Introduction
I am a member of the Scalefour Society and have built a number of high quality kits of Great Western locomotives from manufacturers such as Martin Finney and Malcolm Mitchell. These kits go together well and are a vast improvement over even the best ready to run models available today.
My modelling interests include the Great Western in
Whilst the quality of steam kit prototypes is very high, there is as yet nothing to the same standard for diesels. For transition period layouts, this becomes very obvious.
The first Project
In October 2002, I started to measure Western Campaigner on the West Somerset Railway, with the kind permission of the D&EPG at Williton. Over the course of several months, I managed to put together enough information to produce a set of general arrangement drawings.
The first step was to use this data to produce a set of etchings and fabricate a master body pattern that could be used to create a resin moulding. Unfortunately, owing to the complex shape it became very difficult to fabricate the cab area and maintain perfect symmetry, so I have abandoned that particular approach.
I purchased a high end cadds package that allowed me to create a three dimensional solid model of the body and send it to a rapid protoyping company to build the body pattern for me. This was partly successful, but the model came back with steps on the sides and turned out to be 2mm too long as well as suffering distortion in other areas.
The solution to this problem will involve machining the body from solid brass on a CNC milling machine, for which the master cadds model is being modified.
The chassis features a six axle drive design and is fully sprung with primary and secondary springing. A prototype is nearly ready for endurance running on my P4 circular layout Chagford Road.
.The kit when available will only be suitable for P4 and EM gauges to reduce the need for too many compromises. It should be possible to model most members of the class from 1964 onwards. Pre 1964, there are some differences that would require a different body mould, although it wouldn’t be impossible to modify the body to suit.
Specification
One piece resin bodyshell.
Bodyside grills either etched or part of resin bodyshell.
Nickel silver chassis.
Six axle drive.
P4 and EM only
Fully sprung chassis with no need to adjust springs.
Fully detailed cab interior.
Seperate roof fans.
Integral assembly jigs for forming and fixturing.
Wheels, gears, cardan drive shafts and motor and flywheel not included.
Price TBA