Hi All

I’ll get back to the oddball DMU in the next entry but this time (and still related) I have been looking at gangways.  The ones Bachmann supply with their first gen’ DMU’s are quite nice and correctly feature the double scissors that most DMU’s carry.  However it doesnt really matter how nice they are if there is still a gap between them.

The easiest way to fix this is to use something like these (or make your own) and while not super accurate, lets face it no one is going to notice anyway!  However I have for a long time been a fan of the Masokits gangway (see here for Masokits) which while perhaps a bit OTT and a bit tricky to build are well worth having a go at.

Basically it still works the same way, essentially folded paper but surrounded by etched ends and that all important scissors framework.  The etchy bits when assembled look like this.

There are some extra brackets in the kit (which i left off) and it also caters for different types (GWR or LMS).  You can even lock them together as per the prototype if you want too!  I pretty much followed the instructions with one deviation.  The instructions suggest soldering the backs of the pins with a oiled Rizzla (other makes are avialable) paper acting as a barrier.  I chose to solder the pin to the outer arm and crimp it when assembled to old it all together.  In reality the paper pushes the arms outwards keeping everything in place anyway.

One painted (carefully!) the paper is folded up and popped into place and a small peice of crepe paper (supplied in the kit) is glued over the top to represent the tarpauling.  (you could easily add this to the ones mentioned earlier to improve them if you wanted too.)

The finished result on a class 108 DMU.  I only fit one as the exhausts tend to interfere with them working.  A light dusting of weathering is all thats needed.   As I said at the start, no one is going to notice anyway but thats not the point!