Tarting up Sir Edward Elgar

A few years ago, I picked up a Hornby green class 50 with aftermarket sound. 50 007, Sir Edward Elgar, was fitted with Olivia's Trains' sound, and was in generally good nick, apart from a little of the orange lining rubbing off.

This particular model was a limited edition version with red name and number plates, representing 50 007 as preserved. I was not at all happy with the Olivia's sounds, so the decoder was reblown and fitted into something else completely different, and a Lenz Standard+ decoder was fitted in its place. I decided that I would order Fox Transfers lining transfers and etched nameplates with black backgrounds to put Sir Edward back into service as she/he was in active BR service before preservation.

The original Hornby lining was scraped off with a wooden lolly stick and a little water - this doesn't mark the original paint finish or the plastic of the model's body. The new lining transfers slid easily into place, apart from trimming one side slightly to shorten it, and the etched plates were trimmed easily off their frets with a sharp pair of scissors. A little PVA-type glue smeared lightly on the backs of the etched components allowed them to sit perfectly over the printed plates, BR arrows, and crests.

For the next step, I will varnish the sides to preserve the transfers and also seal the edges of the etched components, but it is best to leave them to dry out thoroughly first. Here are a couple of photos to show the results so far - sorry one is a little blurry because I can't take the camera any further back from that side.

 

As far as hearing it goes, I removed the Olivia's sound, but another Hornby 50 I own, 50 035 Ark Royal, has Howes' sounds in it, and sound rather nice with a decent speaker fitted. That also has etched name plates and crests fitted.

I find it a little ironical that I buy these locomotive models with almost silent mechanisms than fit sound to make them noisy!

 

Yes; Ark Royal is in large logo blue. Here she is with 50 045, Achilles, in NSE livery (with Hornby's incorrect grey overpainted in a darker shade).

Only 50 035 has sound fitted.