No update since early April - because I've been a good boy and followed my doctors advice... A very bad recurring bladder infection (they started to run out of antibiotics that would work - worrying) triggered by out-of-control diabetes (I'm now on insulin) has led to four months government sponsored model-making leave . Because of the insulin I've had to stop my driving job (temporarily I hope) so I'm on Statutory Sick Pay until the end of August... Very seriously my doc said to do absolutely nothing for the first month - and I must say I heartily agreed with him! I'll admit I did some work - followers of my FB page mentioned in the first post on this series will see that it was 'real rails' related!

Anyway, on with the quarry loco. I decided to ease myself back in gently by continuing with the 'below the footplate' stuff. Chris's kits are about as close to 'shake the box' as you can get in etches, but this ain't no 'King'. The parts are so b...y small! Tonight I fettled the motion bracket/slide bar and cylinder block assembly. Anyone making the kit should ease any holes etc BEFORE removing them from the etch - and note that when it refers to '1.6mm holes' they are actually in part 92, not 90! A mistake of my own making was the easing of the holes in the cylinder block to accept 14BA screws. NOT 10BA as I did.... Bodge coming up...

Front view of the assembly and

Regards to all

Ian