Oh Linda...

Whilst many of you will have a Bachmann 009 model of Linda with a tender I expect there won't be many out there quite like this, let me introduce to you my first Ffestiniog love, Linda, as she ran on the line in 1963...

You can of course see the heritage of the model - the Bachmann Linda in late Penrhyn condition and a Peco/Kato 'England' tender - whilst the latter has been repainted the locomotive has only needed patch painting and weathering to achieve the finish shown here - the whole project has been a great deal of fun, and a lovely toe dipping exercise, back into 009 more seriously for the first time in many years.

Linda required modification on arrival, as she did in 1962! The back sheet was removed, the top edge of under the roof cut roughly and then refined to shape. In the cab the reverser was moved to the left to fill the space freed up by removing the coal bunker. The sanding actuator was switched to the left side too, and flipped vertically (as was the prototypes). The hole on the right being filled and touched in with paint. The reverser control lever was also moved to the left side - this needed carefully cutting apart and re-gluing the other way around so it would work in it's new position. The vacuum brake hose on the front is from the Kato/Peco 'England' that donated it's tender, the exhauster and vac brake pipe added along the left hand side and painted to match. On the right the injector pipework has been modified to reflect Linda in 1963. Partially using the original Bachmann moulding and part scratchbuit this looks the part - capturing the different look quite nicely.

 

The rear coupling was removed and replaced with a bar to allow a tender to be fitted - the front coupling was also shortened at this point. The tender was stripped down to the basics and a new interior built with coal, oil drum and bucket as per photos in 1962. The vac brake pipe was added to the left side, and the tender brakes removed. Painted in satin black it's a neat match in finish to Linda and the combination works well.

 

Plates (supplied with the model) fitted and I used a gloss lacquer to give some real sheen to Linda's paintwork as if she'd been polished up - and this was then cut back with satin on the sides and matt on the top. Finally a dusting of airbrushed dirt down the top of the tank finished things off and toned the finish together nicely.

Click on this image to open the video in YouTube (https://youtu.be/pKIt24y986M) 

Linda is just one item I've been putting together for a new project and I have made this short video overview of the project so far, if you've got a spare ten minutes grab a coffee and enjoy. What comes next will be interesting, approaching 009 with the finesse I've practiced in N and presenting the result in a cameo feels like a good experiment and something I can't wait to share with you all. Until next time, more soon...

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