Stationary engine in 7mm

I can't seem to focus on anything big at the moment, but still need the distraction of model making projects as stress relief, so the other day I picked up this little whitemetal kit from Duncan Models to while away a few minutes. 

For a change, I've only owned the kit for a few days, it came from the RMweb members day second-hand stall for a pittance. Rather than put it in the stash, it hit the workbench. 

Assembly is simple enough, the castings are nice and clean so the two main parts are superglued together. 

Fitting the wheels was tricker. There's no positive location and while you probably can prop things in position while the glue dries, I preferred to drill through the centres and through the main casting to fit a length of brass rod. It's worth remembering while doing this that saliva is an excellent lubricant!

The wheels are very tight on the bottom plate and I had to file away one of the bolt heads that should hold it down to one of those wooden trollies stationary engines are displayed on at shows. I'm not sure what I'll do with this so haven't scratchbuilt one yet - but it will be a fun and easy job if required. 

A couple of oddities - the kit includes an exhaust pipe but no prototype I could find had one and I don't recall ever seeing one of these so fitted. Someone will probably find a photo to prove me wrong, so the pipe is in the spares box. 

The other is that Duncan Models paint their model red. Again, I don't recall this, green seems to be the favourite with some radicals going for pale blue. I painted mine Humbrol grass green, dry-brushed with a lighter shade.

For the moment, this lives in the cabinet, but one day, I'm sure it will find space on a layout or diorama.  

English note: I remember always getting stationery (pens and pencils) and stationary (not moving) confused at school when we ran a stationery shop during lunchtimes. To be honest, sales were such that the non-moving version seemed more appropriate. It seems that someone at Poundland also suffers from this according to the