dunnyrail said:
Those Grills and Side Windows are not too difficult to get rid of, even loosing a couple of the doors. I ground them off with a Mini Grinder to just below the main body work then filled the resultant mess of bodging (after cleaning up) with Car Body Filler. When cleaned up and smoothed with Wet and Dry you can hardly notice where they were. I made mine 218 look a bit like a Bulgarian Class 76 or 76. Here is what I turned it into (a 750mm Gauge NG loco).
[As you can see I have made a few changes - and I had no difficulties getting the windows out. Good luck with your conversion and please post some pics when you have finished.
JonD
I've removed three of the "mesh" style grilles from the lower body sides with no problem - mainly because that is where the operators name will go. It's one of the ventillators with the louvres fitted which is the problem - just a case of filling and rubbing down, as you say.
The headlights are being changed as well, losing the mounting moulding from the front panel and going to one lower headlight on each side, though the roof mounted one is being changed to a double light. New front end handrails are to be fitted as well.
All being well the finished item will look sufficeintly different to an "off the shelf" DB one and more "narrow gauge" in its blue, grey and white livery.
Will post a thread about it once I start getting somewhere with the conversion!
Am concentrating on getting some buildings constructed for the garden at the moment.