Ok, so here we have some kind of progress...

First up, the boiler, rolled using one of George Watts contraptions. This is only my opinion, but for forming boilers, even those that profess to be pre-rolled (no doubt by the same senorita for whose thighs Bizet was obsessed), stop mucking about and buy one. Even I can make them round, so you have no excuses...

Note the ring of unpressed rivets inside the smokebox. These appeared on rebuilds some time after the period in which I am presenting the model, so have not been addressed. Once in BR times, these should be pressed out, but check your individual locomotive for the dates.

I will go into more detail as the boiler evolves in a separate chapter.

Now we have the chassis (plural) in comparison. The assembled one is the Finecast effort, that ‘in the flat’ is the PDK one. I know which I prefer. The PDK does come with a handy selection of valve gear bits that count as spares, so may come in handy later if you go to the Finecast one and get into trouble, though I would be wary of combining two different sets of geometry. I am sure one can make a sound chassis with the PDK effort - it just looked a bit dull to me.

The basic premise is that the driven wheel is the rear driver, while the front driver is balanced against the bogie by an internal beam - so it's really an equalized 0-6-0 chassis, making the 'difficult' 4-4-0 rumours go away...

Sharp-eyed readers will have noticed that the bogie frames are parallel and not angled, as originally built. I will admit to being rather fuzzy about this, but my chosen period for 'Rugby' is the 'early 1930s' (which means I prefer the earlier serif script livery with the number on the tender). 'Sometime' (considered to be 'early 1930s') these bogies had new frames with the parallel lower edge fitted, along with coil springs (which Finecast supplies in the kit). I could still opt to file them to shape and fit leaf springs, making sure of a late '20s/very early '30s condition...

I will go into more detail as the chassis/brakes/motor evolve in a separate chapter.

And finally, the footplate, not altogether clear, but the front frame extensions (no rivets marked in the PDK kit) are held in by a makeshift clamp. It is the frame extensions of the Finecast chassis that have to go. If you are building a later batch that featured snap-head rivets at the front, you will need to transfer the marks and either press (buy George’s tool while you are ordering his roller) these out or drill and fit wire dummies. Up to you. Rugby was flush riveted here, so no work to be done.

My next post will go into how I made the Finecast chassis actually fit the PDK superstructure...

That’s it for now. Another Martini (from the ‘Lord Charles school of kitbuilding’, I suspect) beckons...