Commission: Ruston 44/48 (1 of 4)…
A few weeks ago I shared a photo of the four Ruston 44/48 in a Friday update. Today, I’m sharing the first in its own ‘Commission’ post, so a chance to see a little more of these rather burly 7/8ths scale garden railway locomotives… The biggest model I’ve created for the garden, even than my own Alan Keef K40, this represents the genesis of two years of design and prototyping. The result, I hope, captures the curious and ungainly proportions of these ex military machines. The model is a blend of technology and design, with some traditional scratch building. 3D CAD and printing (for example, buffers and weights, cab controls and axle boxes - and more importantly the gearbox and drive), 2D CAD and laser cutting (frames and bodywork) and etched brass (grills and hood doors). Details, exhaust, hand applied rivet and bolt heads finesse these as one. Painted in Humbrol enamels, the sole ‘marking’ inspired by the prototype at Amerton and I drew this up as a decal and had it made especially fo...
