With the Simplex almost finished and just needing some detail painting and couplings fitted I decided to something rather different. Reason behaind this one is that I have always wanted more road traffic on the layout but suitable models for the period are rather few and far between. Having learnt a leson for once about how long it takes to convert something after doing the bus and remembering my thoughts that it would have been easier to have started from scratch I did just that! Before I get carried away, I also chose this model as it will be very suitable for another project I have in mind but which is known to only a very select few at the moment in order to save the embaresment if nothing actually gets off the ground.

So a Foden steam wagon it is. I used as a starting point a drawing I managed to find on the internet and a Duncans white metal kit that I got a while ago. All the parts from this went into a bag and were transfered back to the box once replicated. I now have very few bits left. I used my tried and trusted but pretty basic methods of cutting the mostly nickel silver sheet by shearing off in bending bars. Where two or more identical parts were needed I soldered a sandwich of blanks together, then cut and filled it to shape, then seperating to get the identical bits. Various bits of brass tube and section were used. The only bits I have used from the kit are the wheels which I really don't think I could have done any better with. These would have been a prime candidate for 3d printing if only I could get the hang of CAD. So here is a pile of parts which took about two weeks of evenings to produce;

Another couple of weeks has got me to this stage - an almost complete model. I am particularly proud of the chimney which is my most adventurous bit of lathe work yet and only took about twenty minutes to do. A bit more detailing and a rear body to go but I do have another rather interesting surprise in mind but more of that next time.......