I decided I should actually start cutting metal. The first jobs where to sort out the chassis, for the loco and tender.

I started with the tender inner chassis as there is not one. I made up some strips of 020" brass 25mm wide as spacers. I am going to compensate the front two axles. The chassis sides were cut from the same material, and soldered together. I covered one side in indellable pen to make marking out easy. It was then cut out with the piercing saw. The holes fore the brake gear pivot beam and rear axle were all drilled. The front bearings will have a piece of angle soldered to the frame to stop them rotating. I cut to length and folded 3 spacers from the strip prepared earlier. I made the frames 0.5mm low so I can adjust the ride hieght with a sheet of plasticard to insulate it from the body. I still need to shorten the front of chassis sides, but need to assemble some of the tender to get the dimensions right.

The chassis for the loco is supposed to be assembled with round brass bar spacers I am not keen on these so I cut and fold some from my previously cut strip.

I bolted the to sides together using the holes for the original spacers. Then marked out for slaters plastic horn guides. I have left the rear one for now as I want to compensate not spring, but I need to find out where the cast wheels are insulated first. If it is in the axle as it looks I will have to cut out the rear aswell and spring them rather than compensate. I will have to think about building the bogie with insulated spacers if my fear about the wheels is right. The pony will be OK as that has a Slaters but I do need to think about springing and the centralising of it.

I have asked elsewhere on here about America Pickups, but I am still unsure of how I will do it as yet, mainly cos I have been given far to many good ideas.