Stock Building

Well, I've been buying, now all I have to do is build it.

Partially completed, left over from the last time I was modelling, are a Churchward 45xx, and a 14xx on a Perseverance chassis, and complete (00) Mainline 57xx and 2251 Collett goods. eBay has provided me with another 14xx body and bits, eBay also provided me with another Airfix autocoach. I can now build both an A30 and an A28 version. At Warley from Dart Castings I collected a Frogmore AA3 brake van.

The 57xx has a acquired a chassis, 54:1 gearbox and motor from High Level and wheels and bits from Alan Gibson, who has also provided stuff that I can use to complete the partially completeds. I'm also using the re-engineered Dart Castings Autocoach Detailing kits,

From both Chris at High Level and Colin and Chris of Alan Gibson I ordered by phone in the afternoon and got the bits, complete and well packaged, the morning of the next day but one - and this was in the busy Christmas period.

First Impressions - instructions

Now this is out of the box stuff, and based on reading the instructions only.

• The High Level instructions are comprehensive and very well detailed, and uses real language. Seven A4 pages of how to, a parts list and etch identifying diagram and three pages of exploded diagrams of the build. By following the instructions I'm confident I can build this up.
  
• The Alan Gibson bits don't need much in the way of instructions, but what is provided is very sensible and straightforward. However a magnifying glass proved useful to read them.
  
• The Dart Castings material for the autocoach is three pages of instructions, a kit list and four pages of exploded diagrams. Reference is made to publications.
• The Frogmore kit of the AA3 brake van proves just how good the other instruction sets are by providing a contrast. Whilst all the basic assembly sequence is there the part identification and exploded diagram are not, There are photographs, but on my copy the ink was running out on the inkjet printer. An example of the basic nature of the instructions: "7) Fix end upright angle irons". I'm going to have some fun with this one!
  

First Impressions - Engineering

• High Level - I'm going to enjoy building this one. The thing about good engineering is that it's immediately recognisable. The etch is clean and I have no doubt it'll do what is says on the tin.
• Alan Gibson stuff is also well engineered. It will also do what is says on the tin.
• Dart Castings detailing kit is a vast improvement over the previous version that was not very well receive in MRJ9. It's going to be more of a challenge as I;m not sre like the Airfix underframe that much I may play with some alternatives.
• The Frogmore A3 van is etched from a single sheet of 0.3mm brass and is clean. It will be something more of a challenge because as I've mentioned the parts are not identified.

So to start

The instructions and other materials have been photocopied to A3 so that my ageing eyesight is not too stressed. And there's a week before I have get back to work.

And to continue

I'm using this blog as a record. I've decided that (because I can) I'll document and photograph the builds so that I'll be able to ask for help with stuff I find difficult and have a history to relate. This will be mistakes and all. Chris at High Level will be getting an order for his 14xx chassis and (when the tender's available) another for the Collett goods. He tells me that he's engineering the chassis to suit a Dean Gods as well. Bogies and underframes on the autocoaches are going to be interesting. I'm tempted with Hubert Carr's MRD offerings. I talked with him at ExpoEM (this was before I'd made concrete plans) and am interested in his coach construction philosophy. I'll be talking to him again when he's at Watford Finescale (why is their website for 2007?). Otherwise I'll use the Dart Castings bogies. I'll use their sideframe castings anyway.