Commission: Fourdees Bagnall in 009...

This is, believe it or not, the first small Fourdees model I've actually assembled - including the valve gear conversion. I've worked on plenty of larger Fourdees models, but it was nice to see how Dani's design ethos has evolved...

In terms of preparation and assembly the body needed just a little smoothing on the saddle tank (as you'd expect on a larger diameter curved surface). The print quality is excellent and it feels robust. I don't like the resin though and find it difficult to work with compared to my favoured Shapeways prints - it doesn't like to smooth as readily and I find despite prep and sealing with primer, it can lead to paint problems later. My advice is allow plenty of time between coats of paint and beware of overly abrasive weathering methods - and you'll be fine. Certainly the results here show what is possible and how characterful the design is - thank you for creating these wonderful things Dani...

The valve gear isn\t as fiddly as it looks but I did need to introduce a dog leg bend in the top of the combination lever (vertical link just behind the cylinders) to clear the crosshead... without this the motion was not smooth at all and kept jamming. Once this had been done it was sweet as a nut...

The model is finished with a Modelu crew and etched brass plates from Custom Nameplate Studio at Light Railway Stores - the weathered finish is my deluxe multi-approach effort - with washes, dry brushing, detail painting and airbrush combined to give a layered finish that helps the story of this hard working little locomotive come to life.

If you'd like me to work on any model in Dani's range at Fourdees do get in touch - I can offer a complete source and finish service including extra details like crew and etched plates, and offer pristine lined finishes through to grotty industrial like the one pictured here. Get in touch to discuss your requirements via the contact form here on my website. Until next time though, more soon...

Support my work

I love writing and creating material for the blog. If you enjoy what you read and engage with I would be appreciative of any donation, large or small, to help me keep it advert and restriction free. Alternatively, feel free to buy me a coffee, where regular memberships start from just £1.