Alan Gibson 3F and 4F 0-6-0 kits, how accurate and how easy to build

[Asterix2012]

Hi guys 

 

This was prompted by seeing a few Gibson 3F and 4F kits coming up on a certain auction website recently 

 

How accurate and how easy to build would you say the Gibson 3F and 4F kits are?

[30368]

Hello,

 

I can't comment on the 3F/4F but I have built an Alan Gibson ex LSWR G6 0-6-0T. I found it fairly straitforward to build and is accurate to the drawing that I have of the prototype. I have taken a couple of shots of the loco, its a bit dusty!

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

 

[hayfield]

I have a couple of kits one part built the other to make and they seem nicely thought out and are high quality kits which are highly sought after. This in its self tell a story

 

Now they are mostly etched brass, so you need to be able to solder and have the correct size iron/tips

The chassis can be built either rigid or compensated, either way at least hornblock alignment jigs will be required

If building a compensated version, some struggle with Gibson hornblocks

Next up are the Gibson wheels, more difficult to fit than Markit wheels

 

The plus side is all components are to the highest standards, in my opinion a novice may struggle. However someone who has mastered basic modelling skills, will be able to build a super model even if its their first loco build

 

If you do buy one and lack a few skills build an etched wagon kit first to learn basic soldering principals

[Izzy]

They go together well and make nice models, I’ve built a few in the now distant past. But they do perhaps need a bit of experience with etched kit construction, they aren’t full of tab & slot design so require accurate positioning of parts. Later batches also had milled brass frames for loco/tender so need hornblocks using as default. Probably the major question is what parts are there with a secondhand kit, whether you would be able to produce anything missing yourself one way or another. It’s surprising how many buy a kit like these, open it up, take a look or make a start, find it’s beyond them, pack it away with odd bits cut out or missing, and then decide to move it on. I’ve come across a few….so bear this in mind.