Sorry I'm late in coming back to this. We had visitors (and Steph) over the weekend (in fact Steph, friend and I went to Reading) so here's my update. At the bottom of this post is a photo of my purchases.
Through the good services of Roger Scanlon of this parish I collected a large scale drawing of the tender for the "K" from John Birch. The photo of stuff bought is on top of the drawing. He looked at my made up efforts so far and was very helpful in pointing out only a couple of things which I've got wrong, both relatively easily corrected and involving the fire iron tunnel and plating around the left hand tool box. Steph and I then pored over the drawings at home and he detected another error - a bit more difficult to deal with this time - involving a turn over which should be present at the top of the tender coal plate. However, he's suggested a cure.
Most purchases otherwise were associated with the "K", although I indulged myself with a Dapol Terrier with sound from Tower, the latest copy of Southern Way and the Midland Main Lines book Marylebone to Rickmansworth (I used to live near Harrow on the Hill, so am familiar with the route out to Aylesbury).
Replacements of stock used on the "K" were 1mm copper wire (used to make the tender beading), 1mm "T" section (used to make the coal rail stanchions), 5mm x o.5mm strip (used to make the fill in plates on the coal rails) and 1mm x 0.5 half round brass wire to try out for beading alongside the home made copper half round. I bought a pack of 10 0.5mm drills - it's a while since I bought any but have broken a few so stock needs replacing and some clear decal film/paper from Hobby Holidays.
The tweezers are to replace a pair where I burned the ends when using them too close to the resistance soldering iron.
Otherwise it was more castings for the "K":
A pack of unknown origin white metal brake cylinders of different sizes which might, just, come in useful from the bits box at Meteor.
Two GER/LNER Small Toolboxes (exactly the correct size for the "K" but the profile will need some adjustment), a pack of SR lamp irons, a pack of vac pipes and traps - (the "K" has an oil/grease trap under the front buffer beam and probably the tender too, but I've yet to locate that one on any drawing or photo), two packs of MR/LMS/BR Vac Pipes - although not LBSR or SR these are right for the "K" and match the white metal ones in the kit, confirmed in photos, which will be replaced, and a set of LBSCR back head fittings, all from Laurie Griffin.
A pack of Westinghouse Brake Cylinders from Roxey, and a set of Markits SR stepped buffers, also from Roxey.
That's another £92.40 on castings and the drawing for the "K", and I've already spent at least that on castings. With the original kit price it makes the cost more than most kits of good quality - certainly more than Connoisseur - so under no circumstances can this be considered an inexpensive kit - cheap, maybe, but not inexpensive.
I hope that I may get in to the workshop later this week and a continuation of the blow by blow account will follow.
Brian
