A selection of Bachmann wagons have had Smiths instanter couplings fitted today, to beef-up my selection of transition era stock for shunting plank operations. Some of these need regular three-links, but I'm out of those until the shops open after the holidays. If truth be told, that china clay wagon isn't a particular fine model, but it was kicking around doing nothing so what the heck.
As it's an end-of-rake vehicle, the brake van has an instanter on one end and a Kadee #18 on the other. I configure most of my brake vans this way, because the Kadee enables easier coupling of locomotives to the train, without all of the b*gg*ring about associated with the instanters. A screw coupling would have been a better match for this vehicle, but I've never found any that I'm entirely happy with. I can always take the instanter off and replace it, anyway, and in the interim it doesn't look too bad.
Also on the workbench at the moment is a selection of Bachmann Warships. I've got them in bits while I decide upon the best way to fit lights. Considering it's age and heritage, the Warship is a pretty good model. It has some anomalies in the shape of the cab and windows, plus various detail errors, but it's far more accurate than most of Bachmann's more recent releases. It also put's Heljan's more expensive Western in the shade, as far as I'm concerned.
Currently On My Stereo: Ozric Tentacles - Curious Corn