Well, here we are with the kit out of the box and a few steps taken to familiarise ourselves with the contents. So far, lots of brass bits and so on, plus the Ultrascale wheels (after months of waiting, of course). The plan is to build the body onto the Finecast chassis which, of course, is designed to fit an entirely different kit. Why not build the Finecast kit, then? I just like building in brass as it gives me those nice fine edges to cabs and tenders and so on.

So, initial observations? I built up the chassis to a framework to get the hornblocks and so on in the right place, then a rudimentary assembly of the footplate to check it fits. It doesn’t, so that will be my next post; modifications needed to make it fit and so on with some pictures to show what’s needed. Right now it’s late and I am on my second Martini, so please be patient...

During the second Martini phase of the build is an ideal time to peer at photographs and check out the details in the Swift book (you need books if you are going to do this by Martini stages). Rugby was one of the second batches built, with the angled bogie frames and flush headed rivets to the front of the frames. Dammit! I’d poked out all of the rivets in the chassis kit! Salvation is at hand when we discover that the frame extensions in the kit clash with the frame extensions of the chassis. Simple - remove the chassis frame extensions. The ‘join’ sits neatly behind the cylinder blocks so, as Eric would say ‘you can’t see the join’. Good so far. But wait! The footplate supports are different. Another Martini methinks. Back soon...