After a long time without doing any serious modelling I have started this kit during the week. The first thing to note is that it's exceptionally complete. The wheels are in there, and all you need to add is paint, solder, and transfers.
It's a complex kit for so simple a prototype. A different philosophy could have produced a resin body complete with solebars (like the Simon Spare diag. 6 kit) and reduced the number of parts by some degree of magnitude. However, what this kit does give you is a very solid chassis with built in compensation. This wagon would be quite safe even at the head of an 80 wagon coal train - it is incredibly strong.
The etched parts are in nickel silver, and make me wonder why anyone uses brass. The n/s is so much easier to work. I used the bending bars to form the inner solebars, but otherwise the folding could be, and was, done with long-nosed pliers.
There's quite a lot of layered detail to add, and even with a resistance soldering iron, some of this is hard work to position properly. I think this is the one thing a beginner might struggle with. However the parts do fit together beautifully - by no means a quality to be despised in a kit.
Would I build another one? Yes, gladly. Having built this one I'm sure I'd make a better job of the second one. Recommended - and not least as ideal soldering practice for someone who hesitates to try a loco kit!
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