So this is as much an experiment in blogging as it is in describing a new kit build. With the former I feel very much like a fish out of water for the latter .... let's just say "well here we go again".

Last weekend I attended my first Manchester show - in fact the first time I had been to Manchester. The show was most enjoyable and entertaining but I'll reserve judgment on the city. Some stunning layouts there with my top 3 being Crumley & Littlewickhill, Blackmill and Harlyn Road. But that should not be taken as a reflection on the rest, as the standard overall was one of quality. Travelling all the way up from the south, I was expecting to see many layouts not normally seen in southern shows - I was not disappointed but a little surprised to see that some of the southern layout favourites in attendance.

The trade was quite good but was a bit disappointing in one area - which I will come back on later.

So what is this all about?

Well a certain well know trader (known to occasionally post on RMWeb) had on display the finished product of a "new" kit and with little (actually very little) persuasion he managed to get me to open the box while he took my money. I did try a token resistance and walked away 3 times but as I am a bit of a push over when swapping brass for gold, I succumbed and came away with this ...

OK so what?

Well I had to open it just to get the instructions out. So this is what it looks like inside (after removing them).

As usual, it looks rather spartan in there ... a big solid box protecting a small amount of brass and lots of fiddly bits ... and of course no wheels, motor, gearbox, paint, transfers, buffers.

Which brings me back to the trade at the show .... not quite everything the modeler needs ...

So the first thing I now need to do is order in the missing bits:

wheels - sorry Martin it is not going to be EM (despite your encouragement at the show) this remains one for OO track - probably to run on Noquay. (have now been ordered from Alan Gibson)

buffers - now a little gripe here ... I can understand why kits do not come with wheels (it is a gauge thing) and I can just understand the motor/gearbox combination (some folk like their locos to run faster than a speeding bullet) BUT buffers !?!?! (have now been ordered from Alan Gibson)

motor/gearbox - one of the fine examples from High Level when I can figure out which one and most importantly calculate the gearing to drop the top speed to a prototypical maximum.

paint and transfers - can wait

So now to sit down and read the instructions ... again

... and of course admire the brass ...