The correct gears arrived and so with a fully assembled and tested gearbox I have been able to push ahead. Soldering needs a bit of a clean up, but thats the chassis built up and running smoothly. Driving the front wheelset means I can have a compensation beam at the rear. The kit suggests driving the centre axle, since driving the front axle would mean losing the view through under the boiler. However by using a roadrunner box and an extender with a narrow motor I was able to get the motor right up into the boiler and the drive goes down behind the front splashers. The slot in the bottom of the boiler is only 9mm wide and cannot really be seen from normal viewing angles.

A pic with it paired up to the tender. The mini connectors are from Express Models. I didn’t want slop in the little end bearing causing fouling with the leading crankpin so I soldered a Gibson crankpin screw through the rod from the rear and so the piston rod runs on a steel crankpin bush to help keep it in line.

A view from below. I managed to get a bit of weight in there and a fair bit in the smokebox and firebox areas. AJs are on small copperclad pads, removable if they ever need repaired.

A side view. It all runs well, I am happy with the solution for the motor/gearbox allowing a view through the whole thing.

Some primer and filler, then off to the paintshop.