RNAD Crew Van: Bogies

So while I wait for the next deliver of 3D printed parts to arrive so I can carry on with my wood painting experiments, I thought I'd make a start on the Narrow Planet kit for a RNAD Crew Van that I've had sitting around for over a month now. So far I've built the two bogies.

The moulded bogies are Parkside Dundas items (you can tell because the full kits and instructions are included even though you don't need anything but the bogie frames) trimmed down and tided up a little. There was a stretcher between the axle boxes that I've removed plus they have been shortened by removing a little from both ends. Rather than using the plastic brake details from the original bogie kit, some really nice etched parts are used to give a much finer appearance. The last step is to added the steps to one of the bogies.

Since taking the photo, I've realized that the plastic bogies are not entirely symmetrical in that the mounting hole isn't central along the length of the bogie. I'd managed to glue the steps on giving the longer side to the outer edge which would have stuck out from the end wall of the van. I've swapped the steps to the other end as well as removing a little more plastic to try and even things up, but there looks as if there should be plenty of clearance between the two bogies.

The next step, according to the detailed instructions, is the underframe.