Lima class 31 refurb for 2021.

It's been sitting on the shelf for a couple of months now and seeing that the station building for New Road is doing my head in, time for an interlude.

Bring out the Lima Class 31.

As it is, from the box.

so, we have stripped her. Getting the glass out was easy enough.

I scrubbed the 'cant' rail off. To be honest, I used some of Delux Materials Strip magic, now this stuff has worked before but on this Lima model, nothing, not even a slight peeling effect, nope, nothing.

Washing this stuff off and applying a few coats of Isopyl Alchohol it removed the surface coat. The picture above is the result. Good enough for a coat of Halfords etch primer. I didn't worry to much about removing the decals as they will be re-attached in the same place. ( etch, I hear you cry, on plastic, yes, it's fine). You will notice the new fan grill, bought off eBay, fits perfectly.

The fronts needed some more work.

We have, drilled holes for headcode ( that's the Domino style) lights and tail lights. I carved off the front moulded on lamp iron and made some better looking ones from plastikard strip. I also carved off the moulded on handrails and made some new ones from 0.4mm nickel silver wire. The handrail above her nose wasn't even represented so we have added that as well. We also added the Two metal plates either side of her nose, most of the class seem to have these. Does anyone know what these are or what they are for.

She's now in her primer coat.

looking good, honey.

We are going to have to paint some yellow, I hate spraying yellow.

If I can get this done during the week. Hopefully we can put her back together next weekend. She might even look something like this.