I bought a Minitrains F&C chassis with no idea what to do with it and then thought it would fit under Cackler; having bought the Five79 kit for this fine loco I found that it would take so much chopping about to make it fit that I might as well build a fresh one. Chassis and kit in the drawer. While rummaging
in the drawer for bits to sell on evilbay I found another stalled project from a while ago. Another Five79 kit, this time for the 'Skylark' class loco which I had put aside a Fleischmann 7000 chassis for. A quick offer up and it was obvious that it would fit... and it does.
The footplate casting needs a section removing in the cab but apart from that it pretty much fits as designed. I had to trim some bits off the Minitrains fake frame bit and saw a small section from where the front coupling attaches.
To make sure the loco balances I've used a styrene cab roof and filled the smokebox and boiler castings with liquid gravity. The whole ensemble balances and runs beautifully and happily pulls a couple of coaches up the big hill.
It has a Markits brass whistle and that is about that. There is still plenty to do but the basic thing is there. A good days work.
In action at Blackhill with a down train
2 comments:
Huzzah, another bloody engine!
Well done John and thanks for the good idea - I have a battered Skylark sitting on the "dump siding" with no chassis to marry it to and am only 12 miles away from the 009 Society stash of F&C chassis.................. Now, how to "adjust" the housekeeping column in the family accounts book..............
Mick
That is the real skill in modelling. It is a cracking little chassis though and is the easiest bodge I've ever done.
John
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