The K's Y8 was the second loco kit I ever bought. I spotted it on the club second hand stall, it was within my meagre budget, and being small, I thought I could build it.
Small locos can come with big problem, and in this case it a missing final drive gear saw the model sit in the cupboard for many year. Those tiny wheels meant a normal gear was too large to fit. K's had produced their own - but it was missing from my kit.
That didn't stop me assembling the body with glue, but after that, progress halted.
Years later, Autocom offered an etched chassis along with gearsets, and I think, newly6 made Romford wheels to replace the kit plastic centred versions. I snapped up the pack (finances being a bit better by this point), stripped my model down and built it all over again.
Left looking reasonably clean, the Y8 handled the Melbridge Dock passenger train if there wasn't a new loco that needed running in on this simple turn.
Heaven knows how old this model is now - it's at least 30 years since I bought the kit initially. The photo is a little unkind, but it would benefit from refurbishment, but then it's run like this for so long, I'm loath to do anything. After all, it has provided good service for years in this form, a bit of me thinks it would be unfair to the model.
2 comments:
I have an example of this bought from an estate here in the US. I have the same exact problem you did - no axle gear. I've been looking at fitting a much-lauded N20 & 3D-printed gearset.
Since you have had it for 30 years, I'd just say it had "weathered" naturally and leave it alone.
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