Having done this, two guys at Swanley asked if they could 'piggy back' on my project by getting frames etc. cut at the same time as me. You never know, I might save a few bob this way, although, even then, quantities are hardly huge. But it never hurts to help out a friend (or two).
I'm going to follow the approach I used with Siusaidh - laser/water cutting wherever possible (to cut down build time), take up bearings for axleboxes, roller bearings on all rotating surfaces. I will be using needle rollers this time for most of the motionwork, with grease nipple lubrication, the only metal to metal contact will be the slider block of the Heywood valve gear.
So, if you're interested in building one, keep watching. I'm not going to do an LBSC-style (there's me showing my age again !!) blow by blow account of how to build it, but I will show you everything as I go along, and tell you what it cost, where I got it from, etc. If you have any questions, just email me and I'll do what I can to help you. I'm not doing this for money, and I don't claim to be an expert (I'm just a bloke with a shed and a lathe), but I will try and help wherever I can. This is a very simple locomotive to build and run, but, even so, it's not just a simple bolt together kit. Whatever happens, have fun with it !!
Loco specification
The basis for this engine is Roger Marsh's Tinkerbell. However, numerous changes have been made to reflect up to date
thinking. These have mainly come from Moors Valley Railway practice, so are well proven in hard commercial service. These include:
Outline drawing of how the first loco will look
Outline drawing of how the second loco could look, with a bunker and removable cab roof