Q1 Are all your kits still available?

A Yes, including the early ones such as the GWR Aberdare, Stella and 3232.

Q2 What are the instructions like?

A The comprehensive instructions are in three parts -
i) A booklet includes written instructions broken down into sections, a parts list and historical details.
ii) A set of diagrams to be used in conjunction with the text.
iii) A layout of the various etched frets which, together with the parts list, identify the parts concerned.

Q3 Which of your kits would you recommend for a complete beginner who has never built a brass kit before?

A I suggest that a complete beginner should not start with an etched locomotive kit either of my manufacture or anyone else's. They should concentrate on building up general brass kits construction skills starting with a simple model, such as a horse box. When the individual has become familiar with the various processes involved in etched kit building then they can consider moving on to an etched locomotive kit.

Q4 I've had problems building brass loco kits before. How difficult is it to build your kits?

A Every effort has been made in the design of my kits to make them straightforward to build but without compromising prototypical accuracy or detail. A great deal of care is taken throughout the design process to ensure accurate fitting of parts. The use of 'slot-and-tab' techniques aids construction and for some parts jigs are included within the kit to aid building. Each step in construction is straightforward and patience is the keyword to successful building. The final result is an model which is accurate with a high level of detail.

Q5 Why do your kits contain so many parts?

A My kits only contain the parts which are to be found on the full-size locomotive in question. The reason as to why my kits contain MORE parts than those of other manufacturers is that I aim to include as much detail as possible. I do not omit parts because they are not obvious to the eye or because only an absolute expert would be aware of a particular component's existence.

Q6 People say that with your kits they have a lot of parts left over?

A My aim is to produce the 'Hi-Fi' kit which will enable the customer to build many of the variations which can be observed in the prototype. The customer can decide after purchase of the kit which version of the prototype they want to build. They are not saddled with the manufacturers choice which may be totally inappropriate for the modeller's chosen period.

Q7 The boilers in your kits are not pre-rolled. How difficult is it to roll the boiler?

A Boiler rolling is not a difficult process and it is not necessary to use a rolling mill. (The modeller who intends to build a number of locomotive would doubtless find such a tool very useful.) Model Railway Journal Nos. 66/67 show how a boiler can be rolled using a round metal bar on a rubber pad with a successful result. The boilers in my kits are designed so that the metal only has to be rolled to a radius close to that finally required. The design of the kit ensures that a round boiler of the required size will result.

The other point to bear in mind is that in some of my kits, surface detail may differ according to the period being modelled eg at in one period a particular class of locomotives may have had flush rivets whereas later, snap-head rivets may have appeared.  So what happens?  Do I supply pre-rolled boiler embossed or plain? If I were to supply pre-rolled boilers they would be unembossed.  So to portray embossed snap-head rivets the first thing the customer would have to do would be to roll the boiler flat again in order to be able to add the rivet detail.  The boiler would then need rolling again.  Does this make sense?

Also consider a kit such as the GWR Bulldog.  To show later versions with the 3/4 coned boiler the smokebox/parallel portion in the kit needs to be modified.  This is much easier to do in the flat.

Hence the reason why I do not supply pre-rolled boilers.

However for the faint-hearted a boiler rolling service is available from Chris Wesson of Romsey, Hampshire 01794 511535.

Q8 Why have you started to use plastic boilers in your kits?

A The material used in the LNER A4 and LMS 'Duchess' kits is an 'ENGINEERING POLYMER' specifically selected for its properties. In my opinion a prototypically accurate A4 or Duchess cannot be formed solely from etched or cast metal parts. The A4 is a very complex shape with continually changing curves. In producing the pattern myself I have done the difficult part in producing a pattern by overlaying panels onto a framework. Every customer on buying my A4 kit gets an accurate detailed body produced to the highest standard which enables them to build a quality model. Otherwise the building of an A4 would probably be beyond the ability many modellers. Resin moulding has also enabled me to include many details as part of the casting eg A4 boiler bands (which are of scale thickness) boiler washout plugs, rivet detail, inspection panels etc.

The Duchess' shape is similarly complex where the firebox joins the boiler. Resin casting will ensure a top quality result for all builders. The Duchess will consist of two mouldings and I am also including dome, top feed together with piping, boiler bands and the steam pipes and saddle. In the case of the steam pipes and smokebox saddle, the alternative would be to use a white-metal casting. With the dimensional limitations of the white-metal process a good deal of fitting would be required on the part of he builder to accurately mate the saddle and steam pipes with the smokebox. By using a resin casting, this difficulty is overcome and all customers can be assured as to a perfect result.

Q9 Does the plastic shrink or distort with time?

A No. The RESIN used in my kits is highly stable with no degradation with time. Also, unlike metal casting processes, resin casting is a cold process with no distortion and minimal shrinkage during manufacture (actually less that 0.4%!).

Q10 Are parts from you kits available separately?

A I am often asked this question mainly by kit builders looking to replace inferior quality or missing parts from other kits which they are trying to build.

Generally speaking the answer is NO. Having said that I do sell a small number of castings and etchings individually. These are listed in my price list and are the only parts from my kits which are available as separate items.

Q11 Do you design your kits yourself?

A Yes. Unlike several other manufacturers, all of the kits in both my 7mm and 4mm ranges have been designed by myself. This ensures a consistency of design, accuracy and quality found in very few other ranges of loco kits currently in the marketplace.

No kits designed either by other individuals, or manufacturers who may have ceased trading, have been incorporated into my range and repackaged as Martin Finney kits.

Each kit has also been built by myself prior to launch. If necessary, modifications are then carried out prior to market launch.

Only by following this route am I able to satisfy myself that another quality kit will reach the customer.