Hi Gang.

Things are now progressing nicely, with a test etch for the frame arriving the other day, and Tim spent time at Liverpool putting together part of the frames in the jig that will be supplied with the kit. And it actually went together very nicely, a few minor glitches but that was always expected with a new kit from CAD drawing to etched Nickel Silver parts.

The etch for the frame build jig, will be modified to allow the small "pac men" to be folded up rather than  having to remove them and then solder them into place, all to do with making the kit easier for modellers.

The frame in situ, on the Frame Jig, with brass locating rods and aluminium spacers to keep the frames at the correct distance from each other, while the bracing is fitted in place.

The Etched Nickel Silver frames in 7 mm scale using 0.55 mm N/S. They still have a long way to go but they are looking great

Tim's soldering work is also looking great with great attention to detail in doing this project.

Tim also managed to assemble the rear pony truck which looks fabulous, it was while we we starting to pack up from Liverpool on the Monday that Tim sort advice from Ian McIntyre, regarding soldering the pewter castings to the nickel silver pony truck, as he had never done this before.

And after Macca showed him the 2 part method he uses, Tim soldered one casting into place and when we came home he soldered the other 3 in place as well, and the result looks great.

The Rear Pony Truck from the soon to be released Z20 7 mm Loco Kit, put together by Tim Ryan.

There were a few problems with both pony trucks (photos from the front P/T later in the week). As they both need to be reduced in width to ensure that the wheels have clearance and don't touch the sides and short out.

 

The etch for the Rear Pony Truck, which has to have a few alterations to ensure that short circuits are eliminated.

 

The Front Pony Truck, with riveted angle details that is overkill, as the detail remains out of site under the locomotive, so it will be removed , minimising the cost of the etch.

 As for other parts, there are a stack of parts arrived and more to come in the next few weeks. The bunker, water tanks are here with the boiler arriving in a couple of weeks.  the 3D smoke box and Firebox will be printed as soon as possible to see if they can be included in the kit as a straight out print rather than casting them from a master printed in 3D, and from what we have seen from the 3D we have previously done they should look very good.

Stay tuned for more updates later in the week.

Regards Keiran (I am excited about the end result) i am trying to make this a kit that you will not want to put back in the draw once you have started it.