Schoema handrails...

Slow but steady progress - that's the order of the day on my two 009 locomotives (if you can call them that at the moment)...

The pair (both Worsley Works Scratch-aid kits) run on the Kato 'tram' chassis - a simple self contained 0-4-0 wheelbase chassis with a compact 5 pole motor and sensible gearing. The Wasp railcar is waiting for painting before I can add the interior detail - and that will need to wait until Viking the Schoema is ready, as it will reduce effort to paint them at the same time...

So progress is continuing to be made with Viking. This evening I've fitted some handrails - not an exact match for the IOMs Viking, but they made use of some Alan Gibson short handrail knobs and 0.45mm brass wire I had lying around in the spares box. In reality the bonnet top handrail should be split into two with three knobs on each section - and the cab handrails have knobs, whereas I went for the simpler option of a bend metal handrail. These are soldered into place for security during handling.

The Kato tram chassis has been 'butchered' carefully to fit both models - and in both cases is a push fit in the chassis to save on complicated clip or screw systems - perfectly reasonable for a model of this type in my opinion.

I took the opportunity to photograph both models head on to show there fairly wide width compared to typical 009 models. Wasp in reality is a standard gauge railcar that has been re-gauged, and Viking is a 3ft gauge prototype - hence both being wide models to start with...

So what's next with Viking? Well I've ordered some custom etched works plates and name plates for him, and have re-badged him 'Saxon' rather than 'Viking' - the idea stolen with pride from the Isle of Westland. These are being produced, as ever, by the fantastic service offered by Steve at Narrow Planet!

Before they arrive and are fitted there is still some way to go but work is turning to plasticard - and moving onto chassis detailing first, before finishing the bonnet and buffer beams off with finishing touches...