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 it 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.