One more thing about 7mm is that you’ll need to spend a lot of time with a file or a dremel if removing more material. I’ll leave it at that, all part of the journey. 
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Hi Richard, hope you have a great time in Crewe, it’s a few years since I last went to a Scalefour event, so looking forward to seeing photos.
Gary
Hi Steve, thanks for the heads up 
, just ordered.
Gary
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I was too busy today for photos, will try tomorrow.
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Thanks, I didn’t realise that point about spares. I do have a file and dremel though!
I think Paul’s pictures are the best encouragement but here goes.
I’ve done some modelling in the past, all plastic pretty much as per the first pic, including some of the old Kitmaster locos, but always wanted to move on to trains, just never had the opportunity.
Recently I’ve been laid up quite a bit so thought I’d give it a go - so a a few thoughts from a novice as well alongside the pics (apologies if I seem to be teaching anyone to suck eggs, this is purely for absolute beginners, as the song goes).
Something I found hard was not having a dedicated workshop/workspace - in the end I reorganised a lot of cupboards and scrounged some trays so that I could leave parts and the model spread out and easily accessed. That meant it was easy to start a session so I was encouraged to keep going.
I spent what seemed like hours going through instructions and trying to identify parts - much harder than I expected, especially as the DJH kit I have has (I now realise) parts for a 2-10-0 as well as a 2-8-0. No idea why but eventually I marked up all the parts I could identify and left the rest for later.
I had already done some soldering (car electrics, naim speaker leads etc) so had the basics. Beyond that I didn’t need to buy much - I suspect most diy types will have most of what they needed - but I did buy a decent reamer and the smallest Xuron cutters I could find as I found that when removing the smaller etched brass parts with a knife
I was in danger of bending things.
My approach was to assemble a set of parts, spend a while cleaning them up and do as much dry assembly as I could - gradually found I could make sense of the instructions and small bits that way. Then I had a session soldering a much as I could before I ran out of time.
Biggest mistake - don’t follow the instructions to the letter. I did and you will see from the pictures the stage I’m at - but I should have realised that setting up wheels and valve gear before trying to add the brakes (and even the pickups) was not a good idea - far too difficult to hold or stabilise the chassis to add small parts now - so I’m now trying to visualise how it all goes together a bit better and do things in an order that looks easier to me. That did work better for the tender. Chances are my 2-8-0 will not have brakes!
Other thought - play some nice relaxing music, especially when trying to assemble valve gear.
But, overall (this is the encouragement bit) I think for anyone with a few DIY skills that likes locos it’s well worth having a go. As Paul said, it isn’t too expensive if you source kits secondhand and you can usually recover from most mistakes.
Hope that helps someone anyway.
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Thanks for the reply, I’ve always been interested in railways, real and model, dabbled in plastic kits and in my early twenties decided I needed to up my game and start kit building…a 7mm Vulcan models 04 kit was my first choice, however I soon discovered that a basic soldering iron didn’t cut the mustard with brass frames etc, so it so put away and forgotten about.
Fast forward 20 years, and my partner who had been to many shows surprised me at Christmas by presenting me with a Hornby Rebuilt Battle of Britain 34053 Sir Keith Park, other models followed, but no permanent layout, an interest in the Clinchfield Railroad in America was another rabbit hole I fell into, I do loads of research into things but thats where it stops.
So to the present day, I have the 7mm Heljan stock, quite a bit of OO mainly southern region, the Clinchfield HO bits and bats, a fair bit of German era 3 HO models, all ready to play, no kits and my common theme, no layout. I have decided that 7mm is the way to go for me and the rest will be sold on.
So I will take my hat off to you, i’m well impressed.
Gary
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I don’t know if they are “the same” but seen this one and had the chance to travel with it as well.
Georgeous train I have to say.
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Thanks - I have a Dapol SR 0-6-0 and the standard is amazing, unless you like modelling for its own sake collecting these and Heljan makes a lot of sense.
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The first 2 are my style of modelling, but better! Saw Wantage at York show. Very nicely done.
Thanks for posting.
steve
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Thanks for posting, looks like another excellent Scalefour Crewe, do like Underhill Yard.
Gary
Since you missed us this time around, mark June 6th/7th next year in your calendars.
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The biggest attraction was Burntisland 1883 but I couldn’t get close enough to capture it on my phone as it was such a draw with those who attended. It deservedly won the Walton - Evans trophy for best layout voted by the visitors.
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Burntisland 1883 is a fantastic layout, and I was lucky to see it at Warley.
Date added to my calendar
Out of interest, how many have been to Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg? Truly incredible.