MLV and KHG from IDR

IDR's most-excellent MLV.

Gary Laker's excellent blog this week featured a review of the 36' MLV van produced by Ian Ratcliffe and sold through Hobbyland in Hornsby. I'd mostly finished with working on the kit a few weeks ago, waiting for a set of 2AE bogies to arrive in an order from AR Kits (my kit shipped with 2BR bogies; I'm sure these were right for some of the cars, but the photos I've seen of them sported 2AE's). I installed the new bogies, but have yet to paint them nor weather the rest of the car; I've got a set of corner shunting grabs and steps to install as well, but you get the basic idea from the accompanying photograph. I'm on a bit of an MLV kick right now. In addition to the single 36' MLV, I'm working on one of the MiniModel's aluminum MLV's as well as an ARKits version as well.


IDR's KHG, sans end ladder.

I also (nearly) finished IDR's excellent KHG brakevan. Amid the nearly-dozen Trainorama GJG, MHG and JHG on the layout, the KHG is a nice bit of variety. It went together quite well, the basic kit being a roof, an underframe, and a single piece with sides and ends. A fair amount of flashing was removed, primarily around the windows and on the bottom of the solebar on the car. The model includes etched brass stiles for the end ladder (which I stuffed up assembling; I'll have to give it another go), molded clear plastic window inserts, as well as lost wax brass castings for side steps--a pair were provided, but it'd be nice if three for each side for the goods compartment steps could be included as well; I ended up bending and soldering my own wire to make the rest. I used Railey's Tuscan paint (please don't tell the custom's officers how I managed to get a bottle of that home), which provides a nice contrast with the Indian Red found on the Trainorama vans. An excellent set of decals accompanies the kits. The car was weathered with an indian ink/isopropyl alchohol wash.

I'm also working on a pair of KF flats; more on those when I get them done.