As is usually the case, now that CIMA has restarted my modelling output has disappeared. Thankfully this is the last one, and in a months time it will all be over.

This evenings plans to sit and watch the Arsenal, quickly lost their attraction after yet another dismal performance. So I figured dig out something to work on.

My first thoughts were to finish off 3863, only to realise that I had forgotten to buy the washers needed to modify the con rods. This will now have to wait until I next send off a Gibson order, so its going to be a while (hopefully their wheels for the Dean Goods are pre drilled, else its going to be a long wait!)

Rather than start soldering on either the Dean or Collett goods, I figured that I would try and get my Bachmann 4575 finished.

As previously blogged, this is a conversion of the Bachmann model, with widened frames and Mitchell conrods / pony trucks.

It had previously refused to run properly, so today I stripped it down completely removing all of the crank pins. each was then refitted, correcting the original poor alignment where necessary. Before gluing into position

I then fitted the new rods, and on test running (with no motor fitted so it could free wheel), it now runs perfectly. The next step is to get the rod fitted between the cylinder and the centre axle.

Typically one side has been accidently fitted with the wrong size crank pin so that will need rectifying, then I need to sort out the clearance issue between the crosshead and the lead axle. The first attempt will be recessing the nut, after which I am not sure. (beginning to wish that I had not rushed to remove the original rod which being much thinner would have been a lot easier.)

Given this is the problem that is also holding up my mogul, I really need to get on top of it else its going to be a layout with a lot of 0-6-0s and not a lot else!