A few years ago a customer commissioned a custom model, that we agreed would later be released as a kit in the Narrow Planet range. For that initial commission I built four of them, the Hunslet Wagonmaster in 009...
I was recently asked to put together a model for a customer wanting to remember his trip on the Bord Na Mona a few years previously - and although the Narrow Planet kit is a compromise, using the excellent Liliput chassis, but obviously this is outside frame, where the prototype is 3 ft gauge and inside framed.
The motor also means the bonnet is wider than scale, but otherwise, the chunky narrow proportions are well captured, and the distinctive yellow and green livery has been set off with specific detailing. I was able to reuse the windscreen wipers from the donor Liliput model and the headlights are from RT Models. The airhorn is from an Intermountain U18B which I had in the parts box.
The kit includes the etched plates, but I added some custom waterslide transfers to represent the numbers added on the cab. The chassis has been slightly weathered to bring some relief to the otherwise black darkness under the footplate, but the model as been otherwise left clean, bar a little exhaust dirt on the very top of the stack.
If you have a particular memory you'd like to re-live through a model, then get in touch because I can offer an end to end customisation service and produce your model in any way necessary be that a modified ready to run to a complete scratchbuild. Get in touch for a personal proposal. Until next time more soon...
This little tractor is just perfect. I love the colours and the lines of the bodywork and think the outside cranks add to the machine's character in a perfect "should have been like that in real life" way. You mention this being larger but that's how I'd picture it anyway. Not so much how does its size compare to the prototype but how does it compare to wagons?
ReplyDeleteChris