This is a kit for a Thomas Hill Steelman Royale 4 wheel diesel hydraulic loco. These were built for the MoD.

The kit is etched brass with resin detail parts and sits on a Black Beetle motor bogie (not supplied). You have to supply your own buffers (Gibson).

Prototype photos can be found in 'The Bicester Military Railway' (OPC).

Instructions consist of 3 pages of text, an assembly drawing, a page of detail photos and a parts list.

Construction starts with the platform. The frames and valances are soldered to the footplate, locating in half etch lines. Note these are handed.

The next stage is to solder on the valence ends, these have half etch lines in for the steps.

Bufferbeams are laminated from 4 layers and I clamped them together with a clothes peg and ran solder around the outside edge after punching out rivets on the inner layer.

The buffer beams are then soldered in place after cleaning up.