I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback. :-)

Hi. I used four spare 2 EPB bodies left over from the original blue ones that Bachmann had got the numbers the wrong way round, so they sent out replacement bodies correctly numbered, leaving the old ones sitting on a shelf. I had originally pre-ordered two of the blue sets instead of one, by accident. I detailed the process on RMweb, starting on 4th August 2023 (link here www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/27719-srmans-current-layout-newton-broadway/?do=findComment&comment=5243903), and continued from today (22nd June 2024). Essentially, I have made the centre car bodies by joining the non-driving ends from two bodies to form one centre coach. One of the bodies was from the existing, operating 2 EPB, the other from one of the spares. The kinematic coupling mechanism and trailing bogies came from Bachmann spares. The unit is double-powered, although I know each motor bogie is quite capable of moving a four car unit on its own. Using a HAP motor coach would be just as viable, but you would still need to remove one periscope. The HAP driving trailers may prove more problematic in getting enough plain compartments (no toilet compartment). The Blood & Custard site has proved useful to me on numerous occasions.

@@jeffreylynn135 Jeff, I know many who have found the incorrect 2 EPB bodies useful - well done! Thank you for the link which I will read in due course... When using a 2 HAP motorcoach in a 4 EPB, simply set the 2 HAP DTC aside for conversion into a 2 HAP Phase 1 Batch 1 unit with the DTC married up to a 2 EPB motorcoach. The DTC roof with roof-trunking can come from a 2H DTC - either from Bachmann spares else 2H units nos.1119-1122 which did not have roof trunking (excluding the number swap with 1108). Obviously there is some work needed on items such as the roof-end jumper boxes and (as you correctly observe) the periscopes. Hopefully you will have noticed 4 EPB unit nos.5301-5320 were equipped with express gear ratios (this additionally alleviated the requirement that (when mixed with 75mph units) at least half the train must had been formed with 90mph units. Pleased you find BloodandCustard useful - it is very time consuming and I don't know exactly how I managed before retirement!

@@ewhurstgreen I hadn't realised you were authoring Blood and Custard. It is an extremely useful resource. I was aware there are differences with the end connectors, but I'm not sure quite how far I'll go for accuracy on the 4 EPB. There are inevitable compromises to keep me sane! 😀

@@jeffreylynn135 Yes, it is my site and thank you for the compliment - I'm never sure how useful others find it. 👍 It was started to fill in the many gaps not covered elsewhere. Modelling is always a compromise and as long as you are content with the outcome, then that is all that really matters. Inevitably there are some details that can never spot-so and certain fine details can be overkill which risk any given model becoming a chore rather than joy. If Hornby had produced spare bodies for their Bulleid 'multidoor' stock I might have considered one of the two 4 EPB units with augmentation trailers - you'd need four bodies to produce one trailer..... Personally I've compromised on the roof-end jumper boxes and changed the bodies so the (batch 1) 2 HAP is left with the (incorrect) later boxes and the 4 EPB will have the (incorrect) earlier larger boxes. The alternative would have been a lot of fine work to the inner end of the DTC _(really difficult as my vision is degraded)._ 😟

Really useful - thanks to you both!