Commission: WDLR Hunslet in 0-14...

This is actually a commission model I've been working on for a while, but although it looks quite complete there are still a few jobs to do before I can get it painted. However, it looked so lovely on my workbench I thought it deserved it's own post rather than a passing mention on this week's Friday update...

The model is built up from a Chivers kit, and has gone together reasonably well - my customer had started the model over ten years ago and had done a neat job on soldering the cab and tanks together, and had made a start but stalled with the chassis.

I tackled this first, and managed to get it working with a lot of blue air and head scratching. The rods had been cut and made to articulate as my customer has installed rear horn blocks - these seem to have been the cause of the problem, but with judicious adjustment and lots of reaming of holes we have have a slightly lumpy but running model. The rest of the valve gear went together without too much trouble thanks to a reasonably well drawn exploded diagram - however there were a few parts missing which I had to fabricate from spare etch and brass rod.

Once that was all done the bodywork could start, and this has been relatively straight forward, adding some of the details missing in the kit from brass wire, it's got the peculiar character of the prototype with all the bodywork towards the back. However, despite this it seems well balanced.

There is some smoothing to the cab to undertake, and a few more bits of detailing and pipework to fabricate this week and then it can be primed and painted.

If you've got a part built or boxed kit in your drawer that you'd like me to breathe into life, then get in touch for a personal proposal based upon your requirements - any scale, any gauge, and prototype. Until next time, more soon...