[coldcarpaccio]

Hi everyone..

I am desperate to get my hands on a GWR O gauge tank kit. I have just finished, and fairly successfully if i may say, a D&S Horsebox, and a connoisseur flat wagon (cant remember the rating now) along with numerous plastic kits, and I want something to pull everything, and maybe build in time for the Kettering show's test track next month.

I have been looking at a few kits, but I am not sure what to go for...

Do I go for a super expensive JLTRT kit, which will go together very easily, and look great (approx £450 incl wheels gears motor)... Or perhaps a mid-price-range Springside 14xx (£300 all in).... or a cheap Mercian models 14xx (£210 all in) ??

I was hoping to get an all brass kit with a pre-rolled boiler, as although I am slowly realising that soldering whitemetal isn't that bad, it still scares me a little, and worry about the quality of the moldings for tanks/smokeboxes etc..

Would love to hear any experiences of good kits and bad kits... quality of moldings, instructions, and general accuracy would be great.

I shall post some images of projects so far if you would like.

Thankyou.

Jonathan.

Just a quick p.s. I'm not a member of the guild yet, but wondered if there were any local meets around the mid essex/herts area....?

 

[PaulRhB]

I can vouch for the quality of Agenoria kits in 4mm and 7mm if you fancy an all brass kit.
Prices are very good too if you look at the complete kit price. They do some industrials that were absorbed into the GWR.
http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/catalogue/agenoria.shtml
The GW ones are helpfully painted green!

 

[coldcarpaccio]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for that.

I like the look of the 813 class, eventhough I was originally looking for something slightly more mainline like a 14xx or pannier.

Do you know if the Agenoria kits come with the tanks pre rolled ?

Thankyou.

Jonathan.

 

[coldcarpaccio]

Just thought I would show you what I have built so far...

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3240/brass1ma0.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/4141/brass2ei3.jpg

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/2927/brass3ic1.jpg

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/1610/brass4mx8.jpg

 

[coldcarpaccio]

 

[coldcarpaccio]

 

[PaulRhB]

The tanks were pre-rolled on the two I built, just to check and for any other questions just click on the image and it gives more details and an email tag.
I'll have a look at the pictures when I get on the other machine later as this one doesn't like some photo sites.

 

[coldcarpaccio]

I eventually plumped for a connoisseur models Starter kit. It had been recommended to me by Richard at Kalgarin Models who I trust. Or at least I have spoke to him more than anyone else in the hobby.

It is relatively cheap at £60 for the basic kit, but I think it should be a very good starting point. I also ordered a 6 wheel coach too. If people would like, I could do a running report on what it is like to build these kits.

Thanks Paul for the recommendation for the Agenoria kits. There are some in there that I really like the look of, and may go to one of these for loco no.2 after a little more experience...

Jonathan.

 

[PaulRhB]

Experience? Those wagons look like you are already! The kit you chose sounds fine if recommended by someone you trust, I think it was one of theirs they've been doing a step by step guide on in model rail.
Certainly keep us posted on progress I'm sure there's someone one step behind you on the experience front who would like it too.

 

[coldcarpaccio]

Haha, I'm far from experienced I assure you. The flat wagon, really was very easy to build, though the Horsebox was painful at times, though only because the instructions were on half a side of A4 paper... Maybe I am just a natural with hot un-wieldy instruments..

Im hoping to have the little engine running at the Kettering show on the test track along with some other stock I have built if you are going, but we shall see how my progress goes. I don't think it should take too long to get going. The only thing i'm not looking forward to are the electrical bits and pickups, something that obviously the wagons don't need to worry about.

I shall definitely show a step-by-step build on the kits I have ordered for you.

Jonathan.

 

[coldcarpaccio]

Just quickly, one thing I would say that I have learnt, is never use super glue where solder will suffice... Had a nightmare with the stuff on the horsebox thinking it would be quicker...

OH NO !!!

Jonathan.

 

[Brian Considine]

Just to add that it's not a good idea at all to use superglue anywhere that it could get hot e.g. near surfaces to be soldered - it gives off cyanide gas !

 

[coldcarpaccio]

Yep, definitely not wise... I would say just don't use it at all. It is the devils adhesive when it comes to etch kits.

Jonathan.