As usual I start with the tender. This is the 3000 gal variant - and thanks to CraigW on ths site I now have a very nice image of the loco & tender. Coupled with the images & drawing in 'Russell' and kind contributions from other lists (GWRSG & GWR- E-list) I now have quite an amount of information! The one thouht that occurs to me is - when a loco went to Swindon for (say) a heavy overhaul - did she come out with the same tender? seems inconceivable that the tender would sit around (sometimes for several months)... Anyway, thanks to Craig I have photo evidence bang on period!

This shows a 3000 gal tender fitted with tie bars rather than tie-rods - so on with the chassis..

This is a Finney kit - just follow the instructions! Okay, I didn't... Section 1 'fold up the side frames, then impress the rivet detail'

'Ahh - if I do that I won't get the rivetting tool in'. So I did the first side rivets first - and spent some time 'tweaking out' the inevitable distortion. It then occurred to me that the setting of my rivetting tool (basically an M6 rod with a hardened tip and adjustable nuts controlling the travel of the slug could be adjusted! The other sideframe followed the instructions to the letter - bingo! No distortion.

So after 4.5 hours work -

Work stopped when I hit a slight snag - a missing part. Or rather a missing fret... At 11.00pm I guessed it would be politic to drop Mr Finney an e-mail rather than 'phoning him! Shouldn't delay the buid too much - I need the wheels next to set up the chassis.

Having said I would follow the instructions, there is one 'mod' I am considering... The side frames are 'temporarily' located by 10BA bolts passed through the holes visibll in the plan view. I'm thinking about making that arrangement permanent, allowing an element of disassembly. It will depend on other construction elements yet to come!

Hopefully I can make some progress tommorrow, as the tender body is not dependent on competion of the chasis. However with three of us involved in hospital visits tommorrow, time may be somewhat short!

Regs

Ian