5.
To install the tanks into the air tank assembly stand the pipework should be trimmed from the top leaving the ‘L’ shaped
projects from the ends of the tank. If you break or trim too much off, drill 0.3mm holes into the end caps of the tanks and
insert ‘L’ shaped 0.3mm brass wire to act as the pipes once the complete assembly has been made
6.
Push a tank onto (P33) from each side evenly whilst paying attention to the spacing so that it matches the air tank
assembly stand pre-cut curves
7.
Glue a 4mm piece of 0.3mm brass wire between the two air tank end pipes. See prototype photo below
8.
Glue the air tanks and spacer to the air tank assembly so that the ‘L’ shaped pipes point to (P31)
9.
Glue the entire assembly between the two bogies so that it spaced evenly
Assembled air tanks and air tank cradle assemblies
Air tank with added pipework
Completed air tanks and cradle
Air tanks and cradle in position
Final assembly:
1.
Using the clear styrene fit the cab windows
2.
Lightly file the sides of the original Life Like cab weight (P35) to allow it to fit inside the Y class cab
3.
Glue the cab roof (P7) into place ensuring the 2 lift rings face towards the cab end
4.
2mm in from each end of the chassis is a hole that a Microtrains 1015 coupler is screwed to. Use a 0.8mm drill bit to
enlarge the hole if need be. It may take a bit of twisting and turning to get the coupler into position or you can file a very
small amount on each side and the bottom of the coupler pocket to allow the unit to slide in from the front.
Painting:
The whole etch needs to be cleaned before priming and final colour application. All excess solder should be minimised. There are
several ways of cleaning brass but to bathe the brass in warmed Vinegar for 20 minutes is recommended, then wash with fresh
water and then air dry before applying an etch primer. Some people skip the priming stage if they are using water-based acrylics.
Recommended colours - Steam Era diesel blue: Cab roof, loco, exhaust stack depending on the era. Black: Underframe.
Silver: exhaust stack depending on the era. Red: Horns trumpet end depending on the era. Weathering: is up to the builder to
decide upon.
Decals:
The chevrons and stripes are the highest quality decals on the market and have been especially screen printed for Spirit Design to
match Steam Era Diesel Yellow. Also, they feature a unique border fractionally wider than the artwork work. This means you can
cut away from the decal and when soaking off, only the artwork with the small clear border will come away. No more having to trim
as close as possible as the special mask does this for you.
The paper number plates are best trimmed as close as possible to their respective white edges and applied to the loco using
Microscale clear water-based topcoats as this acts as a glue as well as allowing you to put a water-based topcoat over an existing
enamel or water-based VR Royal Blue.
