I'm currently doing a Crosti 9F for someone and thought it would be good to blog the build. It's my first go with a resin kit too.

Firstly thanks to Chris at Golden Arrow for his persitance getting a kit to me through the Royal Mail, hope you can use the second kit sent (received broken - thanks postie!) somehow ....

I thought I'd start with the tender to easy myself in. Castings cleaned up easily, one or two air bubbles to fill with Humbrol Model Filler but nothing too onerous. For those unfamiliar with the kit there is a one piece tender moulding and two sprues with various components to make the various versions (BR1B/C/D/E/K). Parts are identified as follows:

A = Coal Seperator

B = Coal Pusher

C = Coal Pusher operating mech

D = BR Briquette water softening cover

E = TIA water softening tank top

F = tender chassis blanking plate

G = Fall Plate

As I'm just doing a BR1B parts A and G were added, holes drilled for the Hornby rear ladder from the donor loco gives me

Note large hole in the coal space, this is because I'm using a MkI "silver seal" tender drive that is higher than the later plastic fantastic version. I'll cling film the hole when it comes to time for coaling up. Only other modification needed is the large tender weight from this drive had to be trimmed down, presumably the resin body is thicker on top than the Hornby one as I did not have this problem with the Crosti that runs on Summat Colliery.