22nd January 2024
Having missed my target of getting the R/C system running for the AGM show, I was left with a backlog of essential house & garden maintenance that had been put off to give me time to concentrate on thr R/C system so that became my priority for October, November and December. Unfortunately I was then hit with a bad dose of flu that took up most of November and then again over Xmas.
This has all rather screwed up my production schedule for that period.
I apologise to all my customers waiting for their LMS 3F kits. I guess it is just one of the hazards of being a one-man business.
I am now back on working to complete the R/C system, but I have decided to defer the programming for customising the initial R/C setup. It will come later after I have sent out the kits.
The enforced rest has given me time to consider my longer term production objectives.
It is now obvious that the carriage kit market has become very competitive as far as laser cut ply kits are concerned. Consequently I will only be producing kits for the carriages that I have actually done all the research and 2D drawings for – see my list in the current price list here.
From now on I will be concentrating on the locomotive developments – again see the current price list here.
The RtR LMS 3F (one only) will be ready for sale after the kits have been sent out – needs painting and filming shunting.
23rd February 2024 – revised on 02/07/24
I now have 2 spare LMS 3F kits – available fairly soon.
I have revised my tank loco kit prices – small tank locos will now cost £1200 (an increase of £100) and larger tank locos will be £1350 (an increase of £150) – this is primarily due to in increase in etching costs. I will absorb those extra costs for tender locos (both kit & RtR) and RtR tank locos.
13th March 2024
I am moving on to Vinyl wraps instead of transfers for locos. Hopefully this should reduce the amount of painting (etched priming even) as the wraps can go on bare metal suraces (cleaned with wire wool or similar first). A wrap will be provided for the boiler cladding as well as all the panels on the loco. This should reduce priming/painting to just the frames and most of the black parts (and various others where the livery requires a large block of another colour).
The wraps will be tougher than transfers and hopefully easier to apply.
I will report back here on progress.
More detail added to the prototype section on the T9 page.
2nd July 2024
A lot has gone on behind the scenes with much development work and a lot of time spent on non-model stuff (you really do not want to know!).
Attention has now returned to the radio control system and becomes my main priority this month. I am now investigating getting wheels 3D printed in stainless steel for all those not available from Slater’s and Walsall Models. They continue to have square axle holes for easy quartering.
The LSWR T3 design is now almost ready – 3D design and mechanical design complete – just needs to have the etches designed.
All my tender designs have now been updated to the latest specifications using the latest version of my R/C system and NiMH cells for power – I ditched the previous Li-Ion cells for safety reasons. Tank locos will also revert to NiMH cells.