Exhibition prep: Loco crews, glazing, and couplings

Loctern Quay will (Covid permitting) be at the Festival or British Railway Modelling in Doncaster next weekend (12th & 13th February). The last week or so I have been checking everything over, test-running the locos and stock, dusting the layout, and any odd jobs that get put off. 

One such job was the couplings on Toby, my Paul Windle built tram loco, which have never been reliable at uncoupling because the iron tails touched the cow-catchers limiting their throw. Recently I'd picked up a new pack of Microtrains couplings in a sale, but could only get the 1016 type rather than the 1015's I usually get, the only difference is that they are a little longer in the shank.

The difference is clear in this really close up photo (the lines are 10mm apart). It struck me that this extra length could be useful for Toby, so I swapped the existing 1015-type couplings for a pair of 1016's. 

As can be seen the tails are well clear of the cow-catchers, and don't make contact under their full movement. While tackling odd jobs Toby has also had a couple of other upgrades: I've finally glazed the side and end windows (the doors are unglazed), and fitted a crew, both helping remove the empty look.

I crewed three locos actually. A tip from Phil Parker is to superglue them to a coffee stirrer during painting. On the left the two for Toby are Preiser HO figures from their truck drivers and passengers set, stuck to 40 thou plastic bases to give them extra height and provide a means to stick them in, the chap front-left has had his arm repositioned. The other two on the back row are also Preiser, this pack seems to include a lot of arm waving so Mr Teapot has also had an arm rotated at the elbow. The front right and centre are from the ever useful Dapol range, slightly modified, both have lost an arm and half a leg...

Fitted to these Minitrains locos the smaller Preiser figures are useful for the Decauville, while the taller Dapol figures are needed for the slightly exaggerated cab of the Bagnall but needed trimming to snuggle up to the motor, and one needed his coat thinning to fit the narrow opening. Spots of superglue on the feet hold them in place, and in both locos the presence of the crew distracts from the cab being full of motor, as well as avoiding the ghost-loco look. 

Another odd job - the Decauville also needed glazing in the spectacle glasses. I decided to try my new Humbrol Clearfix, the clear glue is drawn around the opening with a cocktail stick until it covers the hole. The result works well and is much thinner and less bottle-like than the Micro Krystal Klear used on the Bagnall, but seems to have left a slightly foggy patch in the centre.