This weekend the etch for the double ended Fairlie arrived from Malcolm Savage. Previously available as a ready to run chassis from the Mike Chinery my only option is to build it myself. It is in fact very similar to the England chassis built last winter. The piston rods are a two piece lamination with a bend at the end where they connect with the crosshead. I am going to use a High Level models 40:1 gear box as I did with Welsh Pony so some modification to frame spacer at the rear of the bogie will be needed. The main difference is the fact that it uses 14mm carriage wheels with cast inserts to represent the distinctive Fairlie wheel pattern. Having previously sung the praises of using Markit wheels with the centre locking nuts, great care is going to be needed to get these wheels to work as well. I am going to build one motorised bogie, with the second having pick ups only, as I am sure this will provide ample power for the type of trains I am going to run.
What is particularly nice about the etch is the inclusion of details for the loco body, tank filler handles and best of all Fairlie pattern spectacle plates. The latter was going to be a real fiddle scratch building. So depending upon whether the carriage etches arrives, the Fairlie could be the next project once the fisherman's cottages are finished.
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