Peter,
Glad to see you seized the opportunity when you saw the GT3 kit, doubtless in common with many others here I look forward to seeing the finished model.
Three thoughts.
Does the kit specify a Hornby black 5? The prototype was built on a BR standard 5 chassis IIRC, and that might make the chassis for that a better choice in terms of fidelity.
I concur with Richard's advice. When it comes to a kit chassis you have to take nothing on trust, but measure and modify to obtain a runner. Doesn't matter what materials or techniques have been used to produce the parts, it is all down to builder to do the necessary quality assurance. Just one benefit you obtain is that once you have the experience of the necessary principles it is transferable: now you can confidently buy that nice looking poor /non-runner for a very low price, knowing that it can be made into a satisfactory machine.
So definitely worth investing in the 'how to' of kit chassis building, but only in my opinion when there is no good RTR alternative, (provided of course that RTR meets your modelling standards). This last purely on cost grounds: price up what the etched frames, wheels, crankpins, motor, gearbox, rods and gear will come to. It will likely be more than buying the complete RTR model, and you can sell the unwanted components from the RTR item to reduce the price further. As an example the chassis from Hornby's Railroad A3 or A4 will make your W1 a runner for £50 outlay and a couple of hours adaption work.
Glad to see you seized the opportunity when you saw the GT3 kit, doubtless in common with many others here I look forward to seeing the finished model.
Three thoughts.
Does the kit specify a Hornby black 5? The prototype was built on a BR standard 5 chassis IIRC, and that might make the chassis for that a better choice in terms of fidelity.
I concur with Richard's advice. When it comes to a kit chassis you have to take nothing on trust, but measure and modify to obtain a runner. Doesn't matter what materials or techniques have been used to produce the parts, it is all down to builder to do the necessary quality assurance. Just one benefit you obtain is that once you have the experience of the necessary principles it is transferable: now you can confidently buy that nice looking poor /non-runner for a very low price, knowing that it can be made into a satisfactory machine.
So definitely worth investing in the 'how to' of kit chassis building, but only in my opinion when there is no good RTR alternative, (provided of course that RTR meets your modelling standards). This last purely on cost grounds: price up what the etched frames, wheels, crankpins, motor, gearbox, rods and gear will come to. It will likely be more than buying the complete RTR model, and you can sell the unwanted components from the RTR item to reduce the price further. As an example the chassis from Hornby's Railroad A3 or A4 will make your W1 a runner for £50 outlay and a couple of hours adaption work.
