass (probably from an etched ‘O’ gauge kit of my father’s) and a coping saw, then a dip in brass black made three of this little item.  It screws into the bogie pivots instead of a retaining washer, and works fine.

And this is where I had got to last night.  Just a few odds and ends to do….

So project nearly complete!  I need to replace one home made coupling that works, but is too short.  Handwheels need to be white, and the bogies could do with a touch of dirty black.  And if I am brave, I have the transfers for the lettering on the wagons.  But for now, they’ll go into their box, together with the two Gresley coaches and an SR bogie brake van that complete the train.

Lessons learnt?  I think #1 item was how hard it is to fit Rapido/Dapol couplings, NEM or otherwise, to kits.  I am minded to have another go at making DG/B&B couplings again.  #2 is just how useful a set of magnifying glasses are.  And lastly #3, how much nicer brass is to work with than plastic.