RNAD Crew Van: Underframe

So having assembled the bogies for the RNAD crew van, the next step according to the instructions is to build the underframe. Following what seems to be a pattern in my OO9 modelling, the van contains a 3D printed part which includes the underframe and seats. Completing the underframe involves adding just three etched parts; two seat ends and a brake wheel. Amazingly, given the small number of parts, this actually turned out to be a quite confusing and protracted task.

Firstly I spent ages trying to figure out how the seat ends were positioned and even ended up gluing one wrongly in place before I had it all figured out. I had assumed that the L shaped part was the arm rest and wing of the seat, rather than the arm rest and the side of the leg. If I'd looked at the later parts which contain the other end of each seat it would have been obvious. Once I'd figured out the seat ends I then went to glue the brake wheel in place.

The instructions seem to suggest that the wheel should slide over the top of the spindle and go so far as to say "to strengthen the join you can also touch the tip of the spindle with a soldering iron to melt it flat against the wheel". Unfortunately the spindle is much too wide for the hole in the etched wheel. To try and make sure I didn't weaken either part too much, I slightly filed down the spindle and slightly opened up the hole in the wheel until it was a nice push fit.

It's also worth pointing out that the edges of the 3D printed part that form the sole bar are very fragile. After I took this photo I managed to damage them on two corners while trying to fit the body. While the material that the body is printed from actually glues well I couldn't find the broken off pieces. In the end I ended up cleaning up the broken area, gluing a small piece of plastruct in place and then filing it flush against the part. Once painted this should be completely invisible.