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1. The kit as it comes out of the pack: 
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2. Firstly, let's consider an example of the real thing
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3. The nose just doesn't look right, the buffer area is wrong 
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4. But nothing that a splodge of solder, pliers and filing can't cure
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5. Chassis motorised with two Bullant motor bogies. All wheels driven and all-wheel pickup. The parts of the chassis etching that sit under the cab at each end have been cut off and soldered into the body itself. This stiffens the nose area and makes fitting/removing the body easier.
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6. Although there is still a lot of fitting-out and all the painting to do, D600 Active has now left the slipway... The oval buffers and shank cowlings come courtesty of a donor Tri-ang class 31 A1A. I didn't like the etched roof vents included in the kit, they look too coarse. Therefore vents from the 3SMR "Diesel Details" brass stamping sheet have been used instead. 
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7.
Although still a bit on the light side, she runs smoothly with a pleasing dual motor tone.
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8.
Without castings, bogie sideframes were always going to be a challenge. Scratchbuilding was the only answer; the main shape built from a layers of shaped sheet plastikard sections, microstrip for the beading, and the axle covers and springs cut from scrap BTTB diesel bogie sideframes and very labouriously filed to shape.
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