Percy Face-ectomy

[vsmith]

 Some scale pics:

The Avonside next to an LGB Porter

With various figures

the figures are left to right, 1/22.5 in the cab, 1/24 on the side, and 1/20.3 on the front

Homer seems to have found a new ride.

 

[vsmith]

I am happy to report that Percy has successfully been surgically removed and a decent looking Avonside 0-4-0 ST was found inside:

Next up,...

Oh Thomas!!!!

[vsmith]

Footplate work continued:

Backhead completed:

Test fit:

Coal bunker mocked up

Backhead painted

in place

[vsmith]

few more pics, starting to take shape:

 

 

 

[IRB Souther Engineer]

Very nice job Doctor!  I would like to see an LED in the single lantern on the front of the engine (if it doesn't already have one) 

[vsmith]

Solving the Footplate issue, first step cut out the plastic with a Dremel tool:


You can see some of the clearance issues with the motor and I suspect the uslessly high clearane in the cab was to accomdate battery RC installs inside the shell.

Heres without the cab

[vsmith]

I guess there are some who building-wise would call me Dr Kill on a Dare

I'm now looking to solve Percy's "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" namely everytime I look at the cabs blocked up innards I get sick to my stomach. So last night out came the drills and dremel saw....more as I get farther along

[ttrigg]

[vsmith]

I'm actually quite fond of the "red striped catapiller" paint scheme.

We'll see as it evolves how much extra detailing and weathering I add to it. I'm far from finished with this, I need to hack out the stupid 1/3 cab interior and build a full cab interior. I dug out some old books on Britty engines I had and now have a reference to use building a new backhead. I also need to make a new nameplate for this engine, I like "Bright Star" so far, after the poem by John Keats. Somewhere during the next year Thomas ( to renamed "Tolkien") will get the same treatment.

[tbdanny]

It looks great - almost as if it came like that from the factory.

Just wondering, are you going to repaint it at all?  If you're trying to prevent it looking like the original, you may like to do something about the 'caterpillar' paint job.

 

[vsmith]

 

Gloss paint applied to match existing, all reassembled, coupler adaptors added

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!

 

 

[dwbeckett]

Doctor Vic, You are the PLASTIC SURGEN!!

Dave

[vsmith]

Hello Percy

Nevermind those men with hyperdermic needles

Body removes with 4 screws easily accessable from under holding the cab down, and 4 holding down the boiler

Percy after anesthesia

Percy after facial removal

this was very very easy, just press on the sides and it will pop off,

Side view showing tabs that hold faceplate to body

New smokebox face

Sheet black styrene & a spare wheel, I actually traced the diameter directly from the boiler

Smokebox in place

just simply ACC in place

Painted

Percy on the autopsy slab

This was a seriously EASY project completed in literally ONE evening
just waiting for the paint to dry then will add a gloss coat to match body gloss for now.

Already cannot wait to get my paws on Thomas!