Toby

I didn't particularly set out to build another engine, but here we are.

Late last year I found myself with the itch to scratch-build something. Something with planking as I find it oddly relaxing. A quick look in the parts collection revealed the complete chassis from a Vale of Rheidol brake van (The body was of course liberated for the bogie coach bash!) so the first instinct was to build either a brake or box van, but then I stumbled upon a Kato-103 chassis. It didn't take too long for my brain to put two and two together and go hunting for the July 1961 copy of Railway Modeller...

The result was No.7 (or 'Toby') unmistakably based on the standard gauge Y6/J70 locomotives of the Wisbech & Upwell tramway, a line I've always had a soft spot for. The drawing's supplied by the Rev. Awdry for the Railway Modeller article were scaled down by roughy 1/3rd, the result being an engine suitably sized to a 2'3"-2'6" narrow gauge line, certainly on the mid - larger end of the narrow gauge loading gauges.

A quick snap from before the painting stage shows the main construction off nicely. The majority of this is scribed 40thou plastic sheet with 20x40thou strip for the framing. Once again, as with the Sentinel, an off-cut of sprue was turned into a funnel with a small section of 2mm brass rod for the visible condensing gear on the roof. The 'bell' i simply a handrail knob with the locating pip removed and some handrail wire! Some might question the inclusion of dumb buffers. In all honesty, they were added to stop the ends looking too flat.

From there it was onto the painting stage, initially taking some inspiration from the Kenney/Spong Toby illustrations, whilst wanting to add some green in to match the other steam engines in the fleet...

Suffice to say, as soon as I'd finished the base colours with the brush I realised I was heading in the wrong direction! Even after a wash with Tamiya 'Tank Grey' everything was still a bit too bold and clashing. 

Leaving it a couple of weeks before coming back to it, the framing was given a quick go over with the same Revell Brown as the main bodywork and the side-plates redone in Tank Grey. Essentially, I was painting the engine using just the colour palette I use for coaching stock. The eagle eyed may also notice that I remade the side-plate covers at this point to, making them from artists card with 10x20thou strip for the hinges as on the Sentinel.

Already it was looking MUCH better.

Then, the tricky task of making up some sliding window panes from 20x40 strip and clear plastic sheet. I think they're turned out ok for a first attempt, but I'm certainly not in a hurry to try again. I tip my hat to the modellers who make droplight windows for coaches!

And finally, the one photograph that certain corners of the internet would get somewhat angry about if I didn't pose.

This was meant to be a very silly project, the slightly unfortunate outcome is I've made an engine that I actually really like!