Always keen for a challenge, I have started a scratchbuild Cleminson. The body follows my usual approach: a 2mm thick MDF carcase, with laser cut and etched outer panels in 0.8mm birch ply.

Posh livery paint is on order, so the next task is to create a working Cleminson chassis, with the emphasis on function rather than prototypical accuracy.

The roof is complete -cotton-covered and drilled to take Swift Sixteen oil lamp tops. The ends are top coated, as are the spilt milk sections; the lower section has a base coat of purple lake, which has been flatted back. The final coat will go on once the beading has been fitted.

I've ordered G1 Maunsell wheels, and some axleboxes that look about right; and have started modelling the linkages for underframe, although the finished article will be largely made of brass.

The frets were cut from thin card, primed and given a coat of lake; PVA was applied to the back of them using a sponge, and they were glued in place:

The lower half of the body just needed its final coat; the solebars had rivets applied and a coat of matt black paint.

Paint is now finished:

...and timber has been cut for the Cleminson frames:

The IP Engineering axleboxes aren't strictly correct, but then again a footboard can hide a multitude of sins.

Interiors, windows and decals now in place: an error on the beading above the window line means the lettering isn't placed correctly:

So now work starts in earnest on the chassis. A test rig establishes that the principles work, so the parts are painted and fitted.

The mechanism works prototypically, but is a bit sturdier than a scale model!

Testing is initially rather tentative, but the coach negotiates 4ft radius curves comfortably.

Footboards, grab handles and side chains/are fitted. All done!

Apart from one thing:

Lucky Joughin is understandably proud; The Charmless Nurk (ever an IMR man) explains how he would get the best from a Cleminson...