Max Stafford's Kennel

Last week I found this very old nickel silver Jameson kit for an LMS 2P 4-4-0 on line.
These kits are old and basic bit there’s something pleasing about the very simplicity of them – essentially it’s a scratch-build aid although there’s some basic pre-forming.

To go beneath the loco I am going to use a Comet chassis which, if I master the correct use of the High Level jig, will be fitted with CSB suspension.
Drive is going to be from a Mashima 1424 and a High Level Roadrunner plus gearbox.
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During construction I will be referring to the old Roche drawing and Guy Williams’ 1979 title ‘Model Locomotive construction in 4mm Scale’, which is probably going to provide useful help with basic fabrication and detailing skills, bearing in mind the 1960s vintage of the Jamieson kit!

I’ve made a start on the cab and running plate and to be honest, so far it’s a lot more fun than the cast monstrosities I’ve battled with of late. I truth there are probably easier ways to a 2P these days, but this kit appealed to me and it promises to teach me much that will come in handy with more advanced kits as time goes on.

The 2P was a really handy little workhorse around South West Scotland in LMS and early BR days as photographic interpretation will testify and I couldn’t really do without one for any scenario south of Glasgow! It will be a useful machine on early period Culreoch and if Broomloan Yard encompasses passenger facilities then perhaps it will find use there also!
Either way, I’m viewing this as a challenge to see how far I can push it in terms of finesse of appearance and smoothness of performance. You’ll be able to follow all the advances and pitfalls along the way by following my blog here so please stay tuned; blogs are the future after all! 🙂