My Roundhouse 'Charles' was originally purchased with the intention of keeping it set to 32mm gauge and using it as my 'touring' loco, taking it along to other 16mm Association members' lines on their steam up days. Following a relaxation of my historical authenticity rules, the loco has been taken into TBLR stock and set to 45mm gauge, despite the fact that it is a model of a 1 ft 10 3⁄4 inch gauge loco running on a 3 ft gauge line - it's my railway and I will do what I like!
Anyway, the first job to consider was fitting my standard Accucraft chopper couplings at 28mm above rail level: unfortunately Charles's buffer beams are too low to fit these easily. I may make up some adaptors at a later date to allow this to happen, but in the meantime I will use chain to connect to the hook provided on the Accucraft chopper coupler pockets on the rest of my stock. I painted the buffer heads and coupling hooks satin black to tone down their shiny metallic appearance.
I picked out the lettering on the Hunslet worksplates in acrylic matt black paint and polished up the brass faces of the plates. The cab back was removed; the inside face above waist height was painted cream (3 coats) and a lamp iron was fitted to the cab back by drilling two 2mm holes and attaching the lamp iron with 10BA hex head bolts.
I fitted a Roundhouse brake handle gas valve control in place of the original brass knob - the gas valve can now be adjusted without having to lift the cab roof. A piece of black Plastikard was glued to the inside of the right hand frame, over the switch fixing holes - the switch is only fitted to radio controlled locos.
A small but very noticeable improvement was to paint the brass roof hinge screw heads with black self etch primer.
Finally, the loco was given the number 9 and a set of Roundhouse number plates were attached to the cab sides with a dab of silicone - these can be easily removed if the loco is sold on.
Anyway, the first job to consider was fitting my standard Accucraft chopper couplings at 28mm above rail level: unfortunately Charles's buffer beams are too low to fit these easily. I may make up some adaptors at a later date to allow this to happen, but in the meantime I will use chain to connect to the hook provided on the Accucraft chopper coupler pockets on the rest of my stock. I painted the buffer heads and coupling hooks satin black to tone down their shiny metallic appearance.
I picked out the lettering on the Hunslet worksplates in acrylic matt black paint and polished up the brass faces of the plates. The cab back was removed; the inside face above waist height was painted cream (3 coats) and a lamp iron was fitted to the cab back by drilling two 2mm holes and attaching the lamp iron with 10BA hex head bolts.
I fitted a Roundhouse brake handle gas valve control in place of the original brass knob - the gas valve can now be adjusted without having to lift the cab roof. A piece of black Plastikard was glued to the inside of the right hand frame, over the switch fixing holes - the switch is only fitted to radio controlled locos.
A small but very noticeable improvement was to paint the brass roof hinge screw heads with black self etch primer.
Finally, the loco was given the number 9 and a set of Roundhouse number plates were attached to the cab sides with a dab of silicone - these can be easily removed if the loco is sold on.
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