Back in 2011 I obtained the etched brass parts for two of the SW-8 models produced by Worsley Works. I pondered them occasionally and finally came to a conclusion I’d be wise to obtain a resistance soldering unit before building them. I have that now, and the time has come to get started.

Here’s what you get, three sheets of etched parts.

There are I think a few extra parts. Below is what I think I’ll need, cut out of the sheets using snips and a jeweler’s saw.

On the opposite side of the parts some have additional etching to guide the bends, seen in the below photo.

Using the lines for guides, and several different items to guide the bends (a brass rod helped greatly on the hood), I started slow but I have it to the state seen below.

It’s a start! I have most of the parts I need. I want this to run well so that is part of my process. My plan is to use modified Athearn road diesel drive parts, combined with AHM SW-1 sideframes and probably other parts from those models. I recently got another of those running again, which was an additional inspiration to start this model; for a look at that SW-1 model (about 1/80 scale and an easy conversion to OO gauge operation) see this article.

Continue reading the SW8 series