This is an article about how I took my EBAY caboose that I bought for the princely sum of £5 and then did, as they call it in the business, a make over to bring it up to a standard to run on The Hagley Railroad.

This was how the caboose arrived looking a bit sorry for its self.

I then had a look around my railway bits but this turned up nothing of any real use and then I spotted and old Toy Train caboose that I picked up second hand ages ago and then did nothing with. So this became the donor vehicle.

So I stripped my Santa Fe caboose right down and started to look at what parts could be used from the Toy Train caboose.

I then had a look at the wheels sets and decided that an old pair of Aristocraft metal ones that were left over from another project would fit the bill on this and help with the running so they where fitted.

The guard rails where next and these where taken whole from the Toy Train caboose and glued in place on there new home.

The main body was not in any real need of work but I did put a new chimney on to fill up a hole on the roof.

It was then on to the small raised roof section. This had a large whole in it that was put their by a former owner and did not really know what to do with this at first. But after looking around and thinking, not something I am famed for, I came across the idea for a roof vent type of thing, see I told you thinking to much was not for me. I used a foot from an old LGB track cleaning accessory that never got fitted. This fitted just right.

The make over was nearing completion now so it was one more chance just to tidy up some of the dings and nicks the whole thing had picked up and then to get ready to reassemble everything.

Once it was all placed back together it was then off on to the railway where it ran like a dream and has been in regular use ever since.

I hope this article has shown that with a little skill, and in my case I do mean a little, you can renovate any tired old piece of rolling stock and give it a new lease of life.

Jason Palmer. 2005.