Enough people have come forward now and I intend to design these kits, starting with the No.1 class, this winter.

Johnson No.1 class ‘Little Sharpie’ 2-4-0 (both original (Johnson cab, wing plates to the smokebox front, etc.) and rebuilt (new cab, plain smokebox, etc.) – these locos lasted in service from the 1870s to the early 1900s, the last one being withdrawn in 1913. 

‘Intermediate’ class T26 (LNER E4) 2-4-0 which lasted into the 1950s, including some of them working over the Stainmore line (if there is interest the larger cab could be offered as an added option) with one being preserved. 

I would be asking £90 for the loco etches and £50 for the tender in each case.   Boiler fittings, etc. would be made available separately via Shapeways.

The drawing work will take about one month where I would draw all the parts and compose them on the sheets.   As a part of the checking process I virtually fold up all the parts on the drawing, producing three elevations (two elevations and a plan) and then assemble all the parts to produce elevations for the complete kit.   This makes sure all the parts fit together.   I would ask people to pay 50% of the price before doing this work (as it is not worth proceeding without firm orders).

The two locomotives would each require three sheets of etch, one each for the loco bodies, the loco chassis and the tender.   Each loco and tender kit would cost me around £600 to bring it to production and I would be committing to that at the time I ask the etchers to process the drawings.   Therefore I would ask for the other 50% at that stage.

The etchers take around two months and if everything is satisfactory when I build the test etch they would start to be available from that stage – if I need to make adjustments it will take another couple of months – quite an involved process.

I would not be accepting money  until I am ready to proceed.