Brigadelok in 009: tank top detailing...

The Minitrains Brigadelok is really finely detailed and moulded, truly a remarkable narrow gauge model for the price. I see it as a wonderful blank canvas to model these distinctive and individual locomotives...

First up the printed works plates have been removed and will not be replaced. Very few post-war locomotives seem to have retained these from photos I've found. They very easily scraped off with a sharp chisel type blade.

I have decided to add a few details to my locomotive as well as basic things. The long pole aside the sand domes, I'm told is used to both shunting an re-railing. It's a section of plastic rod with brass brackets formed from scrap etch fret. The turbo generator (RT Models) has had it's exhaust (0.7mm brass rod) added. I have placed a jack and tool box roughly in position, I also have a jerry can I intend to add to the tank top on the drivers side.

On the fireman's side I've removed the rivet detail from the coal bunker area and also the line in front of this, and will replace that with a line of Archers resin rivet transfer of a tighter spacing. I also need to add a section to the base of the cab as the curve cut out should not be as far back as it is portrayed. The coal bunker has been started with a section of plastic microstrip to allow me to begin to visualise the proportions. So far I'm pretty happy and it's beginning to come to life... More soon...