Peckett 0-4-0ST “General”

Doxfords had two successive Peckett saddle tanks, both called General. My version started as a brass kit and ended with a 3D printed body. A photo of one of the originals is here.

The loco body kit was from N Brass Locos, an etched brass kit but with the option of a 3D printed boiler, I did take that option but that meant modifications elsewhere to get it to fit. At the time the kit was designed for a Bachmann chassis that was virtually unobtainable, the alternative was to purchase a chassis from N Drive Productions (which I did) and modify both the body and chassis to suit. I note that the kit is now intended for that chassis.

This was my first attempt at a complex (and small) brass kit and it wasn’t very successful. I had to buy a second kit having completely messed up the cab the first time (I’m not the only person who had this problem, I found a part-completed kit on eBay where the same had happened)  and overall I wasn’t all that happy with the result. I didn’t finish the build and paint the engine as I put it to one side while I worked on the layout.

I was contemplating a further kit build but in the intervening period things have moved on. Full 3D printed Peckett bodies are now available so I found the one that was the best fit and ordered it from Shapeways. I still had to make modifications for the chassis, mainly grinding and filing out the inside, but it was much easier to work with than the brass etches. As I had fixtures and fittings from the earlier attempt I used some of these to finish the loco; the addition of a headlamp from Modelu really set things off nicely (but I had to give up on the etched brass lamp brackets, they’re just too small to use).

 

The finished loco, the handrails, buffers and smoke dome were from the N Brass kit