It started out as a Fleischmann Magic Train "STAINZ", a model of a Krauss 0-4-0 of 1892.

Firstly I reduced the height of the chimney by cutting off the spark-arrester and removing a section of the barrel, then glued it back together again - making sure it was all straight and square.

Then I cut the "S" out of the back of the cab to make it upright. At first I thought I had cut off too much and a friend who had a spare body from another kitbashing project he worked on sent me the "left over bits", so I got the cab with side tanks and the headlights. After investigation of fitting the headlights I decided the cab was fine, but having a spare shell I cut the side tanks off and spliced them on to the STAINZ. I did need to fit new tops on the tanks as the originals had holes for the water filler hatch etc.

I removed the headlight from the smokebox door (probably the most difficult bit of this project), made up some simple brackets to hold the new lights front and back and made some doors to go on the back of the cab. Due to the small size of some narrow-gauge locos, the fire-irons cannot be easily worked in to the firebox door, so they put an opening on the back of the cab for the long handle to extend through.

Once it gets a coat of paint it will likely look even less like STAINZ. I am quite happy with it, certainly not a loco that everyone else has.