River Class 2-4-0
Modified from a Peter K kit. Powered by a Portescap RG4 1219 and gears driving through an MJT gearbox conversion on the front driving axle. This power unit arrangement allows the ashpan to be filled with lead ballast, giving a well balanced engine with weight where t is most wanted, between the two driving axles. The chassis is rigid.
The "OO" spacers supplied in the engine kit are dimensionally faulty and produce a chassis with full back-to-back width leaving no room for bearing flanges and wheel bosses. A suitable heavy brass chassis was utilised and overlaid with the inside frames supplied in the kit making for a much stronger, more solid rigid unit.
The boiler was turned up by a friend with a lathe from heavy-walled brass tubing to provide more weight. The firebox wrapper from the kit is inlaid in the rear portion. The boiler-to-firebox mating ring was modified to suit. Otherwise, construction followed the kit instructions. The drivers are Romford's, the carrying wheels Slater's.
The chassis and body are a very good fit and have been successfully road-tested. The boiler fittings are not attached in the view above.
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