If you've been following along, you'll know my workbench has seen a lot of oscillators, wobblers, and stationary engines lately (Elizabeth, Simple Sam, Brass Wobbler, Elmer #25, Polly's boiler).

They've all been fantastic confidence-builders - simple motion, quick results, satisfying chuffs on air or steam.

But deep down, the real dream for many model engineers (myself included) is a proper live-steam locomotive. Something you can drive round a track, hear the exhaust bark, feel the weight shift under load.

Enter LBSC's "Tich" — the legendary 3½" gauge 0-4-0 tank locomotive that has introduced thousands to the joys (and frustrations) of building a working loco from scratch.

A Quick Intro to Tich

Designed by L.B.S.C. (Curly Lawrence, the prolific writer whose "words and music" articles in Model Engineer from the 1920s–1950s taught generations how to build proper loco-type boilers and running gear), Tich first appeared as a construction series in 1949. It's based on a small contractor's engine—rugged, simple, no frills, with a saddle tank, Walschaerts valve gear (on later versions), and that unmistakable stubby, purposeful look.

Key specs (small-boiler version, the most common for beginners):

• Gauge: 3½"
• Wheel arrangement: 0-4-0 tank
• Cylinders: usually gunmetal, slide valves, outside gear
• Boiler: copper, silver-soldered, multi-tube with superheater
• Overall: compact (~16–20" long), light enough to handle alone, but powerful enough to haul adults on a club track when right
• Famous for: forgiving construction, reliable steaming once built, and being the "world's most popular live-steam loco" for many years

Martin Evans later compiled the series into the book Simple Model Locomotive Building – Introducing LBSC's Tich (still the go-to bible, with drawings and step-by-step). Many builders choose the small boiler for quicker steaming; others go large for more power. Tich has been built in 3½", scaled up to 5" or even 7¼", but the classic is 3½".

Why start Tich now? After building some stationary engines and my first boiler, it felt like the right milestone. Oscillators are fun, but nothing beats seeing your own loco move under its own steam.

The Story So Far – Chassis Foundations

I'm still very much in the early stages - no boiler or motion yet - but solid progress on the bits that make everything else possible. Here's where things stand:

• Frames — mild steel plate. I bought laser cut frames and drilled all holes as per the drawings.
• Hornblocks — machined from castings.
• Axle Boxes - made from a block of gunmetal machined to size.
• Frame stretcher — machined from casting. Hole for axle pump drilled and threaded.
• Buffer Beams - I have to admit, I obtained these ready made. All that needed completing was the angle to fix to the frames.
• Axles — turned from ground mild steel bar.
• Wheels — cast iron turned to profile (flange, tread, back-to-back checked meticulously for 3½" gauge standards). LSBC method is to turn to just oversize then press fit to axle. I will go with the newer approach of machining slightly under and then using loctite to fix to the axle during quartering. I have opted for spoked wheels.
• Crankpins - turned from steel as per drawings.

Photos from the Workbench

What's Next?

• Complete the axle eccentric and pump.
• Quarter the wheels