'COAL TANK' Class, No 2461 |
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This model was constructed from an old K's white metal kit. The kit was only the third that K's produced and was introduced in 1958. I can remember when K's kits first appeared. They were a real advance in standards, they even had built-in rivet detail! I cannot recall when I acquired my kit, it was probably in the late 1970s, and it was not new then. I got round to building it in the early 1990s and by then it was rather antiquated. There has always been a problem with shrinkage of white metal castings and in the case of this kit it manifested itself in the castings for the side tanks being of different lengths. I have no doubt the masters started out the same length but that was not how the castings finished up. Unfortunately I did not notice the difference until they were in position so I had to unfix the longer side and start hacking. It all goes to show that you cannot take the accuracy of any kit for granted and you need to check-measure everything, preferably before fixing it all together! I added quite a lot of extra detail to the loco body including various handrails and the sanding operating gear. I threw away the original chassis and substituted one in etched nickel-silver from London Road Models and I fitted Romford wheels. Luckily they make Crewe pattern wheels of the correct size. The motor is an LH 21 driving the rear wheels. The loco weighs 246grms and exerts a pull of 55grms. |
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Side view of the 'Coal Tank'. If you look closely you can see the horizontal join between the two halves of the boiler |
The works of the 'Coal Tank' |
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K's original advertisement for the 'Coal Tank' that appeared in the April 1958 issue of Model Railway News |