EDM MODELS ANNOUNCES CRICCIETH & HARLECH CASTLE KITS |
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Yes we did. In October 2025. We even said they’d be available early in 2026.
So where are they? BackgroundThis kit development started when a friend persuaded Fourdees to do a simple blow up of their 4mm model to 7mm and then persuaded the usual suspect [US] to build it for him whilst doing one for themselves.
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| The US then started on the internet with the usual “someone” and “somebody” should do a chassis for this. He’s very good at telling other people who to spend modelling time/ development time / money with bugger all commitment from himself.
Just so happens that that struck a cord with me. Time for an aside: |
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[Aside Start] I have an association with both prototypes. I am a driver on the Festiniog Railway and am qualified to drive both locos but more than that I am also the rolling stock electrical engineer and wired them both up. Harlech is of such an age now that I wired it when it was being built and have since renewed its wiring. Criccieth has been wired several times as the control system for the push pull train evolved. For these reasons I also wanted a model of them both. [Aside end]
This was all happening just before the 2025 Narrow Gauge NOW exhibition and I asked Fourdees if they could do me a body for each of them to collect at the show. They weren’t hopeful that there was enough time but Dani arrived at my stand with two still sticky bodies for me and I had an early draft of a chassis to show. At this point a plot was formulated to jointly produce 7mm scale kits for Harlech Castle (as now with the wide bonnet) and Criccieth Castle.
The deal was that they would produce amended versions of the 4mm bodies whilst I would produce a working chassis to suit that would work for 16.5 and 14mm gauges which I would sell as a complete kit for each loco.
PROGRESS
If I were to suggest a planning method for the quick release of a kit or, at least, maintaining an delivery schedule it would be to keep a pair of perfectionists away from the project.
Wheels
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The correct diameter stainless steel tyres have been acquired and wheels made up.
Initial builds, as in the photo, used the axles I had made for the Quarry Hunslet regauging project. These have plain ends and need a quartering tool to assemble them. Ideally the axles would be a smidge longer than the Hunslet ones. |
Crankpins
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Its fair to say I didn’t take the world shortage of crankpins following the demise of Markits into account.
I looked at using our alternative system which I’ll call the Alan Gibson method but a problem with that was it requires a hole in the rod bigger than the rod boss so the rods would have needed to be oversize. The solution was to order our own design from China. More on that below. |
Axles
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The top axle in the photo was the one we had in stock and to use it I was going to have to step the cranks out by about 0.5mm.
This didn’t sit right with me and as mentioned we were exploring Chinese manufacture of parts right length and a square end seemed like a good idea |
Jackshaft
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This needs to be longer than the axles as the connecting rod sits outside of the coupling rods. Plan A was some sort of split of a standard axle with the joining sleeve also serving to keep it central.
Plan B was to add it to the Chinese Manufacture list |
Rods
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Plan A was cast brass rods. The intent was to eliminate the need for soldering of etched parts. I got as far as having several sets cast but either the consistency of them with all the holes cast in or the work required to jig drill them too much.
Plan B is the kit will include etched rods. The CAD for that is just being completed. To maintain the “no solder” option assembled rods will be a paid optional extra |
Nameplates
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Plan A was to just refer builders to a well know etched plate supplier or for me to buy them in bulk to include in the kits.A discovery was that their plates were generic and not actual copies.
Plan B was to supply a set of etched plates, derived from the real things, in the kit Tests revealed that the Baguley Drewry text is too small to etch so Plan C is an etched empty plate and a decal for the words. The artwork is off the etchers shortly |
NG North – Project Review |
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Dani and I met at NG North to review the chassis and bodies together for the first time.
The result was a fairly radical shift from just amending the originally 4mm bodies for 7mm scale to completely reworking them, effectively new models for 7mm. |
| The 4mm bodies had a number of features that had to be printed oversize or overly thick as they needed to be at the minimum thickness required by the printer to reliably print. In a simple blow up to 7mm scale these same areas became bloated and overly thick. The 7mm bodies will be finer and will have a lot of parts supplied separately.
Hoping to have examples of the new bodies at the Porthmadog Model Event in 15/16th May
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SHOPPING IN CHINA…… |
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….is pretty bloody scary if you have never done it before. Essentially…
To be fair I was dealing with a firm that was recommended by others that have used them and Crystal (probably not her real name) couldn’t have been more helpful. The slight panic of having apparently sent a lot of money for it to appear to disappear was a function of a money transfer on a Friday and it not getting noticed. The response to my “did you get it” was a slightly panicked response with a grovelling apology and evidence it had been received. |
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Why go Chinese?
Cost simply. I have a UK supplier of CNC’d parts who I will continue to use for some items bit his price for the crankpins was beyond what I could afford and that had the potential to stall this project.
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| Having started a dialogue about the crankpins and the associated washer I added the square ended axle and jackshaft to the order and the price for all of it is less than the UK price for the crankpins alone.
These parts, in particular the crankpins, will have applications beyond this project. |
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LATEST NEWS FROM CHINA – 21/04/26
Despite all the assurances and guidance from other its still a pretty nervous wait having sent just shy of £2K into the unknown. I was told to expect it to be 25 days for the parts to be ready which puts it sometime in May so I was delighted to receive an e-mail with some photos attached.
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They are now made but are still in China.
I’ve been told to expect a tracking number in a couple of days and they are coming by air so they should take days rather than weeks by boat |
WHAT’S NEXT
Once I have these parts I can get on and do the chassis mods to use them and get some running prototypes. Hopefully I’ll have something to show at the Porthmadog model event on the 15th & 16th of May but the beginning of May is pretty fully committed with Festiniog Railway nonsense as we are doing some things to raise money for Blanche’s overhaul.
MONEY, COST OF LIVING AND SO ON
This doesn’t get mentioned or considered by those who think “someone” or “somebody” should do something but all the stuff mentioned above is expense. Forgetting the time for now I have spent over two grand without a single order or payment for the models and with the etches it’ll be over three.
Meanwhile other work has to be done and completed to keep the money coming in to pay the bills so this project can’t have my full an undisturbed attention. It has to fit in with spare time.
I will open up sales for pre-orders soon but not until I am happy with a deliverable product, have a handle on the final costs and have a delivery window I am reasonably confident of.
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Very informative and thank you for the update. I’m looking forward to pre orders opening.