Indeed it can be difficult! I've got a couple of non running Fleischmann class 39s that are a little long in the wheelbase for a P1 but might just be made to be presentable...nzpaul wrote: ↑Fri Oct 06, 2017 8:01 pm I guess selecting a chassis could be a real headache at times. A Fleischmann or Minitrix BR41 might suit P1 or P2 projet, but what a price to pay. A Model Power USRA 2-8-2 perhaps but again not cheap and not always easy to find, and they make quite a noise when on the move. I have a Spectrum N&W J 4-8-4 and Proto 2-8-4 in N scale, both run very sweetly but I doubt you'd sqeeze the mechs inside anything of British origin.
Your high speed prgress is impressive.
Cheers
Paul
My current ideas around the P2 is to use a Farish A2 as a starting point and simply make an extension to fit another set of wheels at the front (spares already obtained). The model is tender driven so I'll not have to worry about upsetting the drive with any modifications and I'll ignore any additional pickups as this is not a problem on the A2 chassis as built. Strangely, if successful, the development on an N gauge P2 would be to complete reverse of Thompson's development of his A2 class!
I've got a couple of older Spectrum 2-8-0's that I hoped could be used for an O1 or O2 but, as you say, there is no way the mechanisms would ever fit inside a british prototype!