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            As time drew near for the Annual Appalachian Model Railroad Society's Annual show, and my completeion of a protable layout to display my 7/8 scale equipment on, I felt a need to have a 2nd locomotive to complement Shay No6.  No4 was a bit too lont and had trouble negotiating the curves ont he portable layout, not to mention looking silly with a huge gap between the locomotive and tender.  The search was on and I found what I was looking for in "GLOVER STEAM LOCOMOTIVES" by Richard Hillman.  It was a small saddle tanker 0-6-0 with beautiful proportions. I just had to have it on the roster!

            For those not familiar with the GLOVER name, the Glover Machine Works was located in Marietta., Ga and built some 200 or so steam locomotives.  This was more or less a sideline for them, as the built log skidders, hoisting engines, and cranes as well.  Their primary product was (and still is, although not in the original facility; it was razed in 1995) pipe fittings for the oil industry.

            C/N 91417 was  ordered in 1917 by the Sloss Sheffield Steel & Iron Co as its No2 named "Brookside."  Although this locomotive was standard gauge I used its proportions to make a 2 foot gauge "should-have-been" locomotive.

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I went to the scrapbox for a mechanism, and selected the 'guts' of a Bachmann Big Hauler 4-6-0 that I had on hand.  I removed much of the excess frame and repositioned the cylinders on the motor block.  The motorblock was missing the brake shoes on one side, so I cast replacements in resin from molds that I already had on hand.  In order to give some strength and help hold the cylinder assembly on, I extened the frame to the front of the locomotive.  I then made up a master for the leaf springs and after doing a mold cast them in resin as well.

After this little bit was done, I chose to extend the frame to the rear and add a deck that would become the cab floor.  While so doing, I removed the pins holding on the Big Hauler's siderods, tapped out the holes and installed machine screws for a more secure hold.

      With the frame basics done, I turned to making a boiler with the right look about it.   Using 2.5 inch PVC as a basis I built up the basic form for the firebox.
 

	I turned to 4 inch PVC to make the saddle tank, first cutting it to proper length, then cutting it longitudinally in half.  The result was a already rounded saddle tank.  I cut a 'bottom' for the tank from 1/8 inch think poplar and enclosed the ends with styrene.I then cutout the boiler to accepet the tank floor because it was planned to install the batteries and reciever in this location.  The domes, filler hatch, and stack were mounted directly to the removable tank.  I added a wood pilot beam with my own custom cast link and pin coupler pocket to the front.

        The smokebox was made from styrene bits, but the raised lettering was courtesy of Jeff Saxton, laser cut from plexiglass.  A set like this goes for about $4 plus shipping and handling.  You can contact him a jbsaxton@aol.com.   This was truley a distinguishing feature on a Glover locomtive and a nice touch to the model.
 
 

        Returning to the locomotives 'poop deck' it was time to start the cab walls and the interior cab details.  All WCNG locomotives have a complete backhead, and No2 was to be no different.  The engineer figger was to give a sense of scale to the project.
 

        Since I use quite alot of these various fittings, I made a mold for general locomotive fittings.  The valves and handles, and the turrent were scavanged from a Bachmann Shay.  The injectors, water glass and steam gauge were created from my own masters made in house.  The Johnson bar and throttle were also plagerized from the Bachmann Shay. The firebox door and the rods to the valve gear however were fabricated from styrene.
 
 

With the interior of the cab done, it was time to build the cab itself.   Using the tagboard mockups I created arelier as a patteren, I fabricated the cab out of .040 styrene sheet.   I then laid out a rivet pattern and drill holes to insert sequin pin heads.  These I find make a convincing sheet metal fastener in 7/8 scale.  Where the fit wasn;t quite perfect, I used a bit of Squadron green putty, this was actually something I could capitalize on later when weathering, a bit of varying texture brought out by the dry brushing of a rust color.

            After complereting the cab, the model was painted with a dark grey primer , then a shiney black.   I dry brushed on rusty spotches in strategic locations, and shot it over with a mist of flat black to simulate a sooty, grimey finish.  After that it was time to install the RC (a matter of 2 wires) lube the mech up, and stick in a battery.   I test ran No2 on the Cedar Mountain Branch portable layout, and was gratified to get 5 continuous hours of running light.   I had a moderate sized train (4 hoppers) tacked to her drawbar during the show over Thanksgiving Weekend.  I alternated her with Shay No6 and as a result the battery never did go completely flat.  All in all I'm very pleased with a little teakettle that took less than 5 days to build!