[pedromorgan]

it looks great. i would love one but i think it might be out of my price range for quite a while.

i still have my LMS model though. but thats due for refurbishment. i have new valvegear waiting for it. and i would like to repaint it using my airbrush, i didnt have one when i first made the model.

Peter

 

[pedromorgan]

Dennis its a OO scale model. it was a nu cast kit (previously K's)

Lancashire Fusilier i dont blame you for not wanting to attempt one yourself. my advice to anyone thinking about this is DONT! getting the boiler to sit flat was a real challange. on the photo i posted you cant actually see that the bottom of the smokebox sits slightly below the running plate!
there was no one part of the kit that was especially difficult but rather that there was just so much of it. on and off it took me about a year to do. i am still not happy with it. the transfers are not quite the correct type and i was never happy witht he valvegear so i took it off and i have replacements to start again.

another tip is dont think that because its a massive beyer garratt loco that its going to be in any way powerfull. there is actually very little space in there. you dont get the usual boiler space to fit a nice motor into. mine is actually powered buy 2 mashima DS10's and even then its a squeze.

As for getting another one. nu cast have gone belly up and west cost kits is selling the old kits at stupidly high prices. (i bought my kit about 5 years ago for about £100 now he is selling it for about £190 if he has any left at all) its a real shame as ther range althogh crude was a really good starting point for so many prototypes. i have missed out on a turbomotive and i must now wait for the dean sidings model (which christmas will that be ready by!) as i keep saying about the blue pullman, they wernt great but they would be better than nothing.
i dont know where to go to get one comissioned but if you could get hold of the kit i would be happy to put one together for you. its a huge kit so i would charge about £200. my painting has gotten much better since then!

Peter

 

[pedromorgan]

Peter sorry i only just sawy your question. its actually the nu-cast kit.

I am in 2 minds about what to do with it.
it needs alot of work to bring it up to scratch and i just wonder if it would be easier to scratchbuild a new one. Branchlines already do the chassis. it would only be 2 tanks and a boiler.

Peter

 

[pedromorgan]

I could yes.

the trouble is i have to think about how much of it i would keep if i was going to refurbish the existing model.

i would use new chassis, cylinders, valvegear and wheels.

I am getting a set of rollers at the leatherhead show next weekend so i may see how difficult it would be to roll a new boiler and replace the tanks.
I have designed a few etches in my time (i just read your profile and it says you are a CAD designer! i have gone from autocad R14 to 2006 in the last 2 months!! talk about a culture shock!! i am just getting my head round dynamic blocks!) mabye i will just put it on my to-do list for scratch building.
the nu-cast model was excellent in its day. but by todays standards its a little crude.

There is nothing there thats a major dificulty. its just that there is so much of it!

I think i am going to do the DJH LNER garratt later this year too.

Peter