Commission: Manning Wardle in OO…

This Impetus kit has been an challenging build. Largely complete but missing some of the casting pack, built as a rigid OO chassis yet with some interesting specifications from my customer...

Inspired by the Brookes Chemical's examples she sports an enormous spark arrestor. The smokebox door is also informed by these larger Manning Wardle locomotives, of course in reality would prove problematic as the buffer beam is in the way of it opening very far! The chimney was designed from photos and rough dimensions in a previous commission, so it was nice to be able to use it in anger on a locomotive build.

The Impetus etches are neat and fit well, but I had to engineer a drive solution - I chose a High Level box with the pivoting final drive axle, allowing me to tuck most of the gear tower inside the firebox, with the motor protruding into the water tank and boiler. I made this removable so you can completely dis-assemble the model with two screws, and whilst this sounds simple, it required me to work in a different order than the instructions suggested, and basically freelance the model build treating the components as a scratch aid.

More concerning was the lack of castings in the kit, so no back head, or any idea of what the backhead looked like on these locomotives! After a bit of head scratching I decided to create something in styrene with etched hand wheels and once painted and fitted, whilst not being perfect, it looks the part. Similarly the lubricator on the water tank is from the bits box, I believe from a Hornby Peckett chimney! The brake gear follows the instructions, but I suspect they're a little off as if I ever build another I'll do it differently - the brake wheel is a plastic one supplied by my customer.

The model has been finished in a pleasing green with custom etched Manning Wardle style nameplates. I touched in the handrails in gloss black, whilst the model was then lightly weathered with some road dirt, grease and soot. The result is a lived in but loved machine, full of the sort of character these industrials have in bucket loads. A cruel underside shot that shows how I arranged the back scratched pick ups, and the ample side play in the centre wheelset to allow for tight curves. 

In these photos the window glazing (Glue-n-glaze) isn't quite dry, hence the slight white haze to some of the windows. If you have a kit in the drawer that you're worried you'll never have the skill or time to assemble, of a prototype you've always dreamed of owning, why not get in touch and see how much it would cost to bring your dream, your memories to a reality? The contact form on my website will start the ball rolling, or you can search for me on Facebook and contact me via that Messenger. In the meantime, more soon...