My conversion of a Hornby Railroad 'Flying Scotsman' to classmate 'Centenary' is now good-as finished, so it's time for a couple of photos...

I'm surprised how well even the cheaper Hornby offering scrubs up with just a little work. Most of alteration of course concerned the tender, which needed an entire new body (which could only be sourced in a dark navy blue clour and thus needed repainting). The coal rails I eventually added by folding some brass wire to shape, and then gluing onto plastic sheet backing pieces. I'm not entirely happy with this dodge but wit a bit of judicious weathering I can imagine it'll blend in.

On the loco itself the existing lining (that would be....none, then) was covered over with HMRS pressfix lining. This works particularly well on the boiler bands and sets the cab off nicely. I had to repaint the entire loco to match with the tender. Not an entirely perfect job I admit but in this instance it works well because it gives the whole engine the slightly careworn appearance it would rapidly gain in service.

For a weeks' evenings' worth of work I'm very happy with this- and next year I'll be doing a similar job on a Railroad 'Falcon'.