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Hi Peter, I expect they've both got dentures by now! The loco is posed on my narrow gauge layout Charmouth (link below) I figured it looks better against a scenic background than it does on a length of Peco 0-Gauge track on a board. I MUST build a photographic diorama, but there always seems to be something more important to do. Cheers, Dave.

Well, its finished at last! Not a lot more to say, other than its painted and weathered by my normal methods. I'm very pleased with the finish, and I hope its owner will be too. Cheers, Dave. Hmm, just noticed that one of the smokebox dart handles has dropped off. I know I should have used brass....

Precisely! Thanks, Dave.

NO!!! Quite enough on my plate as it is, without going off at a tangent. Trying to be self-disciplined and sticking with the MVR and BHTC in narrow gauge.

This loco will be for sale when completed. Its been painted black and is undergoing some light weathering. Photos when its finished. Cheer, Dave.

I had intended to just do the edges and rivits, but by the time I had been round with the brush there wasn't a lot left unblackened, so I did the whole lot. Cheers, Dave.

Heres one for all those who wanted to see it painted. It was scrubbed with Ajax first, and then chemically blackened, followed by good old Halfords grey primer. Halfords matt black will follow. Cheers, Dave.

How long has it been in the loft? Will it be sufficiently matured by now? On the strength of my experience so far, I say go for it! Cheer, Dave.

I wanted to keep the drive enclosed within the sidetanks, which on this loco are particularly short. The Highlevel Loadhauler-Plus gearbox and Mashima 1420 flat can just fitted the space. A longer motor could have fitted but only at the expense of loosing the boiler backhead, or a cutout in the underside of the boiler. Pickups are ultra-conventional, nickel-silver wires on the backs of the insulated (Romford) wheels. I may have to make alterations if the brakegear conflicts, but I think its unlikely First time under power it ran like a dream (with the addition of some weight), so no worries over the small motor or lack of compensation. Motor mounting in this occasion is a blob of Blue-Tack on a frame spacer. Cheers, Dave.

Back to working on the chassis now, and it runs like a dream first time. Photos later. Cheers, Dave.

Brilliant! Thanks very much Mike, I can trot that one out when anyone questions it now! Cheers, Dave.

Hi Gerry, You had better check with Crawley, I've just looked at their exhibition page http://www.crawleymr...uk/_ex_next.htm and you are listed as going this year! Cheers, Dave.T

I thought it looked stunning in black & white, especially the "period" look shots. Jerry, am I correct in thinking you are going to Crawley in April? Cheers, Dave.T

Hi Kenton, Ooh, can of worms time! I keep a polished unpainted loco on my layout, and regularly get told off for it! Cheers, Dave.

My progress is positively pedestrian compared to yours Darren! Thanks very much, I agree its a nice kit to build. Paintwork will be plain black. Cheers, Dave.

Not a lot to add to what I've already said about this one; most of the bodywork detail has been finished and fitted, apart from the handrails and sandboxes which will be fitted after painting. I should have fitted the buffers before taking the photos though. You get a choice of early and late period boiler fittings, the later ones consist of open safety valves and a flat topped dome. We decided the early ones looked better. Cab fittings are loose at the moment, and will be fixed after painting. Not a lot of room to swing a shovel! Whilst thinking that this was just about finished, some problems with the chassis have emerged, so that will need some more attention next. Cheers, Dave.

Thanks very much for all the comments Gents, much appreciated. Dave.

Hi Peter, Just edited the previous post to include the description so far. Its a terrific kit, highly recommended. See previous posts regarding the kit design around the bunker area. A friend of mine has built the 7mm version of this kit, and its absolutely superb. But then he is an exceptional modeller! All the best, Dave

Just had the official invite through, Charmouth will be appearing at the Warley Show this year, 24th, 25th November. Only its second exhibition in the last fourteen years, I had better start checking the wiring! Cheers, Dave.

Its been a while since I updated the Z Class project, but I have not been idle. One job that proved a little ticklish was forming and fitting the boiler, but like everything else care and caution paid dividends. The smokebox is a separate assembly which need putting together first. I found I had to fix the riveted overlay in place with Araldite Rapid, holding with fingers until the resin began to go off. Of course it gets everywhere, but it cleaned off with meths before it was completely hard. The kit could do with one more internal boiler former, but I made one up to fit inside approximately below the dome. This and the smokebox then provide the shape of the boiler. The smokebox saddle folds up and solders to the footplate; however there's something not quite right about the proportions (or maybe its me messing it up) as I had to file the saddle down quite a bit to get the boiler at the right height. The cutouts in the tank fronts (which also support the boiler) needed filing in order to get the boiler sitting horizontal. Apart from that its been plain sailing; lots of very small detail parts to solder on, but everything fits beautifully. Probably THE most fiddly bit was the beading around the cab cutout. Its a very thin strip with a half-etched step along its length to fit against the sides, and needs bending in two different directions. And at each end is an eye to thread the cab handrails through. The tab and slot construction work a treat. The footsteps, for instance, all snap into their slots and stay perfectly positioned while you solder them. Ok, you need heatproof fingertips sometimes, but assembly of all this detail is a joy. I know I've said it before, but this has to be one of the finest kits I've ever built. Only problem is these enlarged photos show the flaws in my assembly... All the best, Dave.

Well, seeing the speed they are working in the film.......

Found a few more photos, taken around the level-crossing area and hopefully showing some of the Welshpool & Llanfair influence. Had to remove buildings and backscene to get these views! Cheers, Dave.

Hello Patrick, Thanks very much for your kind comments, much appreciated. Ah yes, the six inch extension. Charmouth was originally built to squeeze onto the longest wall in my bedroom; quite constricting so the bufferstops were about half an inch from the baseboard end. Eventually exhibition extensions were built for each end but not used at home. I was amazed by the difference that adding that extra few inches made to the visual effect of the layout, quite out of proportion with the work involved. For some reason Railway Modeller wouldn't use my preferred title "Six Inches Makes All The Difference", I cant think why... Thanks very much, my modelling has been strongly influenced by the W&L, particularly its level-crossings and very visible gradients. I was determined to try and incorporate these effects on the layout; Castle and Cyfronydd are two of my favourite locations All the best, Dave.

Having been daunted by the prospect of rebuilding the boiler, it actually proved quite a bit simpler than anticipated. Once again I began by unsoldering and cleaning up; and then re-forming the rather distorted barrel around a length of solid rod. Soldering the etched formers in place held it to shape. The smokebox is designed as a separate entity to be assembled and slid into place over the boiler barrel. However the wrapper had been soldered on directly, and the etched front-plate bore little resemblance to anything. Using the boiler and wrapper as formers, the front-plate was filed to a more accurate and symmetrical shape. The with everything carefully held together the smokebox was rather gingerly soldered together from the front. The result was a perfect push-fit smokebox. That was most of the etching dealt with, the footsteps and sandboxes had already been formed by the owner and just needed soldering in place. Most of the cab interior was already done, but this needed a bit more tweaking to get right. Cheers, Dave.

Straightening out the bunker improved the look of the rear end imediately, so I cracked on with adding the detail bits. The only casualty of this was the coal plate within the bunker, but I was possibly not going to use it anyway. The cab spectacle and side window frames fitted into their half-etched recesses perfectly, but soldering them needed a steady hand and heatproof fingertips. Next job is the boiler. The normally reliable Ian Beattie's drawing in Railway Modeller drawing shows the bunker as tapered, but the Paul Vine drawing in Iain Rice's RailModel Digest shows it straight. A friend of mine has built the O-Gauge version of the same kit with a straight bunker, and it looks absolutely superb. Cheers, Dave.