Update - Brimming with enthusiasm from the Expo (was it really a week ago that I was flying back?) and keen to try and avoid the usual summer recess of modelling, I decided to try and have a go at my first 2mm wagon etch chassis.

One thing that really struck me at the Expo, was not only the overall quality of the layouts and the trackwork, but how much the rolling stock makes a difference. Up until now I have been rewheeling my old N gauge stock (some of it 20 years plus) and while r-t-r standards have obviously improved enormously in that time, there is in comparison, a fineness and delicate quality to the etched chassis's available.

So, armed with Carr's paste and a hot iron, last night I started to assemble the chassis for the first of 18 clay hoods for the layout. Previously on RMWeb 3 I had sourced the Parkwood UCV kits and assembled one kit on the recommended Peco chassis. First job was to remove the chassis from the body...with disasterous results...meaning I am one body down

However, I have assembled most of the 2FS chassis now and considering my soldering is at best, hopeless, I think I can improve on the next one. The main problem I found was folding up the axleboxes in 3 layers...I might rethink this for the next one as I believe the cast white metal versions remain out of stock.

It does run 'sweet as' and the next job will be to build the body and attach to the chassis. The Parkwood kit comes with a buffer beam and although I wanted to remove this and use the chassis etched buffer beam it will involve too much modification of the kit ends as the steel ribs protrude, through the beam at one end.

A few pics of initial progress and overall I am pleased with my first etched chassis build - the comparison with the Peco chassis is I think, self evident...1 down...17 to go...

Parkwood UCV on Peco chassis...

2FS 9 foot chassis...

I am hoping the solder will clean up a little...

Pete