I think the battery tests have given me confidence to move on to making a second loco. Not sure exactly what yet, but ideas are forming from various photos of metre gauge stock. Back at the beginning of the project @NewFangledNonsense suggested a look at the Derby sulzers site. Well what struck my eye was an early single cab diesel hydraulic on this page.

https://www.derbysulzers.com/outremer.html

Quite modern looking for its 1954 build and fairly compact.

As ever a chassis is a good place to start. Earlier in the year I treated myself to a saw. One of these;

https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/27006.php

Makes turning thin brass sheet into loco making sizes much easier. Then some soldering.

A first assembly to make sure I have bogie clearances right. The electronics may be a bit of a squeeze but I will mock up the front hood and see what volume I have to play with.

I’m happy with that as a bit of progress. Miserable light and too cold for modelling this time of year combined with other things tend to slow me down.