As both locos are almost ready for the paint shop I'll share some thoughts on the build.

My aims with this project were;

To build a 3' gauge Ruston,

To see how far I could go with detailing the A1 Models kit,

To build my own slow running compensated chassis,

To build a 48DS with the correct wheelbase with the right amount of daylight under the frames.

(The EM loco wasn't originally planned, I decided partway through that it wouldn't take much extra effort to build a second loco).

I'm happy that I've succeeded with the above although I still need to work on my metal forming.

This was also the first time that I've been out measuring and photographing the prototype before building, as there's no published drawings of the n.g. version this was very necessary. And theres nothing like climbing on the real thing to get a feel of a loco. Theres still a couple of details that elude me, the bonnet top strip for example.

On the n.g. loco I've used the A1 kit more as a 'scratch aid' as the footplate and frames are scratch built and only the bonnet, cab and steps from the kit are used. This means that I have enough parts to build a wagon - some of these locos ended their days minus the cab and bonnet as flat wagons or weedkiller wagons (some 'preservation' groups are responsible for this!).

The A1 kit does scale pretty well. But if you build the closed cab version note that the door handles are in the wrong place, they should be at the back of the door not at the front as etched. The buffer beams on standard gauge locos are made from steel channel, on the kit they are flat which doesn't look quite right. However I left mine flat as adding the top and bottom channel strips would a complete faff to add, well this time anyway. See my gallery for pics of the bufferbeams.

I do still have an Impetus 48DS to build (I'm saving it until my skills improve). Judith Edge are hopefully bringing a kit out as well, which I'll probably end up building as well if they do. You can't have too many Rustons...

Here's a pic of the n.g. loco;

I still need to find some sandbox lids (3mm dia., preferably etched) and I'm going to re-do the steps, which are glued to plastic spacers, as they stick out too far.

A couple of shots of the EM loco along side my first spud powered effort (note the different cab styles);

Note in the second shot the difference in wheelbase and the daylight under the new loco compared to the spud powered one.

Haulage notes.

Both locos weigh around 60 to 70 grams (I'm still working on adding more lead). I never expected either loco to haul much, I concentrated on slow smooth running over power hence the Mashima 1015 + flywheel when a 1020 could have fitted with one shaft cut off and no flywheel. As a bonus the flywheel adds usefull weight. And they do run slowly and smoothly! At least on my test track, which for EM is a bent old piece of C+L and for OOn3 is either a length of Peco or a circle of very crude (pressed 'n' section!) Berliner Bahnen trainset track.

I'm not sure how much the n.g. loco will pull as I've no stock built for it and no couplings on the loco (these will be fitted when I build some stock and have decided on a system).

The EM loco will pull 6 Slaters MR wagons (my only EM wagons are pre-grouping...) with relative ease and 8 with a bit of wheelslip. I'm hoping more weight will improve things further. However I'm happy with that, if I want to pull more wagons then I'll just use a bigger loco! A pic;

I do wonder how it would perform on a layout, something that I don't posses. Perhaps I should take it with me to exhibitions, surely someone wouldn't mind me using ther layout as a test track for 5 minutes?

Thanks again to Buffalo for advice on pick-ups and Ruston for info on 48DS's in general.