The layout in the APA box is progressing and some rolling stock has been made.

It needs a loco.

I like the O9 Diesel Loco from Unit Models. It’s a nice little kit with some crisp resin mouldings.

It’s designed to use the Kato 11-103 chassis, but I will use the 11-107 chassis. It’s a bogie chassis and should give better coupling alignment on the tight 5 inch (127mm) radius curves.

The chassis comes with N gauge couplings.

I removed these and added a Peco 009 coupling to one bogie.

The chassis moulding needed to be modified to fit the 11-107 chassis. I cut away some of the resin to create a rectangular hole.

The area under the seat needed to be slightly wider too. I extended it with a couple of pieces of plastic strip and fitted the cab, the seat and a homemade tool box.

The bogies were visible under the chassis moulding. This looked a little odd. It should be a four wheeled loco.

The solution was simple. Extend the chassis downwards with some plastic strip.

Then I added some fake axle boxes, the engine compartment and the exhaust pipe. I even made one of those pivoting exhaust covers. (I’ve no idea what they are called!)

There is space for some lead under the hood.

So far, so good 🙂

Looking at it now I realise something is missing.

The layout will include a mine. The loco will go into the mine. But it doesn’t have any lights!

I think I know what the next job will be…