A step-by-step how-to guide to building a resin locomotive kit

IT IS NO SECRET amongst the members of the Exeter Gauge O Group that my favourite steam locomotive is the Southern Railway 0-6-0 Bulleid Q1. As an apprentice, I was able to meet Oliver Bulleid himself – a great privilege. Although the Q1 locomotives were at the end of their main line working lives at the time, I managed to arrange a footplate pass and catch up with 33006 on a trip freight job. Inevitably, I would need to model the loco at some point.

My failed attempts to build a nickel silver etched Q1 from a kit have been recorded in this journal before. I needed something simpler to try, I have never had good kit-building skills. And so at a Guild show, I was delighted to meet Michael Hughes of J & M Hughes Models. I had previously had items from him when building a range of EMUs, and I discovered that he was able to offer an economically priced Bulleid 0-6-0 Q1 kit. The core of this kit comprised a moulded resin boiler, supplemented by a full complement of white metal castings for the cab and tender structures and the remaining components.

The nickel silver Q1 kit was eventually assembled accurately and very competently as 33027 by a friend and colleague, Peter Lewis. On the principle that you can never have too much of a good thing, the two locomotives can be seen together at Peacehaven on a regular basis.

The chassis for both engine and tender were recovered items from previous projects. The loco chassis was from an abandoned Maunsell Class Q and required Bulleid style BFB wheels, these being obtained from Slater’s. The motor and gears were from MSC Models, a 40:1 gear ratio being chosen. I always try to incorporate a flywheel in the locos to help with smooth running and this also came from MSC. The basic chassis was enhanced by adding the front buffer beam, cylinder valve covers and sand boxes, all of these components being in the kit and glued in position using araldite adhesive.

The body construction of both engine and tender were from the Hughes kit components and even I managed to construct a reasonable looking locomotive. The boiler moulding is of resin and is a single item incorporating the smokebox, boiler barrel and firebox. It is hollow underneath, providing sufficient space for the motor, flywheel and other chassis parts. Having the resin component considerably eased the uncertain task of producing a scale loco boiler.

The other main components, notably the cab and tender structures, are built from whitemetal items. These can be either glued together or soldered and after a bit of soul searching, I decided to use solder. This turned out to be much easier than I expected, and I have become a firm advocate of soldering white metal kits. It is a pleasure to see the solder flowing into the joints, running off the medium heat soldering iron.

After assembling the cab, the next stage is to fit this onto the resin boiler. I was encouraged by advice on using resin components in an issue of the Gazette (Volume 20, No 12) which included the recommendation to improve the integrity of structural joints using screws in addition to the glue. So, after the adhesive had set hard, I drilled through the casting and into the resin boiler to insert self-tapping screws. Other components to be fitted are the smokebox door, chimney, whistle, safety valves, cab ventilator, steam reverser and injectors, all of which are whitemetal parts glued into position. For added realism, the resin smokebox under the chimney was drilled about 12 mm deep with a 10.5 mm drill so that from above it is like looking down to the blast pipe.

After this, the boiler/cab assembly was married up to the chassis, a slotted joint being employed under the cab and a single screw (which also secures the Kadee coupler) under the smokebox.

The tender chassis started life in a Lima 4F and required replacement wheels. I try to incorporate as many pick-ups as possible and using plungers in the engine chassis and phosphor bronze wipers on the tender, most of the wheels make a contribution to electrical pick up.

The tender superstructure, again comprising whitemetal parts, in the kit was soldered together before being assembled onto the Lima 4F tender underframe. Detail included a handbrake column, water filler cover and vents and tender storage for the fire irons which can be carried. The tender is loaded with real coal which for realism is at a ‘partly used’ level, typical of a loco being well into the day’s work.

An all-black livery is employed, with lettering redolent of the early days of the nationalised British Railways. I fitted a bar coupler between engine and tender and as mentioned, Kadee couplers are used, these being ‘standard’ on the Peacehaven branch. These are fitted both front and rear. Finally, after adding a driver and fireman, the loco crew is complete and ready to enter service.

33006, like the prototype, is employed on both freight and passenger duties, the Saturdays only Peacehaven to Birkenhead through train, worked as far as Redhill being a typical duty as well as the daily pick-up goods working.