An Outside Framed Chassis

At Narrow Gauge South I headed straight for the 009 Society second-hand sales stand. The society had acquired a batch of chassis from the Minitrains Fiddletown & Copperopolis Locomotive, these are 0-4-0 steam loco chassis with outside frames. Of course to narrow-gauge modellers outside frames chassis are very useful, but almost unknown as a ready-to-run chassis. I'd also heard they are excellent runners so I had to have one!

The outside frames, with flycranks, are obvious and nicely made. The cylinders are rather American in style, easily changed no doubt, but the frames are of the plate-type so ideal for a UK outline loco. The cow-catcher will have to go but the long screw (that would go down the chimney) holds the front of the chassis, so might need some thought!

With the rear-hung motor and flywheel you's guess it is a very rear-heavy chassis, and indeed it pulls wheelies well! However with just a lump of blu-tak on the cow-catcher to counterbalance it, the flywheel and low gearing ensure the chassis purrs along beautifully; smooth, slow, and quiet. This will be a useful loco - but what loco should I build on it?

My first thought was the large Hunslet I have - this was one of the locos built in my teenage years on an Ibertren chassis. It could do with being tidied up but the chassis isn't a great runner, and with inside frames and small wheels I've never been happy with it - it needs outside frames! However as you can see, with the Minitrains chassis positioned so the motor is in the cab, the wheels and particularly the cylinders are too far back, and will look wrong in relation to the smoke-box and chimney. Shame...

I've also tried a Hampton Water Works Kerr-Stuart body kit (I've got a partially complete one in my bits box), but that wasn't a good fit either - it might be possible but very tight. I've already seen Kerr Stuart Skylark kits built onto this chassis (by James Couling and Charlie Insley), but I've already got one of them as a tram loco. Steve at Narrow Planet had a test 3D print of another Hunslet to fit this chassis, so there's another possible option. Decisions...