'Talgarth Hall': not so much an essay in white metal as a Penny Dreadful....

[Prometheus]

I have been wrestling with this rather old Wills 'Finecast' kit since early January but, at last, have beaten it into a final submission and can move on to something else altogether less trying.

 

The finished model probably comprises around 65-70% of the original kit. So many of the castings were unusable because of poor moulding they had to be abandoned: the steam pipes, for example, were actually too short, the smokebox door was never going to fit, the cylinders were not satisfactory and I have an absolute loathing for white-metal in any part of the motion. The footplate broke into three at one stage during construction, it was unbelievably fragile. This is what I had to contend with:

 

 

But, I quite enjoy this sort of challenge. Replacement fittings came from many different sources including a set of rather old white-metal Hall detailing parts for the original Hornby 'Hagley Hall' [manufacturer forgotten, but probably M&L Premier Kits], cylinders and slide bars were adapted Hornby Grange ones and the tender constructed from Bachmann, Hornby and white metal components. I did not want to use the kit-supplied tender - too heavy and I'm not overfond of the huge, slab-sided Hawksworth ones. Everything else was found in the bits-box [now hugely depleted].

 

The chassis block was, happily, straight and true. The engine runs on Romfords [obviously] and is powered by an RG4 [bought for £30, unused, but with a seized gear box - a soak in IPA sorted that out nicely]. It runs smoothly and without a wobble.

 

Hand-painted throughout with Pressfix lining, sealed with Dullcote and then brushed with two coats of clear. Crew by ModelU.

 

Only real regret is the lack of room for brake gear and sandboxes - the chassis and scale wheels would not allow fitment. 

 

 

 

 

 

In all fairness, whilst there seemed to be problems at every turn, it did end up as an enjoyable - if a little dimensionally challenged - build of a Hall.

 

Tony

Edited May 17, 2020 by Prometheus